Screencast Video Tutorials

Welcome to the first part in our Photoshop design tutorial. In this part you will learn how to set up the document correctly and design the header and background. If you need some visual instructions please view the screencast or check the outcome of the tutorial using the demo link to the right of the video.

Setting Up The Document

Follow the instructions below, if you need help view the screencast above.

1. Create a new document with size 1200px x 1600px, 72px/inch and color profiles turned off.
2. Fill the background in with an off-white colour (#f6f6f6).
3. Add vertical guides at 100px and 1100px to set the outline for the template (1000px wide)
4. Add vertical guides at 433px and 767px to split the template into 3 columns (thirds).
5. Add vertical guides at 350px, 600px and 850px to slit the template into 4 columns (quarters).

Top Header Background

The top header is a very simple grey bar.

1. Rectangle outline, new layer and fill with colour #D7D7D7
2. Gradient overlay, blending set to overlay using gradient black to white. Opacity set to 30%.
3. Pattern overlay of stripes, blending set to luminosity and opacity 3%.
4. Inner shadow so the shadow is on the bottom, reduce opacity until it is a subtle effect.
5. Stroke set to 5px and outside, color white (#FFF)

Dark background and small grey bar

The dark background uses a pattern I already have. The grey bar is positioned below to tie in with the colour of the header.

1. Rectangle outline, new layer and fill with any colour.
2. Pattern overlay with the dark pattern selected.
3. Black to white gradient overlay, blending set to overlay, opacity set to 30% and direction reversed.
4. Thin rectangle outline below dark area, new layer and fill with #D7D7D7.
5. Add a 1px drop shadow to the bottom, slightly darker than the background (#D7D7D7). To do this make size 0 and distance 1.
6. Add a 1px inner shadow to the top, colour white. Same method as above, make sure to set blending mode to normal.

Simple Logo and Navigation

The dark background uses a pattern I already have. The grey bar is positioned below to tie in with the colour of the header.

1. Type the text for your logo and change the font to Museo Sans, size 30pt and anti-aliasing crisp.
2. First word colour #444, second word #666.
3. Black to white gradient overlay, blend mode overlay and opacity 30%.
4. Drop shadow 1px, 120 degrees, color white, opacity 60%.
5. Use the rounded corner rectangle tool with fixed size 1000px by 50px and corners 10px. Position so the top 10px or so overlap the white border of the header.
6. In the layer menu, select rasterize shape. Then using the rectangle outline select the top section which overlaps the white border and delete it.
7. Set the gradient overlay so there is white at the top and a light grey at the bottom.
8. Add a 1px border/stroke to the inside of this.
9. Add the text for the links, colour #444, size 16px, font Arial and weight bold.
10. Add the light drop shadow as you did with the logo text.
11. Draw a 1px wide white line going from the top of the navigation (top of the white border) to the bottom of the navigation.
12. Do the exact same on the same layer as the white line, except with black and to the right side of the white bar.
13. Go into layer blending options and set to overlay, opacity 70%. This is the divider to separate links.
14. Copy this layer to separate all the links your typed..

These instructions are intended as a guide to go along with the screencast. For a better understanding of whats going on view the video.