Colored Orbs

Objective: Make a simple colored orb using gradients, applying simple highlights and bottom reflections.

Tools Used: Flood Fill Tool, Selection Tool, Circle, Alpha Channel, Ellipse, Raster Deform Tool

Palettes Used: Materials Palette, Layers Palette, Tools Option Palette, Tools Toolbar

Effects Used: Gradients, Gaussian Blur

Many beginners learn the basic skills of tool and color manipulation by creating various orbs. This allows beginners to more freely play around with the available tools and familiarize themselves with Paint Shop Pro. There is no right or wrong way to make an orb, only difference in artistic perceptions that can lead to amazing results. In this tutorial we create the simplest orb using the main tools that will be used most frequently when creating any type of image. The possibilities are endless for orbs, as they can be made any color, have different highlights applied to them, and are the easiest type of image to practice reflection techniques on.

Step 1

Start by creating a new image 400 X 400 with a white background.

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

Use the Selection Tool (S) and Selection type: Circle.

Draw a large circle in the center of the image.

Selections > Load/Save Selection > Save Selection To Alpha Channel... > Save

Determine two primary colors you want to use. For this particular tutorial we're using #5CE5F7 as our Foreground color and #00557B as our Background color.

On the Materials palette, click on the Foreground color and select the Gradient tab. Click on the image to open the available gradients. Select Foreground-background then OK.

Use the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the circle.

Selections > Select None

Step 2

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

Selection Tool (S) and Selection type: Ellipse

Draw an elliptical shape towards the bottom of your image.

On the Materials palette, click on the Foreground color (It should still be on the Gradient tab) and place a check mark in Invert :

Use the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the ellipse.

Selections > Load/Save Selection > Load Selection From Alpha Channel... > Load

Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur... > Radius: 15 > Okay

Selections > Select None

Step 3

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

Selection Tool (S) and Selection type: Circle

Now draw a small circle towards the upper left corner of your image. Set your Foreground color to white (#FFFFFF) and using the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the circle.

Selections > Load/Save Selection > Load Selection From Alpha Channel... > Load

Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur... > Radius: 30 > Okay

Selections > Select None

As you can see, it's really easy to create orbs. Our next tutorial will show you how to create a reflected image for objects around the globe. Enjoy!

Step 4

If you would like to create a shadow reflection on the bottom of your orb, go to your Layers palette and turn off the visibility for your background layer:

Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

Layers > Duplicate

Now highlight the original layer (the one that says "merged")

Select the Raster Deform Tool (D). You should now see that our image has several small square points around it. Grab the one at the top in the middle and pull it down half way:

Now grab it in the middle and pull it down just slightly below the bottom of the top orb:

Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur... > Radius: 20 > Okay

Our next tutorial will show you how to create a reflected image for objects around the globe. Enjoy!