Alien Header

Alien Header

Make a new document 800x750 pixels and fill the bg in with #3E3E3E

Select the "Rounded Rectangle Tool", make the radius 10 px and make a shape similar to the size below. It doesn't really matter about the position as we won't be slicing the layout. Then rename the layer "base".

Right click the layer "base" and click "Rasterize Layer".

Now select the "Ellipse Tool" and press "D" on your keyboard. Make a shape similar to below, I used the colour green so it stands out more and is easier to follow.

Rasterize the layer and then press "Ctrl" and click on the current layer. This makes a selection of the current ellipse. Now with the selection still running, click on the "base" layer and press "Delete" on your keyboard.

Now delete the ellipse layer and press "Ctrl + D" to deselect.

We now need to smoothen our "base" layer by using the alpha channels.

Ctrl + Click the layer base, and go to "Edit > Copy Merged" and delete the layer "base".

Now click on the "Channels" tab on the layers pallet. Make a new channel and press "Ctrl + V" (paste) and your shape will be pasted. Now press "Ctrl + D".

Now go to: "Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur" and chose a radius of "4.0" pixels and press OK.

Press "Ctrl + L" to bring up the levels, copy the below settings and press OK.

Now your shape will be nice and smooth and not have a jaggy appearance.

Press "Ctrl" and click on your layer and then press "Shift + Ctrl + C" to copy it. Delete the layer in the channel pallet and click on the "layers tab" on the layers pallet and press "Ctrl + V" to paste your shape back in.

Rename it "base".

Now bring up the blending options and use the below settings.

Inner Glow:

Bevel & Emboss:

Gradient Overlay:

Gradient Overlay:

And press OK

This will be our metal effect for the base layer, although it looks pretty ugly at this stage it will look pretty once you complete the next few steps.

Press Ctrl and click on the "base" layer to make a selection.

Go to: "Select > Modify > Contract" and use 15 pixels.

Now we have made a selection 15 pixels inwards from each side of the base layer.

Don't deselect yet, make a new layer and name it "base bevel" and fill in the selection with black and now you can deselect "Ctrl + D".

Bring up the blending options:

Bevel & Emboss

And press OK.

As you can see, this has added a shine and looks pretty cool.

Press Ctrl and click on the "bevel base" layer to make a selection. Now go to "Select > Modify > Contract" and put in "3 pixels". Do not deselect, make a new layer and name it "Green gradient". Fill in the selection with black and deslect "Ctrl + D".

Bring up the blending options - Inner Shadow:

Gradient Overlay - Then Press OK

Should be something similar to below:

Let's give it a better shine. Ctrl + click the layer "green gradient" and then "select > modify > contract" by 3 pixels and press OK. Make a new layer, name it "shine" and do not deselect!

Select the "Gradient Tool" and make a gradient which goes from "White to Transparent".

With the selection still going, drag the gradient from top to bottom on near the left side of the selection.

Now change the blending mode to "overlay".

Grab the "Elliptical Marquee Tool" and make a shape similar to below:

Delete the top half of the shape:

Set the opacity to "43%" and the blending mode to "Soft light". Although its hard to see the layer we just made, it ads a nice shine to the top, giving off a reflection effect. Rename the layer to "top shine".

Our header is coming together well, lets add some features under the curve.

Make a new layer, name it "middle feature" and grab the "Elliptical Marquee Tool".

Make a selection similar to below:

Fill in the selection with black, deselect and press "Shift + Ctrl + [" which will send the layer to the back.

Bring up the blending options:

Inner Shadow

Inner Glow: