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Introduction:

 

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to create a “Badass Bling Effect” using layer styles in Photoshop. Once you create the layer style, you can easily “blingify” any layer. There is also a video tutorial as well.

 

STEP 1

 

Choose an image you want to sprinkle with golden Photoshop magic. In this case i chose a full color image of a boombox and I’m going to make it look like it is solid gold. Make the image into a grayscale image by “Desaturating” the layer in the Image/Adjustments/Desaturate menu.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz011.jpg

 

STEP 2

 

Apply a color overlay Layer Style by clicking the FX button at the bottom of your Layers Palette.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz014.jpg

 

STEP 3

 

Set the color overlay to a rich golden color and make sure the Blend Mode is set to Color Burn

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz013 Badass Bling Effect in Photoshop

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz013.jpg

 

STEP 4

 

Adjust your levels like so and…

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz015.jpg

 

Brace yourselves… We’ve got a solid gold boombox in less than 2 minutes! SUPER RAD!

 

STEP 5

 

Repeat the exact same steps for 2 different cars. I copied and flipped horizontally the radios and 90s sports car to get a symmetrical composition started

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz019.jpg

 

STEP 6

 

We are creating a background for our composition that will look like a close of the boom box speaker shield. In Adobe Illustrator, draw 2 circles and separate them a descent width. Keep them aligned horizontally. Then choose Object/Blend/Make. You can also choose the blend tool from your tools palette.

 

Adobe-Illustrator-CS3ScreenSnapz001.jpg

 

Once you have a blend, you’ll want to open the blending options by going to Object/Blend/Blend Options or double clicking the Blend tool in the tools palette will bring up the same dialog box. Choose a # of blends that will leave some space between your circles.

 

Adobe-Illustrator-CS3ScreenSnapz002.jpg

 

STEP 7

 

Expand your blend by choosing Object/Blend/Expand. Now Each circle is treated individually and can be edited. Select your entire row of circles. Hold down option and drag it down a good distance. Hold down shift at the same time to keep the layer aligned vertically. Then repeat the steps to make a blend. I chose 15 steps. You can see that I have now blended my 2 rows of circles to make a grid of evenly spaced circles.

 

Adobe-Illustrator-CS3ScreenSnapz003.jpg

 

Select the entire grid and hold down option & shift while dragging on a 45 degree angle.

 

Copy and paste it into your Photoshop document

 

7

 

STEP 8

 

Apply Bevel & Emboss layer style to your grid of circles. Choose Outer Bevel.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz022.jpg

 

Add a black background… and get crunk!

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz023.jpg

 

STEP 9

 

This is the hardest part of the tutorial… and it’s all trial and error… at least for me it was. We’re going to create our own layer style that take a solid 2d object and make it look all bling’d out. I chose this amazing vector artwork

 

Adobe-Illustrator-CS3ScreenSnapz008.jpg

 

First use a Gradient Overlay from the FX Layer Style tab in your layers palette. I created this gradient of different hues and values of Gold. Make sure you have contrast in your gradient.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz024.jpg

 

This is what the Go Media vector crest will look like after the gradient has been applied:

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz025.jpg

 

Apply a Satin layer style within the same dialog box. You will want to experiment with your settings. Each object you bling out could require tweaking the settings. You will see some depth start to take place and that is important. Choose a different Contour as well. I chose this double peaked one.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz026.jpg

 

Choose a Bevel and Emboss from the Layer Style window. Select Inner Bevel. Adjust the size and softness. I chose 10 and 1. Set the Shadow Mode to Color Burn and you may want to decrease the opacity.

 

Check the Contour Box under Bevel and Emboss. Choose a Contour. Each one will give a different look.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz029.jpg

 

Choose the Texture box under Bevel and Emboss as well. Select a pattern from one of the Photoshop presets. Adjust the scale and depth and watch how it effects the Go Media Crest. Again, experiment with these settings to get something that is really starting to look like gold reflections.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz030.jpg

 

At this point I feel as though the crest is a little too orange. I could go back in and adjust my gradient overlay… but then i’d have to adjust each point in the gradient where there is a color change. Instead, add a color overlay. I chose a darker desaturated green to help tone down the red in my gold layer style. I adjusted the opacity until i felt it was beginning to match the golden cars a little better.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz031.jpg

 

And the last layer style for our gold effect will be to add a drop shadow to help with some depth.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz032.jpg

 

Now, before you close the Layer Style box. You are going to save this style so you can reuse it on anything! Click the New Style button just below “Ok” and give your style a name. Check both boxes – Include Layer Effects & Include Layer Blending Options.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz033.jpg

 

Notice now that your style appears in the Styles palette! SICK!

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz034.jpg

 

And your new golden style shines so bright!

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz035.jpg

 

STEP 10

 

Add more bling to your design. I choosed this one:

 

Adobe-Illustrator-CS3ScreenSnapz004.jpg

 

Copy and paste into Photoshop and this time… apply your new style you just finished creating.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz036.jpg

 

Repeat the same step for any additional elements you want to turn into gold.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz037.jpg

 

STEP 11

 

We’re going to add some light effects using the airbrush and a layer style. Choose a standard airbrush and set it really large. I clicked one time at 100%.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz038.jpg

 

Apply a Layer Style of Outer Glow from the FX tab in the layers palette.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz039.jpg

 

Choose a color for the Outer Glow. Set the Blend mode to Add. Opacity 100%

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz040.jpg

 

Copy that layer and then place it in front of everything. Adjust the opacity to be quite a bit lower. Then use the eraser with an air brush setting that will allow you to erase over the middle of the car and near the edges. The result gives you the look of over spill from the light source.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz041.jpg

 

STEP 12

 

We’re going to add some sparkle to our bling using Illustrator and more layer styles. We’ll then make a custom brush from our sparkle shape and bling this piece out with tons of rad sparkly things. Create a star shape in illustrator. I chose a 5 point star and duplicated/rotated slightly to get my final sparkle shape.

 

Adobe-Illustrator-CS3ScreenSnapz005.jpg

 

Copy and Paste it into Photoshop. Apply a Layer Style of Outer Glow. Only this time change the Blend Mode to normal and adjust the spread/size to give a faint blur around your sparkle shape.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz042.jpg

 

Now option click directly on the Effect of the layer. It will bring up these options. Choose Create Layer. This will make the outer glow an actual image on the layer below your sparkly image.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz043.jpg

 

Choose the layer above blurry sparkle shape. This should be the crisp sparkle. Choose Merge Down from the Layer Palette tab in the right hand corner.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz044.jpg

 

Now go to Edit/Define Brush Preset.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz045.jpg

 

Name your new brush.

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz046.jpg

 

And now you will see your new brush in the brush palette. (and you can see that I’ve created some of these before)

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz047.jpg

 

Click once in your desired spot to add sparkle to your bling! However… these sparkles could look even better with… another layer style applied to it! Why not? right!

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz048.jpg

 

Apply an outer glow with some color. Set the Blending Mode to Screen. Adjust the size/spread. Ba da boom. Ba da BLING!

 

PhotoshopScreenSnapz049.jpg

 

To tighten this design up a little more, I’ve added the Go Media Logo complimented by an icy hot diamond because that’s how Chris Wilson likes to roll at Go Media. ;-)

 

I simply applied my own style that I created earlier in the tutorial. Unfortunately, not everything is quite as successful when the style is applied to it. I actually had to tweak my style settings quite a bit to get it to match the other Go Media vectors that turned gold fairly easy.

 

So there you have it. Some badass blingin’ sparklies. Feel free to post a link to anything you blingify in your comments.

 

Download the Photoshop Layer Style

 

design-small.jpg

 

Video Tutorial

 

Credits: Barton Damer

 

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