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Photoshop Tutorial: Design the Mac OS X Leopard Folder

Posted on 25. Aug, 2009 by arif in Adobe Photoshop

Learn how to create the popular Mac OS X Leopard Folder icon using Photoshop in just Ten Easy steps. Comes with a PSD, useful brushes and custom shapes!

Note

Before you begin reading this tutorial, I highly recommend that you learn how to use the “Pen Tool”.

Step 1

Create a new Photoshop document with the dimensions of 512 x 512 pixels and a transparent background. This is the perfect size for the icon we are trying to make.

Step 2

Enable the Grid by going to View > Show > Grid. Also enable Snap by going to View > Snap. EnablingSnap makes it easy for us to draw precise shapes using the pen tool.

Also, set the Pen Tool to “Shape Layers” like shown below:

Step 3

Grab the Pen Tool and make a Shape similar to the one below and name it “Folder_Top”. If you have any difficulty in creating this shape, you may download this custom shape I made and use it instead.

Step 4

Double click on “Folder_Top” to activate Blending Options and apply Gradient Overlay using #a0c0d9 as the foreground color and #8cb2ce as the background color. Be sure to click on Reverse.

Now let’s add some Stroke to “Folder_Top”. Use the color #80adcf and lower down the Opacity to 80%. Also, add Bevel and Emboss to “Folder_Top”. Use the settings shown below:

Step 5

Now that we’ve created the top half of the folder, it’s now time to create the bottom half.

Hide “Folder_Top” and create a new Shape like the one shown below and name it “Folder_Bottom”. Again, if you have any problem in doing so, you may use this custom shape I made.

Step 6

Double click on “Folder_Bottom” to activate Blending Options and apply Gradient Overlay using #b2cbdeas the foreground color and #79a5c6 as the background color. Again, be sure to click on Reverse.

Now let’s add some Stroke to “Folder_Bottom”. Use the color #80adcf and lower down the Opacity to 80%. Also, add Bevel and Emboss to “Folder_Bottom”. Use the settings shown below:

Now make “Folder_Top” visible. Your resultant image should look something like this:

Step 7

Now that we’ve added Gradient Overlay and Stroke to “Folder_Bottom”, it’s time to get more precise so that we have a realistic feel.

So let’s add some Noise. Duplicate “Folder_Bottom”. Rasterize the new layer by simply double clicking and selecting the respective option. Name this layer “Folder_Bottom_Noise”. Also, be sure to turn off any layer style on “Folder_Bottom_Noise”.

Now select the Magic Wand from the Toolbox and click inside “Folder_Bottom_Noise”, selecting the folder shape like shown below:

Fill the selection with #79a5c6 using the Paint Bucket Tool. Then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Use the settings shown below:

Once you have successfully added noise to “Folder_Bottom_Noise”, lower down the opacity of the layer to 15%.

Now let’s add some more detail to the folder. Duplicate “Folder_Bottom”. Rasterize the new layer by simply double clicking and selecting the respective option. Name this layer “Folder_Bottom_Sketch”. Again, be sure to turn off any layer style on “Folder_Bottom_Sketch”.

Now select the Magic Wand from the Toolbox and click inside “Folder_Bottom_Sketch”, selecting the folder shape like shown below:

Fill the selection with #79a5c6 using the Paint Bucket Tool. Then go to Filter > Sketch > Graphic Pen. Use the settings shown below:

Once you have successfully added the sketch effect to “Folder_Bottom_Sketch”, lower down the opacity to10%.

And finally, create a new layer and name it “Folder_Bottom_Scatter”. Grab the Lasso Tool and create random scatter like shown below:

If you have any difficulty in doing so, you may use this “scatter” brush I made. Now fill the selection with#80adcf. Once that is done, you should have something that looks like this:

Step 8

Hide “Folder_Bottom”, “Folder_Bottom_Noise”, “Folder_Bottom_Sketch” and “Folder_Bottom_Scatter”. Then select “Folder_Top” and Duplicate it. Rasterize the new layer and name it “Folder_Top_Noise”. Make sure that any layer style is set to off.

Now select the Magic Wand from the Toolbox and click inside “Folder_Top_Noise”, selecting the folder shape like shown below:

Fill the selection with #79a5c6 using the Paint Bucket Tool. Then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Use the settings shown below:

Once you have successfully added noise to “Folder_Top_Noise”, lower down the opacity of the layer to 15%.

Now let’s add some more detail to the folder. Duplicate “Folder_Top”. Rasterize the layer by simply double clicking and selecting the respective option. Name this layer “Folder_Top_Sketch”. Again, be sure to turn offany layer style.

Now select the Magic Wand from the Toolbox and click inside “Folder_Top_Sketch”, selecting the folder shape like shown below:

Fill the selection with #79a5c6 using the Paint Bucket Tool. Then go to Filter > Sketch > Graphic Pen.

And finally, create a new layer and name it “Folder_Top_Scatter”. Grab the Lasso Tool and create random scatter like shown below:

Set “Folder_Bottom”, “Folder_Bottom_Noise”, “Folder_Bottom_Sketch” and “Folder_Bottom_Scatter” toVisible. Once that is done, you should have something that looks like this:

Step 9

Duplicate “Folder_Bottom” and Rasterize it. Name the new layer “Shadow_Top”. Also, be sure to turn offany layer styles. Place this layer between “Folder_Bottom” and “Folder_Top_Scatter” like shown below:

Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Apply the settings shown below:

Once you’ve done that, position “Shadow_Top” like shown below: (Make sure it can be seen when “Folder_Bottom” is visible. You might also need to use the Free Transform Tool by going to Edit > Free Transform in order to change the size of “Shadow_Top” so that it looks like the image shown below)

Then lower down the opacity of “Shadow_Top” to 30%.

Next, grab the Rectangle Tool and draw a rectangle like shown below: (Make sure that the rectangle is below “Folder_Bottom” )

Name the shape “Shadow_Bottom” and Rasterize it. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Apply the settings shown below:

Position “Shadow_Bottom” like show below: (You might have to use the Free Transform Tool to edit the size of “Shadow_Bottom”)

Your resultant image should look something like this:

Step 10

Now let’s add a logo to our folder. Create a new layer and name it “Logo”. Now draw any shape you like (I’m using an “X” in this case).

Fill your shape with #7a9db8 and lower down the opacity to 80%. Then double click on “Logo” and selectBlending Options. Add Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow to your shape using the following settings:

Final Image:

Now that you have completed all steps, your image should look something like this: (If it doesn’t, then feel free to check out the .psd file included in this tutorial).

Download PSD

Tags: Photoshop