Interface Dents

Learn how to make dents in your interface! A great way to learn how to use the dodge and burn tool.

Steps:

6 Steps

Difficulty:

Advanced

Important Tools:

Burn Tool
Dodge Tool

Step 1 - Preparation

Note: You need a flat surface or relatively flat surface on your interface to do this tutorial. For the purposes of this tutorial, my "interface" will be a flat layer filled with the color Hex #333333. I recommend you also try this tutorial on a background of #333333 before doing it on your real interface.

Because this is a complex tutorial, I will teach you how to make a dent in a small area. Create an new image 70x70px. Change the Foreground Color on the Color Palette to Hex #333333. Fill ( Edit > Fill ) the background layer with the Foreground Color.

Step 2 - Burn Tool for Shadows

I am going to make a bunch of pictures for every tool I use and every step. I will be only using two tools. The Dodge Tool and Burn tool.

First I will use the Burn Tool. It is right under the gradient/paintbucket tool. It looks like a hand. The Burn Tool "darkens" the areas it is used on. Change the settings of theBurn Toolto:

Brush: 5px
Range: Midtones
Exposure: 25%
Airbrush: Not selected

Just try to copy what I do in every image with your own Burn Tool! It will help you learn faster! Ok here I go (all my images are zoomed in).

Burn 1 Burn 2 Burn 3

Step 3 - Dodge Tool for Light

It is time to use the Dodge Tool. The Dodge Tool "lightens" the areas it is used on. This tool is right under the gradient/paintbucket tool. It may be hidden behind the Burn Tool. Select the Dodge Tool and set its settings to:

Brush: 5px
Range: Midtones
Exposure: 25%
Airbrush: Not selected

Once again, just try to copy what I do in every image with your own Dodge Tool! It will help you learn faster! Ok here I go (all my images are zoomed in).

Dodge 1 Dodge 2 Dodge 3

Step 4 - Burning the Edges

Re-choose the Burn Tool except with the following new settings:

Burn 4 Brush: 5px
Range: Midtones
Exposure: 10%
Airbrush: Not selected

Now lightly darken the outer rim of the shadow of the dent.

Step 5 - Dodging the Edges

Now re-choose the Dodge Tool except with the new settings

Dodge 4 Brush: 5px
Range: Midtones
Exposure: 10%
Airbrush: Not selected

Now slightly lighten the outer rim of the lighted of the dent.

Step 6 - Final Lighting

Now comes the final step. You must visualize this dent as 3D. Visualize which parts would be brighter. Change the Dodge Tool's settings to:

Brush: 3px
Range: Midtones
Exposure: 10%
Airbrush: Not selected

Final Now you must use many many tiny strokes of the dodge tool to add the finishing touches. The changes should not be too durastic. Rather, they shoud just be there to show that the inside of the dent has interesting contours as well.