This tutorial will show you how to create beads that you can string together on your page for a fun accent.
Create a new document at 1inch by 1inch 300ppi
Select the Eliptical Marquee tool from the tools palette
On the Options tool bar, Make sure Feather is at 0 and Anti-Alias is checked. From the style drop down menu choose Fixed Size and enter 225 (pixels) into the both the Width and Height box.
Click near the left hand top corner of the document and the selection will appear.
Select a foreground color to fill the circle with. Here I have used a pink #ed297b
Use ALT+Backspace keys to fill the circle with the solid color, and then CTRL+ D to deselect the circle.
Open the layer style palette by double clicking on the layer.
Click on the Bevel and Emboss menu and make the following changes. PLEASE NOTE: if your circle is not the same size as this you will have to make your own adjustments to achieve the effect.
Style: Inner Bevel Technique: Smooth Depth 286% Direction: UP Size: 180 Soften: 16 Shadow Mode/ Opacity: 59%
Click on Contour and select Cove: Deep. Make sure Anti-Alias is checked. Range should be at 50. The bead should be taking shape.
Now select Inner Shadow and make the following adjustments.
Opacity: 45%; Distance:1 Size 59px.
Your bead should now look like the one below.
Select the Dodge Tool from the tools palette and using a soft round brush (52px) with the Range set to Shadows and the Exposure at 21% brush in a small highlight patch as shown.
We have created a basic bead template – save in PSD format with the layers intact.
To quickly and easily change the color of the bead, first duplicate the bead to protect your original Image> duplicate. Double click on the layer to open the Layer Palette and choose Color Overlay – the default is red. Change the Blend Mode to Color.
Click on the small color square and use the color picker to choose any color. Click OK to apply.
You can also add a pattern or texture using the Layer Style palette.
Select Pattern Overlay and choose from your available patterns. Adjust the Blend Mode as desired.
You can also turn any digital paper design into a bead.
Open your bead template and create a duplicate image to protect the original.
Open and drag a paper onto the bead document. The paper will be very large and will need resizing to show the pattern
Right click on the paper layer and choose Create Clipping Mask ( or use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+ALT+G) You can move the paper layer around and resize again if necessary to get the part of the pattern you want to show.
Once you have filled the bead with the paper you desire, you will need to use the Dodge tool to brush in the highlight on the paper layer.
In some instances, depending on color and design you may want to make slight adjustments to your settings to increase or decrease shadows. This is easily achieved by opening the layer style palette and increasing the Inner Shadow opacity as desired.
To permanent apply the layer style or design to a finished bead, right click on any layer and choose Merge Visible. This will “flatten” the bead file.
Use CTRL +J and string beads along a piece of digital wire, use the burn brush to add indentations at each end for holes or for a semi transparent bead, reduce the fill opacity of the bead.
To finish add a drop shadow.
You can download a PDF version of this tutorial by CLICKING HERE
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