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Step 1

Start by creating a new image 300 X 300 with a black background.

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

Select the Selection (S) and Selection type: Circle

Draw a large circle in the center of the image:

On the Materials palette, set your Foreground color to #082DD8

Use the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the layer:

Selections > Modify > Contract... > Number of pixels: 2 > Okay.

The purpose of this is to preserve a clean outline of our globe when the time comes to apply a Gaussian blur a bit later.

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

Selections > Modify > Contract... > Number of pixels: 4 > Okay.

Now here's the semi-tricky part to this tutorial. It may take a bit of trial and error to get the look your trying to achieve.

Select the Move Tool (M) (Make sure that this is selected!)

On your keyboard, hit the Left Arrow Key two (2) times:

Now hit the Up Arrow Key two (2) times:

Hit DELETE on your keyboard. You should now have something like this:

Now that we have our main piece ready to go, we need to place the image back to it's original starting place.

On your keyboard, hit the Right Arrow Key two (2) times.

Now hit the Down Arrow Key two (2) times.

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

Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur > Radius: 4 > OK.

Selections > Select None.

Step 2

Now we'll add a top highlight to give it the appearance that it is clear...

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

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

Selections > Modify > Contract... > Number of pixels: 15 > Okay.

Select the Selection (S) and Selection type: Circle

I like a fairly large highlight on the top, and I know I can reduce it with blurring if need be. For my orb, if you'll notice towards the lower right hand corner of my image, between the purple circle and the selection, this is where I place my mouse:

Then, while holding down on the Ctrl key on your keyboard, move your mouse upwards to the upper left corner so you end up with a selection like so:

On the Materials palette, set your Foreground color to white (#FFFFFF)

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

Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow... and use the following settings:

Don't worry if you don't see the drop shadow. You will if you decide to add something in the background like an image or even change the background color to something other than black.

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

Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur > Radius: 8 > OK.

Step 3

Now we need to repeat this step for the bottom highlight effect only this time make is smaller:

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

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

Selections > Modify > Contract... > Number of pixels: 17> Okay.

Select the Selection (S) and Selection type: Circle

Now, while holding down on the Ctrl key on your keyboard start from the upper left corner of the image and bring your mouse down towards the bottom right hand corner so your left with something similar to this:

Your Foreground color should still be set to white (#FFFFFF)

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

Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow... Ok.

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

Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur > Radius: 14 > OK.

Selections > Select None.

It usually never comes out like I want it, so I always end up using the Move Tool (M) and moving my highlights around until I think it will look round:

Step 4

Now we'll add the "liquid".

On the Layers palette highlight the background layer:

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

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

Let's take it back to the original size.

Selections > Modify > Expand... > Number of pixels: 1> Okay.

What we want to do now is remove about three quarters of the selection.

Select the Selection (S) and Selection type: Rectangle

While holding down on the Ctrl key on your keyboard remove the upper portion of the selection so that we are left with something like this:

Yes again. For those of you that have followed several of our tutorials, it's the Duotone red gradient syndrome.

On the Materials palette, click on the Foreground color and select the Gradient tab. Click on the image to open the available gradients. Select Duotone red and use the following settings: