This example mainly uses custom shape tools, path tools and layer styles to create a pair of beautiful gold and silver keys that are in harmony with each other. The operation is relatively simple and is more suitable for novices to practice path adjustment and flexible use of styles. Let’s take a look at the finished picture first. Two heart-shaped keys, one gold and one silver, form a ring. They are dazzling against the purple background. The effect is not bad!
Let’s take a look at the creation process:
1. Create a new file with a white background. Select the Custom Shape Tool from the Tools menu, select a heart shape from the drop-down list and pull out the shape.
2. Select the direct selection tool, adjust the heart shape to be rounder, and then press Ctrl+Enter to load the selection. Create a new layer, choose a color (blue used here) and press Alt+Enter to fill it.
3. Enter the path panel, select the center-shaped path and press Ctrl+T to transform it freely. Hold down the Shift+Alt keys and drag inward to the appropriate size. Press Ctrl+Enter to load the selection and press the Delete key to delete it and hollow out the heart shape. .
4. Press Ctrl+T to rotate the heart shape upward. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool, set the radius to 5 pixels, pull out a slender rectangle on the heart shape, Ctrl+Enter to load the selection, create a new layer, and Alt+Enter to fill it.
5. Follow the method in step 4, draw another small rectangle, place it at the upper right position of the big rectangle, then press Ctrl+J to make a copy, and move it down a little. Merge the rectangle and heart layers and the key outline will take shape. The merging method is to hold down the Shift key to select these layers and then select Merge Layers from the right-click menu.
6. Add a metallic effect to the key. Open the style panel, select the "Web" style in the style menu to replace the current style, select the "Mercury" style, and the key will immediately have a metallic feel.
7. Open the layer effect drop-down list in the layer panel, drag the "Stroke" item to the trash can and delete it. Just use the default values for other parameters.
8. Gold plate the keys. Create a new layer above the key layer, set the blending mode to "Overlay", set the foreground color to R:233 G:198 B:0 and press Alt+Enter to fill it.
9. Hold down the Ctrl key in the layer panel and click the key layer to load the selection, select the gold layer, press Ctrl+J to copy a layer and delete the original gold layer. The golden key is complete.
10. Make a silver key. Duplicate the gold key layer and name it Silver Key. Double-click this layer in the Layers Panel to bring up its Style Panel. In the "Bevel and Emboss" item, change the color after "Shadow Mode" to R:130 G: 130 B: 130, click to change.
11. Make keychains. Select the Ellipse tool, hold down the Shift key to draw a perfect circle, create a new layer and name it Circle, select Menu à Edit à Stroke, center the stroke with 4 pixels, and use the color R:233 G:198 B:0 .
12. Ctrl+J Duplicate a layer and name it Circle 2. Set the blending mode to "Overlay" and place it on top of the circle layer. Right-click on the golden key layer and select "Copy Layer Style", then right-click on the circle layer and select "Paste Layer Style". The circle will also become golden. After merging the two circle layers, it will appear in the layer effect. Add shadow.
13. Hang the key in the circle. Merge the golden key and circle with their respective color layers and adjust them to the appropriate positions. Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the golden key layer in the Layers panel to load its selection, and use the eraser tool to erase the side where the circle intersects with it. Use the same method to wipe off the side where the circle intersects with the silver key to create the visual effect of penetration, and the key will be hung up.
14. Add background. Set the foreground color to R:182 G:0 B:255, and Alt+Enter to fill the background layer with a beautiful purple.
15. Add light. Select Menu à Filter à Rendering à Lighting Effect, and set the parameters as follows. In this way, a pair of dazzling heart-to-heart gold and silver keys is completed.
We can also use the text tool to add text to it, and then use the same method to adjust the text to a gold and silver effect.
