In this tutorial, you will learn how to transform an ordinary product shot by using the Free Transform Tool to rotate, resize, and warp a copy of the image to add shadows. You will also use the Gradient Tool to create a background that has gradations in color and the Lens Flare filter to add a sparkle to the composition.
- Open the image.
- Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool from the toolbox. Repeatedly click and drag along the bottle’s shape to select it. When you have almost outlined the entire bottle, click on the point where you started to close the selection.
- Double-click on the Background layer in the Layers palette to open the New Layer dialog box. The default Name is Layer 0. Click OK to change the Background layer into a regular layer.
- Choose [Select]-[Inverse] from the menu bar to select the area around the bottle instead. Press Delete to remove the background.
- Press Ctrl + D to deselect. If you do not change the Background layer into a regular layer before deleting the selection, the deleted portion of the image will take the background color and will not be transparent. Adobe has a free, easy to use tool to make transparent background.
- Select [Image]-[Resize]-[Canvas Size] from the menu bar. In the Canvas Size dialog box, click the top center square in the Anchor grid. This will anchor the existing image to the top center position of the canvas. Set the Height to 20 cm. Click OK.
- Click and drag Layer 0 onto the Create a New Layer icon (DSL.) in the Layers palette. This will create a Layer 0 Copy above Layer 0.
- Select [Image]-[Transform]-[Free Transform] from the menu bar. The Free Transform bounding box appears around the bottle. In the options bar, set the angle to -180° to rotate the bottle by -180° counterclockwise. You can also rotate the image with your mouse. After the bounding box appears, move your pointer near one of the corner handles until you see the pointer turn into. Then click and drag the corner to rotate the image.
- Click and drag the rotated image downward so that its base lines up with the bottom of the original image.
- A better way of creating a reflection is to use the [Image]-[Rotate]-[Flip Layer Vertical] command from the menu bar. This will flip the rotated image horizontally so that it looks exactly like a reflection of the original bottle. Although rotating the bottle is more troublesome and does not create an accurate reflection (the left side of the bottle is reflected on the right side). I want to get you familiar with the Free Transform Tool first.
- Move the pointer to the lower-middle handle of the reflec¬tion. Click and drag the bounding box downward to make it longer. Hit Enter.
- In the Layers palette, move Layer 0 Copy below Layer 0. Click the Create a New Layer icon in the Layers palette to create a new layer. The new Layer 1 is created above Layer 0 Copy.
- Click and drag Layer 1 right to the bottom of the layers. Next, select the Rectangular Marquee Tool from the toolbox. Select the reflection.
- Click the Set Foreground Color icon in the toolbox. In the Color Picker dialog box, set the RGB values to 140, 200, and 200. Click OK to change the foreground color.
- Select [Edit]-[Fill] from the menu bar. In the Fill dia¬log box, set Use to Foreground Color. Click OK. Press Ctrl + D to deselect the selection.
- Click the Create A New Layer icon in the Layers palette to create a new layer. Click and drag the new Layer 2 below Layer 1.
- Repeat steps 13 and 14 for Layer 2, using the RGB values 255, 255, and 200, respectively.
- Select Layer 0 Copy in the Layers palette. Select [Filter]-[Blur]-[Motion Blur] from the menu bar to blur the reflection. In the Motion Blur dialog box, set Angle to 90 and Distance to 250 pixels. Click OK.
- In the Layers palette, set the Opacity of Layer 0 Copy to 50% to lighten the reflection.
- Select the Eraser Tool from the toolbox. In the options bar, set Brush to Soft Round, Size to 500 pixels, and Opacity to 50%. Click and drag over the reflection so that it gets fainter toward the bottom.
- In the Layers palette, click and drag Layer 0 onto the Create A New Layer icon to create a copy. Click and drag Layer 0 Copy 2 below Layer 0.
- Select Layer 0 Copy 2. Select [Image]-[Transform]-[Free Transform] from the menu bar or press Ctrl +T. In the options bar, set Angle to -180° to rotate the bottle by 180° counterclockwise.
- Drag the reflection downward so that its base lines up with the bottom of the bottle.
- Hold down the [Ctrl] key and drag a lower-corner handle sideways. Repeat the step on the other corner until you get the result. Press Enter.
