Let’s take a look at the final effect:
Tools used: Photoshop CS4
Note: The shortcuts used in this article are all valid in the English input method state.
Step 1: Open Photoshop CS4, execute the [File-New] command, create a new 400×400 pixel file, and name it [Water Drops], as shown in the figure below.
Step 2: Set the foreground color to #0580ac and the background color to white. Select the [Gradient Tool] in the toolbox and drag a linear gradient from the foreground color to the background color from the bottom to the upper right of the screen. The effect is as shown in the figure below.
Step 3: Click the [Create New Layer] button below the layer palette to create a new layer and name it [Water Drops]. Select the [Elliptical Marquee Tool] and draw a perfect circular selection as shown in the figure below.
Step 4: Set the foreground color to #0a93bd and press the [Alt+Del] keys to fill the selection. The effect is as shown in the figure below. (Lin Qi said: Don’t cancel the selection at this time, it will be useful later)
Step 5: Click the [Create New Layer] button below the layer palette to create a new layer and name it [Highlights]. Set the foreground color to #91d5e2, select the [Brush Tool], set the brush diameter to 60 pixels, and the hardness to 0%, and paint on the lower left part of the water droplet, as shown in the picture below.
Step 6: Select the [Elliptical Marquee Tool] again, select the [Subtract from Selection] mode in the option bar, and draw a selection as shown below.
Step 7: Right-click the selection and select the [Feather] command in the pop-up shortcut menu. The feather radius is 3 pixels.
Step 8: Click the [Create New Layer] button below the layer palette to create a new layer and name it [Highlight]. Then, fill the selection with white and adjust the opacity to 77%, as shown in the image below.
