In this tutorial, we’ll make a creative blog layout using mostly simple shapes, a few brush techniques, some images, and a dose of Photoshop ingenuity. Creating web design layouts is easier than you may think. You can learn to build attractive designs rapidly. Creating this design will take less than two hours and you’ll learn some professional tips along the way. Let’s get started!

Final Image Preview

Take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Want access to the full PSD files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Psd Plus for just $9/month. You can view the final image preview below. The final image is below or you can view a full size image here.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Photoshop CS4
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 1.5 hours

Resources

To complete this tutorial you need to download the 960 Grid System. Now let’s begin.

Step 1

Open the “960_grid_12_col.psd” template in Photoshop. It will look like the image shown below. The Grid System is useful because it allows you to align the layout quickly.

Step 2

Select the background layer and press Command + J. This is the shortcut to duplicate a layer. Using shortcuts will speed up your design process. For this new layer we’ll add a nice gradient color. Now go to Layer > Layer Style > Gradient Overlay and use the following settings.

Step 3

Now hide the Grid because to see the design better. Keep your grid visible because you can align the shape better. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool, and create a shape on top of the layout.

Step 4

For this navigation bar add the following layer styles.

Step 5

Using the same tool (Rounded Rectangle Tool) create another shape and fill it with the color: #001424.

Step 6

Add the following layer style for this shape.

Step 7

Create another shape with the Rounded Rectangle Tool using white for the color.

Step 8

Also for this shape add some simple layer styles and change the Fill value to 10%.

Below is the result so far.

Step 9

Over this last shape place an image. I’ve use some images from some tutorials I’ve made for Grafpedia, which serve as good image examples for this design. You should use your own images though of course.

Step 10

Now you need to load the selection for this image. To load the selection, select the layer in your layer palette and then go to Select > Load selection. You will see a selection around the image like in the following image.

Step 11

Create a new layer on top of all layers by using this shortcut: Command + Shift + Alt + N. Select the Brush Tool, and choose a smooth round brush. Over the new layer draw a horizontal line. Hold down the Shift key when you make the drawing. In this way the drawing will be perfect horizontally.

Step 12

Press Command + D to deselect. Now use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to create another shape with the color #4b6e82.

Step 13

For both shapes add the following layer styles.

Step 14

Grab the Ellipse Tool and create a shape right under the sidebar shape.

Step 15

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and use the following settings. Photoshop will ask you if you want to Rasterize the shape, go ahead and press OK.

Step 16

As you can see from the previous step, we’ve created a shadow there. Now let’s accentuate this shadow by adding some lights. Select the Line tool, and set the weight of the line to 1 pixel and then create a vertical line as shown.

Step 17

Right-click on the layer and choose Rasterize layer.

Step 18

Select the Eraser Tool, and choose a smooth, round brush at around 100px. Use it to Delete the top part and the bottom part of the line.

Step 19

With the same technique create another line on top of the sidebar.

Step 20

Right under this white line create another one that is black.

Continue Learning…