timwalker69

I was just doing this tutorial that shows how to make a glass ball, and I decided to add clouds and it looks pretty cool, but in the middle of the ball it kindof looks like there is a point, does anyone have any sugestions to fix this?

Also another thing, does anyone know how to make it look more like a ball instead of a half sphere?

Blinky2004

Aaa yes... the infamous "Lens Flare" sphere effect...

On the layer that contains the clouds, re-run the Clouds filter. That'll get rid of the effect from the "Radial Blur (Zoom)" filter.

In order to make that look more light a ball, you'll need to add some shading to offset the main light source highlight. Assuming the main source of light is top and left, your shadow needs to be applied to the right and bottom of the sphere.

Rule-of-thumb: if there's highlights, there should also be shadows. Together they create the illusion of "depth". One without the other, will appear 'flat' and incomplete.

If you really want to try creating this effect, then click on the header logo atop this page. Look to the right on the next page and follow the link on the sphere image you see.
[excited]

timwalker69

I didnt really know how to do shading so I just made a new layer, made a black to transperant radial gradient, streched it to make it kindo oval and then I put it on the bottom of the ball and cut off the shading that wasnt on the ball.

This is what I got

timwalker69

The thing that I still dont like is how it looks like there is a point in the middle of the ball, and it doesnt look good. Does anyone know how to make the point look less... pointy?

wbiss

[confused] Question - What tutorial are you doing Adam? You'll get more info/help around here if we know 'where you are coming from'. I see those "point things" in the middle of your sphere but unless I know where they came from (a specific step that introduced them in the tutorial) I can't steer you in the right direction!

Now, Mark (theKeeper) gave you some guidance... Obviously, he knows this 'effect' ... did you try it? [confused]

Mark, btw, is the head honcho/owner/ guru of this site and if you really want to create some classy, cool "glass balls or buttons", just go to the front page of this site (click on the logo at the top of this page) and check out this tutorial http://photoshopgurus.info/intermedi..._buttons.shtml

Blinky2004

That looks much more 3Dish now with the shading added. Good job.

Wendy that's a tute from either PlanetPhotoshop or GurusNetwork... might also be from Jon Balza... i don't recall exactly. But i have seen it, just never really read through it. So i can't be sure that the pointy effect is due to one specific layer... it might be that the clouds are on a different layer. In which case, i'd just suggest hiding/turning off the visibility of the pointy effect layer.

:B

timwalker69

I dont have a link to the tutorial (just came upon it when searching around), but its called something like fastest glass ball in the west. Very simple.

Step 1. 300 x 300 (pixels) and make backround black.

Step 2. filter > Render > Lens flare > 50 -300mm zoom

Step 3. filter > Distort > polar coordinates > POLAR to RECTANGULAR

Step 4. Image > rotate canvas > flip canvas verticle

Step 5. filter > Distort > polar coordinates > RECTANGULAR to POLAR

vuala, that gets you a cool glassy ball. :}

The only difference I did was first i rendered clouds ( dark blue foreground and white ) after step one and then did the lens flare.

when i did that the whole picture just turned into normal clouds. Mabey its because I have the whole ball on one layer and only the shading on the layer above it [confused]

timwalker69

} I always forget to say something.

I was going to try the tutorial for the good glass ball on this website but I got intimidated... I've only been doing PS for aout 2 weeks ;\

timwalker69

I did the keepers ball tutorial and the ball came out sweet! its awsome [righton]

Stroker

Steps 3 - 5 is known as Domain Shifting. Lot of fun trying to wrap your brain around. Check it out: KPT 22 : Domain Shifting.

In those steps, what you are doing is turning things inside-out. Try it on a photo and see if you can tell what's going on.