Do you know the cool graphics ABC uses to advertise its network and shows? It is a floating orb-like ball that positively shines with crystal clear clarity. They also throw some confetti like fairy dust on and behind her and all around her which gives her movement. She is very beautiful and adorable.
If you’re designing for print or online (without the animation option), you can closely copy the orb for your clients using Photoshop. And you can do it without any fancy third-party filters.
Here’s how…
Step 1
In your document, create a new layer and draw an oval with the selection tool (hold Shift down to keep the oval in a perfect circle). fill the oval with the gradient tool (use the radial setting); Try light blue to dark blue on the outer edge. When filling the oval with the gradient, try balancing the starting point to the top left and then drawing to the bottom right. This will give you a highlight in the upper left quadrant of the oval.
Step 2
From the Photoshop LAYERS PALLET filters (click the little “fx” on the bottom left of the pallet) and select “INNER GLOW”; blending mode: multiplication (or try other blending options for different results); Select a dark blue color and in the Elements section, change the size slider to your liking. Click OK.
The oval now has a darker edge but the lighter area in the upper left is intact.
Set a title for this layer, “Orb”.
Step 3
Create another layer above the “orb” layer. Draw another oval with the Elliptical Marquee Tool – but make this one about 30% smaller.
In the tools menu, change the top color square to white and using the gradient toolkit in the square blend, fill the smaller oval with white to transparent (transparent at the bottom). Don’t merge until the bottom of the oval — stopping about 3/4 down.
Click outside the elliptical marquee to set the gradient.
Title this layer, “Highlight”.
(You now have two layers)
Step 4
Select both layers and using the ALIGN options in the top menu bar, center the two ovals vertically.
Leave some space between the top of both ovals – you’ll want to be able to see through the back oval with the front oval slightly down from the top.
Fifth step
Using TRANSFORM CONTROLS, grab the center bottom handle of the oval on the “Highlight” layer and drag up to about a third of its size. Don’t hold down Shift – we want the “highlighted” oval to be flatter.
Now rotate the “highlight” oval so that it is almost above the lightest area of the main layer (or “orb”). Edit – Transform – Rotate.
Step 6
Create a New Layer and draw another flattened oval a little smaller than the orb. Give this oval a 3px (if you’re working at 72dpi – 10-14px if you’re working at 300dpi). Fill it with dark blue – almost black. Deselect the oval and place it below the “orb” and a little to the right. Change the Opacity to 25% or to taste.
Title this layer “drop shadow”. You can apply the blur from the top FILTERS menu if you wish. Also, if it looks too big or small or if the color isn’t right, just try creating the shadow again.
(This is your third layer)
And that’s it!
I just created a floating sphere like ABC uses to program it. You can add confetti, pixie dust, or swirls if you like. Of course, with trial and error, you’ll learn to paste images into an orb and using the WARP TRANSFORM controls, you can sculpt your graphic to appear distorted at the edges. Or you can copy a background image with the elliptical selection and paste that copy into a new layer – just repeat step 2 to achieve the “missing” ABC logo look… do whatever you want because…
Hey! You are the designer!
