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+---- Forum: Graphic Design and Tutorials (https://www.supportforums.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=23)
+---- Thread: Support Forums userbar tutorial (/showthread.php?tid=6520)
Support Forums userbar tutorial - Tierney - 04-24-2010
Hey so I wanted to teach you how to make a Support Forums userbar! So lets begin...
First step:
Create a new document that is 350x19 pixels.
![[Image: bfjk77.png]](http://i41.tinypic.com/bfjk77.png)
Step two:
Create a gradient. I used 679934 and 434343 because they are the support forums colors.
![[Image: 9pt6z7.png]](http://i44.tinypic.com/9pt6z7.png)
Now click on the left side of your 350x19 image, and drag it across to the other side. Don't do it from end to end, leave a little padding.
Step Three:
Adding text and images. Create a new layer and add any text you want, I will be adding "Support Forums." I suggest using the Visitor font, which can be found here at http://www.dafont.com and that you put the text in the middle on the right hand side. Right click the font layer, then go to Blending Options, and click Stroke. Set it to one pixel outside. Now time to add your image. I have chosen the support forums feather which can be found here. Put the image in how you see fit. This is something like what you should have:
![[Image: 2lj5bw7.png]](http://i39.tinypic.com/2lj5bw7.png)
Step Four:
Now it is time to stamp it! Create a new document that is three pixels by three pixels, and resize it to 3200%. Take your pencil tool, set the size to one pixel, and click in the top right corner, the middle, and the bottom left. It should look like this:
![[Image: 2ikp1kl.png]](http://i43.tinypic.com/2ikp1kl.png)
Now, go to Edit>Define Pattern and name it whatever you would like. Now go back to the userbar, click the Pattern Stamp tool (S,) and choose the patern you just created in the top middle bar. Create a new layer under everything but the gradient. Click on the layer, and move your mouse around until the entire layer is covered with stamps! Set the opacity of this layer to around 15-30% and you are done with this step! Here is what you should have so far (or close to it!)
![[Image: 2m7sxno.png]](http://i39.tinypic.com/2m7sxno.png)
Step five (the last step!):
Now it is time to add a gloss effect. There are two ways you can do this, and they are very similar. The first way you can do this is to add a oval gloss, and the second way is to add a rectangle gloss. I will be showing you the oval way, but to get the rectangle gloss you can folow the same steps I will show you, just use the rectangle marquee instead of the oval. Okay, create a new layer (move it to the top) and choose the Oval Marquee tool (M) and click just outside of your area, about here:
![[Image: av1rax.png]](http://i41.tinypic.com/av1rax.png)
Click and drag the oval marquee untill it is highlighting like this:
![[Image: 155rt6q.png]](http://i42.tinypic.com/155rt6q.png)
let go of the mouse button. Now get your Paint Bucket tool (G) and make your foreground color white (FFFFFF.) Dump white into the selected area. Now make this layer somewhere between 15 and 30% opacity. Go to Select>Delect. Save. YOU ARE DONE!!! Congratulations on making your userbar!
Your outcome should be like this:
![[Image: 11lrmoi.png]](http://i41.tinypic.com/11lrmoi.png)
OPTIONAL STEP: Right click your gradient layer, click blending options, and then click stroke. Set it to one pixel outside.
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Sam - 04-24-2010
This is a really good tutorial. I allways wondered how people made these. Thanks for the share!
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - .:xX[ThunderStorm]Xx:. - 04-24-2010
Very nice dude.I really didn't knew it.
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Tierney - 04-24-2010
Thanks you guys
Glad you like it.
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Fragma - 04-24-2010
Yep very nice tutorial. Good work
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Eve - 04-24-2010
Great tutorial! Perhaps we shall see official SF userbars as well, soon.
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Tierney - 04-24-2010
Thanks Major and Eve. It means alot to me that everyone here likes the tutorial.
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - ShuTdown - 04-25-2010
Very nice tutorial, I'm going to try this out
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Tierney - 04-25-2010
Please post your results, I would love to see them.
RE: Support Forums userbar tutorial - Omniscient - 04-25-2010
Make a few. I might add them to the Help Docs for people to use. It would be nice to see the full URL though (.net somewhere).