Photoshop Elements >

Shadows & Highlights >

2 - Canvas & Black Circle

We'll create a blank canvas and a black circle.

Be sure to check off as you go along.

Change the Colors

1) Change the Foreground and background colors to a dark gray and a light gray.

If you haven't already, go to Foreground & Background Colors.

2) Double click on the foreground color to open the Color Picker.

3) Change the HSB values as follows.

H	0
S	0
B	10

That makes a dark gray.

4) Click OK.

5) Double click on the foreground color to open the Color Picker.

6) Change the HSB values as follows.

H	0
S	0
B	90

That makes a light gray.

7) Click OK.

Make a Canvas

8) Make sure the background color is the light gray.

If it isn't press x to switch the colors.

9) Go to File > New > Blank File.

10) Do the following in the New window.

a) Enter 3000 pixels for the width, and 2000 pixels for the height.

You may have to change the values from inches to pixels.

b) At the bottom of the New window, in the Background Contents box, select Background Color.

c) Click OK.

You now have a light-gray canvas called Background.

Background

Make a Black Circle

11) Make sure the foreground color is the dark gray.

12) Select the Elliptical Marquee tool.

13) Position the cursor on the left side of the canvas.

The shadow will extend to the right of the ball.

14) Press and hold Shift—click and hold the mouse button—and drag out a circle.

15) Save the selection.

Do the following.

a) Go to Select > Save Selection.

b) Enter Ball as the name of the selection.

c) Click OK.

16) Create a blank layer.

17) Rename the new layer as Ball.

Ball

Background

18) Select the Paint Bucket tool.

19) Make sure the Ball layer is active (highlighted).

Ball

Background

20) Click inside the circular selection.

If the selection has disappeared, go to Select > Reselect.

A black circle is now on the Ball layer.

Next, we'll make a cast shadow.

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