Gel Button Tutorial

Step 1:   Add a new layer.

Step 2:  Set your foreground color to light blue.

Step 3:  Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool. In your Options Bar, set your radius to 40 pixels.

Step 4:  In the Options Bar, click on the third icon  from the left. (fill pixels).

Step 5:  Draw your shape on your stage.

Step 6:  Aplle+Click on your shape layer.

Step 7:  Add a new layer.

Step 8:  Go under the Select Menu, under Modify, and choose Contract. Enter 20 pixels. Click Ok.

Step 9:  Press the letter D, then the letter X to set your foreground to white.

Step 10:  Press Option+Delete

Step 11:  Press Apple+D

Step 12:  Go under the Filter Menu, under Blur, choose Gaussian Blur. When the dialog box appears, enter 10, click Ok.

Step 13:  Slect the move tool

Step 14:  Using the arrows on the key board, move your blurry white layer down to bottom of the pill shape .

Step 15:  Hold down the Apple key and click on the pill layer in your Layers Palllette.

Step 16:  Press Shidt+ Apple+I to inverse your selection.

Step 17:  Press the Delete Key

Step 18:  Press Shift+Apple+I

Step 19:  Create a new layer

Step 20:  Set your foreground color to a darker blue

Step 21:  Fill your selection by pressing Option+ Delete

Step 22:  Deseslect by pressing Apple+D

Step 23:  Hold down the Apple Key and click once on the Blurry layer in your Layers Palllette

Step 24:  Press Delete to knock a soft hole out of the blue pill shape  

Step 25:  Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool

Step 26:  Place your mouse inside of the selected area and drag the selection upward a little bit. Tap the Delete Key 

Step 27:  Repeat step 26 one or two more times until the top of the pill  

Step 28:  Deselect by pressing Apple+D

Step 29:  Apple+Click on your pill layer to put a selection  around it 

Step 30:  Create a new layer 

 Step 31:  Go under the Select Menu, under Modify, chose Contract. Enter 20 pixels, click ok.

Step 32:  Press the letter D then X to set your foregroud to white

Step 33:  Select the Gradient Tool. In the Options Bar, click on the down faceing arrow next to 

the Gradient Thumbnail. Choose the second Gradient. ( foreground to transparent)

Step 34:  Drag this gradient from the top of your selection  to the bottom 

Step 35:  Deseslect

Step 36:  Select the Move Tool. Using the arrows on your keyboard, move your white gradient 

layer upward to where its almost at the top , but leave a gap  of dark  blue between your white gradient and the top of the pill

Step 37:  Press Apple+T

Step 38:  Go uner the Edit Menu, under Transform, choose Perspective

Step 39:  Grab the left bottom corner and click and drag outward(j8ust a bit to add a perspective effect.

Step 40: Press Enter to let Photoshop know you are finished  

Step 41:  Hide your background layer. Merge Visible

Step 42:  Choose Dropshadow. In the Dialog box click the color swatch.

Step 43:  Click on a blue selection on your pill shape  to colorize the shadow 

Step 44: Lower the Opacity to 50%, set the Angle to 90º, Distance to 45, Size to 32, and turn off use Global Light . Click o to complete the effect