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.
Step 1
First, open up a new document – 125 x 125 pixels at a resolution of 72 DPI. Fill your canvas with black.
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.”
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.
Step 4
Hold Command (Ctrl for PC) and click on the thumbnail for the layer “icon base.” This will select the icon.
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.
Step 6
With the layer “starburst” selected, go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Apply the following settings:
Step 7
Hit Command (Ctrl) + D to deselect the starburst layer. Go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur and apply the following settings:
Step 8
This is what your image should look like thus far.
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.
Step 10
Lower the opacity to 41%. Your icon should now look like this:
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.
Step 12
Create a new layer. Name it “Gloss.” Grab the Ellipse Tool and with your foreground as white, draw this shape:
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%.
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:
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:
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:
Step 17
Lower the opacity of your “shadow” layer to 53%.
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.
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%.
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:
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.
Step 22
Apply the following layer style:
Step 23
Create a new layer titled “arrow.” Choose the arrow in your custom shapes pallet (U) and draw an arrow like this:
Step 24
Press Command+T to enter transform mode. Right click and choose “Rotate 90 Degrees CW.”
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!
Extra
Have some fun messing around with different opacities, layer styles, colors, etc. There are literally endless possibilities.
Got lost along the way? Download the PSD file for free!
becky
April 3, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Wow, thanks for the tutorial. I never knew I could do this before. Fun! Thanks again.
samar
July 6, 2008 at 12:27 pm
ummm..this is REALLY confusing and I can’t seem to get it right!
Is there a video tutorial of this???
samar
July 6, 2008 at 1:32 pm
ok now I’ve tryed and tryed and tryed but I NEVER GOT IT RIGHT!!
SoOo can you PLEASE make a video tutorial?!
Watabou
August 8, 2008 at 10:42 pm
For the people who have trouble with this, the author, I think made a mistake when he says hit Command+I to invert the selection. This is incorrect. The correct shortcut for this is Shift+Command+I. This will invert your selection.
Brian
August 9, 2008 at 12:06 am
Thanks for the catch – I’ve fixed the article. I hope it helps!
umesh daiya
September 11, 2008 at 7:13 am
wow really its to much helpful for me. and you given process is very easy. i follow up as you guide and i will done this. really fantastic.
thanks.
iTree
October 9, 2008 at 10:16 am
Can you please explain steps 13-15? I have tried doing what you wrote but it just ends with uselessness. Please rewrite it so us PC users can understand too!
SEO Beratung
October 16, 2008 at 8:40 am
The icon is very cool. Thanks for the great list…
nero
December 23, 2008 at 4:50 am
i have a question about step 12&13.
how can you delete the gloss only on the starburst, i can only delete it and than its realy gone, cant do anything to it.
Keylime
February 12, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Step 13 didn’t work for me as written using CS3, here is step 13 again
Right click and choose to rasterize the “gloss” layer, control click the “icon base” layer, then inverse the selection. Then select the “gloss” layer and press delete.
Silver Surfer
August 15, 2010 at 6:48 am
this is the right step..,
really by following the article i thought i did some mistake somewhere..,
to authors: can you please fix your article..,
really it’s a great tutorial but at step 12 it just frustating cause it’s not complete instruction..,
thanks,
spriggig
February 15, 2009 at 3:58 pm
If you want to make an actual iPhone/Touch icon, the correct spec’s are
57X57 pixels
24 bit RGB
PNG file format
File name “apple-touch-icon.png”
Flatten the image and place the icon in the root of your website.
Also, the iPhone/Touch OS adds the rounded corners and highlight effect automagically, so there’s no reason to do that if you are making an actual icon and not simply duplicating the look.
ebook cover designer
April 29, 2009 at 12:08 am
I have always liked the Apple themes. You have given me a cool and simple tutorial here. Thanks!
Doois Tecnologia
May 12, 2009 at 11:32 am
Great tutorial. Keep up with the good work. Thanks
GorillaBoy
May 18, 2009 at 10:27 am
The tutorial needs to be updated some. steps 12-15 do not work as you wrote them.
GorillaBoy
May 18, 2009 at 10:29 am
Keylime you are great! What you said fixes the problem. Once again:
“Step 13 didn’t work for me as written using CS3, here is step 13 again
Right click and choose to rasterize the “gloss” layer, control click the “icon base” layer, then inverse the selection. Then select the “gloss” layer and press delete.” – Keylime
om ipit
June 23, 2009 at 8:35 am
great tutorial
i will bookmark this post
Lorwynne
July 26, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Great tutorial.
Tom
August 13, 2009 at 9:28 am
idiot…..explain step 12 better or dont play goodie two shoes and post confusing tutorials to get web traffic …….. idiot
videoizle
January 8, 2010 at 10:32 am
Great tutorial. Keep up with the good work. Thanks
Jan
May 15, 2010 at 5:40 am
Hey, I like your tutorial, but I don’t understand step 15. I am PC user. It will be realy very helpful if you make a video and post link here.
(Sorry for my bad english)
austin web designer
June 22, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Thanks for the tutorial was looking for it all over and finally found one that is simple an easy to follow.
Ray
June 28, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Hi, Great tutorial, I managed to get to step 10, but it seems that something is not well explained pass step 10 since I don’t seem to get the right sequence as mentioned.
Can you be a little more descriptive, I’m not so familiar with Photoshop, I’m trying to learn but something is missing.
Thanks for your time.
Lolzer cominkey
July 9, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Thank you so much, now i can make my own icons.