This tutorial will show how we can use several Photoshop techniques to create a beautiful image with realistic water droplets on a spider web.

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Create a document of size 800×500 pixels. Download the macro grass from SXC.hu. Place the image into your document similar to what I done below.

Create a Levels Adjustment layer and key in the settings as 23, 0.72, 255.

Create a Gradient Adjustment layer and use the settings as shown. The colors used in the gradient are #60B0D6 and #00FFAE.

Select Brush tool and set the Diameter to 2px, Hard Round. Using white as foreground color, draw the basic shape of the web. The trick here is to hold down Shift key while drawing, so the lines will be straight.

In cases where you need to create small curves, use the Pen tool. Draw the paths and stroke it with same Brush settings as earlier step.

Once you are done with the drawings, set the Web layer to 40% in its Opacity.

Let us move on to the Brushes Palette. Click on Brush Tip Shape, select Hard Round 9. Also, check on Spacing and set it to 200%.

Select Shape Dynamics and set Size Jitter to 100%. Make Control to Off as well.

Create a new layer above the web and name it as Droplets. Now comes the fun part. With the Brush settings you made earlier, draw along the web lines. You can find circles appearing in various sizes on the web.

Right-click on the Droplets layer and choose Drop Shadow. Enter the settings as shown below.

Check on Satin effect and enter the settings as shown below.

Check on Bevel & Emboss effect and enter the settings as shown below.

Check on Inner Glow effect and enter the settings as shown below.

Check on Inner Shadow effect and enter the settings as shown below. Hit OK to close the Blending Options window.

CTRL+left click on the Droplets layer to load selections around all the circles. Select the Web layer and create a Layer Mask with the selection.

Finally set Blend Mode of the Droplets layer to Multiply and we are done! Hope you have enjoyed this post. Feel free to drop me a note anytime if you have any suggestions for the next tutorial!

I am Johnson Koh, a graphic and web designer in Singapore. Founded 10Steps.SG with the purpose to share my experiments and interesting design news. Follow me on Twitter here. Email newsletters are becoming more and more popular on the internet as businesses begin to use them as a viral way of communicating with their audiences/customers. They are, without doubt, great m...
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15 Comments | Write a Comment
So I got as far as the Gradient Adjustment Layer step and got confused. On your picture you have style, angle and scale options, but I can’t find those. Am I choosing the wrong option? I’m using CS4. Thanks!
Hi Chelsea, thanks for trying out the tut
I am using CS3 but I think CS4 is the same also.
Those options can be found by selecting “Gradient” after clicking on “Create new fill or adjustment layer” button at the bottom of Layers panel.
you should have noted that we make a Gradient Map adjustment layer, not a gradient.
very good!
great job
Amazing tutorial, thanks!
done a good job
Thank you very much for the excellent and useful subject
Greetings
Nice but kind of ameturish look
i was hoping for a more realistic approach
Thanks guys
Am happy that you all like it!
Thanks for the tutorial. I’ll try it.
Very impressive!! Thank you for another awesome tutorial!!
Nice tutorial…Thanks