Create an Iconic Retro-Modern Ball Chair in Photoshop
Tutorial Details
- Program: Adobe Photoshop
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Estimated Completion Time: 3 Hours
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
The ball chair, popularized by Finnish interior designer Eero Aarnio was the cornerstone of any mid-century or 1960’s living area. Today, we will learn how to create this iconic piece of furniture from scratch in Photoshop. Let’s get started!
Step 1
In new document, create a new layer; name it “golden sphere”. Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to draw a circle and it fill with any color (1a). Then apply the layer styles as shown in figure (1b).
Step 2
Place the center of the gradient as shown.
Step 3
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “golden sphere”. Rename the new layer “Inner shadow sphere”, reduce Fill to 0% and apply style below.
Step 4
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “golden sphere”, create a new layer above the duplicated layer. Select both new layers and press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge them. Rename new layer “sphere overlay” and change its Blending Mode to Overlay.
Step 5
Press D to reset the foreground and background colors to black and white. Create a new layer on top, call it “sphere noise” and draw a circle with black. While holding Cmd/Ctrl click on “sphere noise” to obtain its selection. Go to menu Filter > Noise > Add Noise and set as shown in figure (5a). Then change its Blending Mode to Soft Light and reduce Opacity to about 7% (5b).
Step 6
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “noise sphere,” rename new layer “sphere blur.” While holding Cmd/Ctrl click on “sphere blur” to obtain its selection. Go to menu Filter > Blur > Radial Blur and set as in figure (6a). Then reduce its Opacity to about 15% (6b).
Step 7
Create new layer on top, call it “golden border” and draw as show in figure (7a). Then, apply the layer styles as shown in figure (7b).
Step 8
Place the center of the gradient as show.
Step 9
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “golden border,” create a new layer on top of “golden border 2”. Select both new layers and press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge them. Rename the new layer “border overlay” and change its Blending Mode to Overlay.
Step 10
Create a new layer between “sphere blur” and “golden border,” call it “light”. Use the Brush Tool as shown in (10a) to draw like a highlight as shown in figure (10a). Then change its Blending Mode to Overlay (10b).
Step 11
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “golden border,” rename it “inside chair” and send it toward the top (above “border overlay”). Remove its later styles, fill color as show in figure (11a). Press Cmd/Ctrl + T to transfom it as shown in (11b).
Step 12
Create a new layer on top, call it “mattress”. Draw a shape as shown below and fill it with the same color as “inside chair.”
Step 13
Use the Burn and Dodge tool on the “inside chair” layer to paint in some shading as shown below.
Step 14
Now select the “chair” layer and use the Burn and Dodge Tool to paint some shading as shown below.
Step 15
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “inside chair,” rename the new layer “inside chair noise.” Go to menu Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use the settings as shown in figure (15a). Go to menu Filter > Blur > More Blur, press Cmd/Ctrl + F about 2 – 3 times (15b). Then change its Blending Mode to Soft Light and reduce Opacity to 15% (15c).
Step 16
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “chair,” rename the new layer “chair noise.” Go to menu Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use the settings as shown in figure (16a). Go to menu Filter > Blur > Blur, press Cmd/Ctrl + F about 1 – 2 times (16b). Then change its Blending Mode to Soft Light and reduce Opacity to 10% (16c).
Step 17
Create a new layer on top, call it “buttons”. Draw as shown in figure (17a). Then apply the layer styles as shown in figure (17b).
Step 18
Draw some seams as shown below.
Step 19
Create a new layer under “golden sphere,” call it “pillar.”
Step 20
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “pillar.” Create a new layer above “pillar copy”. Select the two new layers and press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge these layers into one new layer, rename it “pillar overlay” and its change Blending Mode to Overlay.
Step 21
Create a new layer under “pillar,” call it “sole.”
Step 22
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “sole.” Create a new layer above “sole copy.” Select the two new layers and press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge these layers into one new layer, rename it “sole burn” then use Burn Tool as shown in figure (22) to add some shadowing.
Step 23
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “sole burn,” rename the new layer “sole overlay” and change its Blending Mode to Overlay.
Step 24
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “sole,” rename new layer “sole 2.” In Layers panel, send “sole 2” behind “sole”. Then press the down arrow key 2 times to move it as show in figure (24).
Step 25
Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate “sole 2.” Create new layer above “sole 2 copy.” Select the two new layers and press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge these layers into one new layer, rename it “sole 2 over” and use Burn Tool as shown in figure (25a) to add some shadows (25a). Then change its Blending Mode to Overlay (25b).
Step 26
Fill the background with a linear gradient as shown.
Step 27
Select “pillar” and “pillar overlay,” right click on these layers and choose Duplicate Layers. Press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge them into one new layer, rename it “pillar shadow.” Then send it behind “pillar” and perform the steps below.
Final Image
That’s it! We’re finished!
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I like it … Thx
Thanks, how would have the Capsule Spacial of the Warriors of Space.
That is supposed to look like this: http://gearcrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/ball_iso.jpg ?
I showed it to a non designer and they said it looks like a tongue..with eyes..(not my comment). I think the specific hues used could’ve been paired more cohesively. The perspective for the chair inside is really off. It’s currently as though you are looking down on the chair, but a ball chair is positioned so that the front of the chair is seen while the chair sits into the ball..
The seams/buttons seem like a random touch. They don’t even continue down the shape of the chair, in furniture design that specific style of manipulating the fabric is different then merely “wrinkles” in the furniture (because of the placement of the buttons).
The only element that has a sense of depth/volume is the very bottom of the chair for the “pillar.” But those shadows don’t match up with the rest of the shadows on the chair.
I could go on..but I’m sure others will point something else out..
Uncohesive, and lacking proper furniture design research.: Not a tutorial you could learn correct principles from..
Also, ball chairs aren’t made with a rigid looking “pillar.” Everything about the design remains curved and fluid, including the stand it’s set upon..
I think you did a bang-up job with the exterior ‘shell’ of the ball chair, but the interior is a hot mess. As Melody said, the perspective seems awkward, the details fail to pull together as they vanish midway down and for me… that highlight you have at the edge looks more like an Eyecandy-style bevel than anything else.
I’m sorry, but why would anyone spend 3 hours making this? It doesn’t even look as good as something that took 3 hours to make. Like Melody pointed out the perspective is way off; like someone puked all over vanishing points, haha. Tutorials should always follow basic design and drawing techniques. Never contradict them. Sorry, it’s just not a good tutorial.
i really like this and thank you very much for this your help check out some my work hope you people like it:http://mu6.deviantart.com/
ITS HARDER THEN IT LOOK LIKE !
Looks like a cup of melted chocolate you pour over a cake as a topping (i also like the “tongue with eyes” interpretation).
Poor, just poor. Now seriously guys, i am a premium member, because i think you established something very good here. Something i felt was worth supporting.
Now you come up with complete amateur stuff more and more. Yesterday this tennis creep over at vectortuts and now this.
I don`t appreciate it, that you obviously waste my money for paying some kids publishing their first design efforts.
When you create this and during the process your eyes don’t scream “wrong, wrong, wrong” then, well then you are not a designer and you should find another profession fast. And you should definately not start teaching others in the field of illustration and design.
I don’t mean to be rude, but i really have to point that out clearly. This is the wrong turn you are taking. Turn around and dedicate yourself to quality again.
Art is 90% about craftmanship. Basic skills are a must! When you are an accountant, you should be able to calculate fast and correct, even without a computer or calculator. When you are an illustrator, you should be able to come up with a sketch that shows correct perspective, lighting and proportion before you go digital every time.
Turn around guys!
OH SHUT.
UP.
Seriously, Get off your damn high horse. 9 dollars a month and you wave the “consumer is always right” flag in everyone’s face. Your pennys probably barely adds towards server fee’s and living expenses, quite frankly no one cares what you “dont appreciate”.
Whenever someone tells you something “frankly”, you know he is lying you right in the face.
Poor kid. LOL
I once was a Premium member too but I had to cancel my account, I couldn’t find anything worth my money any longer.
I’m totally with you about the tennis guy/girl too, it’s just not up to standard quality.
It seems that there’s no one in charge of quality control, they’re just posting whatever it’s handed over to them. I am not totally against all amateur tutorials, except the ones that need a lot of work.
We have seen this network doing bad decisions and I don’t know how they expect anyone to pay for these kind of quality tutorials. It’s like buying your membership at the country club but you can only get to play at the mini golf. So, why would you buy it? Ever since I canceled my membership here, around the beginning of this year, I have seen about 3-5 premium tutorials and goodies worth the account, everything else is just something you can easily find elsewhere.
I really hope these guys turn the network around because this ship resembles the Titanic, it’s only a matter of time until it sinks.
psd tuts cant be doing this kind of tuts:(
Some good techniques in the tutorial, but I must say the buttons look rather like eyes, giving the interior an odd face-like feel – it is the most bizarre piece of furniture ever!
charming chair…
I wouldn’t have known what this was without reading the title… it just looks, odd
I think could be better. I dont know maybe the perspective, color and textures could be more realistic.
It has strange form of seat & wrong perspective.
Not finished.
Good work, I like it ……Keep it up.
I can’t help but feel that the number of submitted tutorials must be quite low lately. Come on guys, this is abysmal. Who greenlit this to be published? Sean, as the editor of the site, you can’t honestly look at the final result of this tutorial and feel that it’s representative of how you want to convey yourself or your business. Posting nothing for a day is better than giving this obviously amateur tripe. I hope the author of this tutorial looks at the comments on this page. You are missing almost every design skill needed in the industry. You are not qualified to teach anyone how to use Photoshop, because you will be teaching them the same terrible habits you have developed, and not only to be satisfied with such low quality work, but feel it’s good enough to teach others.
There is not a single aspect of this piece that I find the least bit appealing.
PS to all you “designers” out there.
1) Not everything in the universe needs to be placed on a reflective surface
2) Making a reflection is not a matter of taking your “chair” and mirroring it, then lowering the transparency. This gimmick only works properly on something that is completely flat on the surface and smooth on the face (a box for example).
I am SO glad someone has finally mentioned that you will only learn bad habits/principles by following a bad tutorial. So many have perpetuated this nonsense across the blogs on other unsatisfactory tutorials that you could take “something” away from it.
Since many designers live in metaphors: If you were a chef learning how to cook and you burned your meal or it tasted horribly–you don’t know how to cook well…and you should learn more (all that you can) before even considering to apply for a professional chef’s position.
I’m actually not surprised of what comes out nowadays, but instead, users should criticize the end results to understand what doesn’t work in design.
Scott,
You are right on with the quality level of the tutorials on this site lately. I was thinking of purchasing a premium membership but am not so sure now.
I’m rather disappointed on many levels. The low-quality of the tutorials and the site admin’s willingness to present these things as worthy standards.
Its just embarassingly bad, im sorry.
Have all the tutorials of late been done by a 12 year old? Me thinks you should stick to the World of Warcarft.
hm… interesting
AWESOME…………..
Melody nailed it. This thing is so off. This and that rocker girl tut are horrible. They lack any idea of design. If you want to have a tutorial on how to make a metal sphere that fine. If you are making a chair make it look like a chair. Take the time to research the chair. Show the reference pic. If I made this for a customer they would ask fro there money back…and possible hit me.
steve
thank for tutorial
Thanks melody and you. your cms help me know something. its really useful. I will try to make better orthers.
In case you dont know what this tut use for… i just make an icon … hehee.
Also, thanks your cms.
Childesign actually thats tutorial Really awesome
it’s take the time to make tutorials like that but it’s good !
i like Colour too
thanks
Thank you
“a Iconic” should be “an Iconic”
Thanks for the spot. Fixed.
http://joshblenkinsop.deviantart.com/
thats good, evon if some people oh hear dont think so, its amazing by some peoples standards, like mine… but some of the things on my deviant arts account are ok, have a look.
Thanks Josh
This is my outcome: http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/8233/chair.jpg
Thanks for the tutorial.
Great tutorial thanks
It’s GOOD BUT VERY BORING ……..it’s don’t need all this steps
thnx