This tutorial will show you how to effectively create the iTunes icon found on all iPhones and iPod Touches. This tutorial will walk you through the various filters and layer styles needed to create this very sleek icon.

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Step 1

First, open up a new document - 125 x 125 pixels at a resolution of 72 DPI. Fill your canvas with black.

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Step 2

On a new layer, grab the rounded rectangle tool. With the radius set to 9 and your foreground set to white, draw in a rounded rectangle. Name this layer “icon base.”

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Step 3

Apply the following gradient overlay. The color on the left of the gradient should be #a800ff while the color on the right should be set at #8a00ff.

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Step 4

Hold Command (Ctrl for PC) and click on the thumbnail for the layer “icon base.” This will select the icon.

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Step 5

Create a new layer, with the “icon base” still selected. Fill in the selection with white. Go ahead and name this layer “starburst” because it is where we will be making the starburst effect.

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Step 6

With the layer “starburst” selected, go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Apply the following settings:

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Step 7

Hit Command (Ctrl) + D to deselect the starburst layer. Go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur and apply the following settings:

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Step 8

This is what your image should look like thus far.

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Step 9

Hold Command (Ctrl for PC) and click on the thumbnail for the layer “starburst.” This will select the burst you have. Now, hit Command+Shift+I to invert your selection. Hit delete to remove the extra starburst.

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Step 10

Lower the opacity to 41%. Your icon should now look like this:

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Step 11

On the “starburst” layer, add a layer mask. With a Black to White gradient, and the gradient set as Radial, drag from the center of the icon to the edge. This will clear out the starburst effect from the middle of the image.

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Step 12

Create a new layer. Name it “Gloss.” Grab the Ellipse Tool and with your foreground as white, draw this shape:

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Step 13

Hold Command (Ctrl for PC) and click on the thumbnail for the layer “gloss.” This will select the gloss you have. Now, hit Command+I to invert your selection. Hit delete to remove the extra gloss. Lower the opacity of this layer to 73%.

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Step 14

Add a layer mask to the “gloss” layer. With a black to white gradient, drag from the middle of the icon to about the middle of the gloss. It should lower the opacity of the bottom half giving you something like this:

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Step 15

I hope you named your layers for this one! Command+Click the thumbnail for “gloss.” Press Command+I. Then, Command+Option+Shift+Click the thumbnail for “icon base.” You should have a selection like this:

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Step 16

Create a new layer and name it “shadow. Now, using a black to transparent gradient, drag your mouse like this while holding the Shift key:

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Step 17

Lower the opacity of your “shadow” layer to 53%.

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Step 18

Next, go ahead and grab your brush tool. Set the diameter to 100 and the hardness to 0. Create a new layer titled “bottom glow.” With white as your foreground color, simply make one brush right at the bottom of the icon.

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Step 19

Crop out the brush from your “bottom glow” layer that is not in the icon. Lower the opacity of “bottom glow” to 45%.

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Step 20

Now we are done with the overall icon. Next, we just need to add in the ring and the arrow. To start the ring, grab the elliptical marquee tool. Holding down the shift key, draw out a selection like this:

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Step 21

Create a new layer titled “ring.” Fill in the selection you have with white. Next, go to the top menu and choose Select>Modify>Contract. Contract your selection by 5 pixels and hit delete.

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Step 22

Apply the following layer style:

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Step 23

Create a new layer titled “arrow.” Choose the arrow in your custom shapes pallet (U) and draw an arrow like this:

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Step 24

Press Command+T to enter transform mode. Right click and choose “Rotate 90 Degrees CW.”

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Step 25

Copy and paste the layer style from your “ring” layer onto your “arrow” layer. Your icon should look like this. Congratulations! You’re finished!

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Extra

Have some fun messing around with different opacities, layer styles, colors, etc. There are literally endless possibilities.

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Got lost along the way? Download the PSD file for free!