the Empire Dezign Learning Center

Mac Interface

I get a lot of requests for tutorials and this was my most recent. The ever famous Mac style interface. Enjoy.

Here is a screenshot of the final.

To begin, create a new canvas at a size of 389 x 336 with f6f6f6 as your color.

Next, select the "Rounded Rectangle Tool". Draw a rectangle as illustrated below with a radius of 10 pixels and color White. Name this layer "Interface Frame" in the Layers Palette.

Next we will need to rid the bottom two anchor points of the "Interface Frame" layer and give it a level edge.

To do this, select the "Delete Anchor Point Tool" and click on both the bottom left and right anchor points to delete them.

Now, using the "Convert Point Tool" click on the remaining two bottom anchor points to rid the curves as illustrated in the image below.

Next, let's create a pattern. Create a new document with a width of 1 and height of 3 pixels.

Now use the "Pencil Tool" (or a tool of your choice) to fill in the 1 pixel squares with the below colors. Once complete, go to the main menu and choose "Edit" then "Define Pattern", give it a name and click "OK".

You may now close the pattern canvas and return to the previous document.

		Now right click on the "Interface Frame" layer in the Layers Palette and select, "Blending Options...". Now click on " Drop Shadow ".
			use settings at left
		Do not click "OK" yet. Still more to do.

		Now click on " Color Overlay".
			use settings at left
		Do not click "OK" yet. Still more to do.

		Now click on "Pattern Overlay".
			use settings at left
		Do not click "OK" yet. Still more to do.

		Now click on "Stroke".
			use settings at left
		You may now click "OK".

You should now have the below image.

Next, select the "Rectangle Tool". Draw a rectangle as illustrated below with the color White. Name this layer "Content" in the Layers Palette.

		Now right click on the "Content " layer in the Layers Palette and select, "Blending Options...".
			use settings at left
		Do not click "OK" yet. Still more to do.

		Now click on "Stroke".
			use settings at left
		You may now click "OK".

You should now have the below image.

Now "Ctrl" click the "Interface Frame" layer to create a selection around it. Then select the "Rectangular Marquee Tool" and while holding in the "Alt" key on your keyboard drag out a selection to rid all of the selection but the top portion as shown below.

Next create a new layer and fill with eeeeee as the color. Name this layer "Title Bar" in the Layers Palette.

		Now right click on the "Title Bar" layer in the Layers Palette and select, "Blending Options...". Now click on "Drop Shadow".
			use settings at left
		Do not click "OK" yet. Still more to do.

		Now click on "Gradient Overlay".
			use settings at left
		You may now click "OK".

You should now have the below image.

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