Draw a realistic ball

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Tutorial goal:
With simple tools as Radial Gradient and Transform you can create very convincing and realistic shadows, highlights, etc. on a ball. If you dont get a satisfying final result, try tweeking the color/contrast/curves of the ball layer.

End result:
Draw a realistic ball Final Image

Score: 7 / 10

author:
fr3d

Credits earned for writing this tutorial:
500 ($5)

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step 1

The Ball

- make a nice background
- new layer
- circular selection(for the ball)
- select Gradient Tool
- put some close colors(as shown)
- and fill it with Radial Gradient

step 2

The Ground Shadow

- make new layer
- edit Radial Gradient(click on the color bar)
- and put something close to that in the image
- paint a nice ball(1)
- and transform it skeezing a bit(2)
- for the fun part... :)
- Ctrl + click the(in transform mode) right corners
- and move them a bit toghether(3)
- your shadow is done!

step 3

The Highlight

- crate a new layer
- make a nice ball with Radial Gradient
- dont adjust the color bar as you did in step 2
- use the default "foregound to 0% opacity"
- place your highlight in the ball
- transform it with Ctrl + click to get a
- diamond shape like this
- press Ctrl + I to invert and
- set the layer to Luminosity

step 4

The Falloff

- make new layer
- edit the Radial Gradient color bar as before
- try to make something close to the image
- the 0% opac. close to the right side
- Ctrl + click the ball layer to select it
- and fill it with your custo Radial Grad.
- wide to get an effect like this
- set the layer to darken

step 5

Conclusion

With simple tools as Radial Gradient and Transform you can create
very conviencing and realistic shadows, highlights, etc.
If you dont get a satisfying final result, try tweeking the color/contrast/curves
of the ball layer.

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