How To Make An App Icon In Photoshop

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This tutorial is part of a iii-role series explaining how to blueprint UI elements for mobile applications in Photoshop. In this part, nosotros will explicate how to design an icon for your mobile device's domicile screen. Allow's become started!

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the product of this tutorial.

Forest Texture

Step 1

Create a new document. In this tutorial we volition be designing our icon at 1024x1024 pixels but feel gratuitous to design yours at 256x256 or 512x512 pixels.

Step 2

With the Rounded Rectangle Tool (U) draw a shape using a red colour. (I sampled the Eyedropper Tool (I) on the official Psdtuts+ icon).

Pace iii

With the Brush Tool (B) Paint a vivid low-cal blood-red colour to create a low-cal spot on the upper right part of the icon.

Step 4

Add a blackness shadow with the Brush Tool. Use the image as a reference.

Step 5

Add together a shape like this on top of the icon with the following Layer Mode.

Step six

Duplicate and reduce the last shape with Cmd/Ctrl + T. In a new layer, set as a Clipping Mask (Alt-click in the separation line between 2 layer in Layers Palette), paint some light red color with the Castor Tool (B).

Step seven

Refine the upper lights using the Brush Tool (B) alternating low-cal and night blood-red.

Stride 8

I refined the bottom part using the same way as the previous step.

Step ix

In a split layer, using Rectangular Option Tool (G) add together two thin stripes and select the blend style in Overlay.

Step 10

Make a Rectangular Option. Fill it with the Slope Tool (1000) set White to Transparent. Misconstrue the layer with Cmd/Ctrl + T and set the layer'due south blending mode to Overlay.

Step 11

Create a new layer and with the Rectangular Selection (Thou) select a thin stripe of pixel. Fill it with black and distort the layer with Cmd/Ctrl + T to obtain a result like the image below. Place the layer almost the border of the center white gradient. As you lot can see I duplicated the stripe for the right side.

Step 12

Refine the shadow with the Brush Tool (B) in a new layer.

Stride 13

Add together 2 Highlights stripes. Employ the Step 11 method again.

Step fourteen

Little adjustment with the Brush Tool (B) to the center spotlight and borders. I make a group with the center layers and added a layer mask to polish the lines but a bit.

Step 15

Add a subtle texture to the icon with the filter Noise > Add Dissonance, set the blending manner to Soft Light. Endeavour to change the layer with Cmd/Ctrl + T.

Step 16

With The Rectangular Shape Tool (U) create a plus shape and add the post-obit Layer Style.

Stride 17

Duplicate the plus shape and shift it a bit to the bottom with the Move Tool (V). Add this Layer Style.

Step 18

Add some reflections with the Pen Tool (P). Draw some random black shape and with a low layer's opacity.

Pace nineteen

I refined the border of the upper cross adding white lines with the Pencil Tool.

Footstep 20

Magic Wand time. Add a blackness cylinder shape with this Layer Style.

Step 21

Add another white shapes on tiptop of the wand with this Style.

Step 22

And finally the last shape with the following Layer Style.

Step 23

The brush is composed of two parts. Showtime draw the primary shape with the Pen Tool (P). Use this Layer Style.

Pace 24

With the Brush Tool (B) start to pigment inside the brush with a minor hard castor. Use the Spacing Propriety inside the Brush Panel (F5) to heave the velocity of this Step. Endeavor to modify the castor'due south color too.

Step 25

I added a lesser shadow and colored with yellowish the peak office with the Brush Tool (B) in a new Layer.

Footstep 26

Draw a cylinder shape with the Pen Tool (P) Apply the following Layer Style.

Step 27

Place the wood texture inside the document and employ it to the previous Shape every bit a Clipping Mask in Overlay Mode.

Step 28

For the metallic part, depict another shape with this Layer Manner. I refined the shadow of this part in a new Layer past painting some black inside.

Step 29

Create a new layer and pigment the smoke using the Brush Tool (B) with purple and yellow colors.

Step 30

Depict a Star using the Custom Shape Tool. Add together this Layer Style.

Stride 31

Duplicate the star shape and brand it darker by selecting a nighttime xanthous color. Accommodate this layer behind the previous 1. I duplicated the star two times and placed the copied one around the wand in various size.

Footstep 32

One terminal step is to refine the entire icon lighting in a dissever layer with the Brush Tool (B). I added some small details to the icon, similar paint driblet, sparkle, shadows merely only paint them.

Stride 33

I added a bluish colour light between the objects with the Brush Tool (B) in a new layer.

Step 34

Finally I created a drop shadow to the icon, and a custom orange background, in dissever layers.

Terminal Paradigm

Extra Resources

If you're interested in getting some help with your app icon design, Envato Studio has a great collection of app icon designers that you might similar to explore. Yous could also take a look at icons on Envato Market.

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Mirko Santangelo is an award-winning graphic designer, from Italia. Mirko is passionate nearly learning and pedagogy Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. To learn more about him you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter or visit Mirkosantangelo.com.