Create a Futuristic Bicycle Icon in Photoshop
Tutorial Details
- Program: Adobe Photoshop CS4+
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Estimated Completion Time: 1 Hour
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
It’s fun and challenging to create items from scratch in Photoshop. In this tutorial we will create a futuristic bicycle icon from scratch using some basic Photoshop tools. Let’s get started!
Step 1: New File
Open Photoshop and set up a new document (Command/Ctrl + N). Use the following settings;
Resolution: 72dpi, Color Mode RGB color, Dimensions: 500×310 px.
Step 2: Creating the background
Fill the document with the black color #000000, then make a selection using Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) like I did. Into a new layer (Command/Ctrl + Shift + N) using Brush Tool (B) with a big master diameter brush one time inside the selection.
Color Code: #546c79
Duplicate the layer created (Command/Ctrl + J) Flip it horizontal (Edit-Transform-Flip Horizontal) and place it like I did in the next image. After you did that, decrease the opacity of it to 50%.
Step 3: Start creating the bike
Using Pen Tool (P) create the Bike shape, fill it using a grey color (color code: #dbdcd6). After that, we are going to give a 3D look using selection tools and light/shadows tools.
Step 4: Working on details: Lights/Shadows
Continue to add lights and shadows by selecting different parts and use Burn Tool (O) to add shadows and Dodge Tool (O) to add light. In this step we are going to add just light.
Step 5: Creating Bike Elements
Delete the indicated part by selecting it and pressing "Delete" key then create a new selection using Pen Tool (P) and a Feather Radius ~ 0.3 pixels for better results.
In the selection created above use Burn Tool (O) and add some shadow there.
Step 6: Pedals
In this step we are going to create the pedal shape, so create this shape using Pen Tool (P) color code: #cdcec9. Select a part of it using Pen Tool (P) and go to Brightness/Contrast, here make the settings from the image below.
Use same techniques to create the pedal.
Step 7: Small Details
Now add some small details like reflections and some other things.
Step 8:
Rear Wheel
Now, we are going to create the wheels! First of all make a rounded shape using Ellipse Tool or Pen Tool (P) and delete the middle of it! Use Dodge & Burn Tool (O) to give the 3 look! After that start playing with stroke lines to add Light & Shadows
Step 9: Light over the rim
Select this part of the rear rim using Elliptical Marquee Tool (M) then, in the selection created add some light using Dodge Tool (O)
Step 10: Creating the rear tire
Start by creating another rounded shape around the Rim using a dark grey color. I used #121011. Again, start playing with light/shadow/stroke like I did in the next images to obtain 3d & real effect.
Here we are going to add some light reflection on our rim, so using Elliptical Marquee Tool (M) add a 1px black stroke, then another one over it but this one should be gray!
Step 11: Spokes
How we can creating the spokes? Really simple. Use Pen Tool and start creating 1 pixel gray lines like I did in the next image, then using Burn/Dodge Tool (O) add some shadow and light over the spokes to obtain a real effect. After you are done with the spokes from the top part of the wheel, duplicate the spoke layer, flip it horizontal and place it like I did down.
Step 12: Disk Brake
For creating the disk brake we are going to use the Ellipse tool and a light brown color (#9c9075). After you created an ellipse, delete the middle part using a selection tool and pressing "Delete" key.
Step 13: Effects on the disk brake
Go to Filter > Noise > Add noise and make the settings from the image below! For giving to our disk brake a real effect we need to use some light & shadow so, by watching the pictures down add some highlights and shdows over the disk using Dodge/Burn Tool (O).
Step 14: Seat support
Make a shape using Pen Tool (P) and a dark brown color (#161510) then go to Filter > Noise > Add noise and use a amount of 0.5% for a better effect. Again, add some shadow & light over our seat support.
Step 15: Seat
Create the seat shape using Pen Tool (P) and a dark (almost black) color, I used #010103! Then, over the shape created, add some light in the top part using Dodge Tool (O).
Step 16
Add more details on the seat support.
Step 17: Bike Horns
Create a path using Pen Tool (P) then fill it with a dark grey color #0f0f0d. Now playing with lights and shadows you should obtain something like in the image below
Step 19
Use Pen Tool (P) and stroke path technique add some light reflections on our bike horns.
Step 20: Fork
Create this path using Pen Tool (P) and fill it with a dark brown color, I used #201f1a.
Step 21: Effects on the fork
Again, add some noise and use dodge/burn tool to obtain a better effect.
Step 22: Front wheel
Duplicate the rear wheel layers group and place it under the fork. After that I created some pieces that will support the wheel.
Step 23: Caliper
We are going to create the caliper! Create a path using Pen Tool (P) then fill it with a red color, add some shadows and lights using Dodge & Burn Tool (O) and your bike it’s ready go.
Step 24: More Details
You can add more details on the bike like stickers and other things. You can also create a reflection of the bike like I did in the next image.
Final Image
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By Adrian Pintilei
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Very nice techniques! I liked the overall design of the bike but somehow the result became kind of slow.
I would have put in a nice background of mountains, or road, or something like that. Also, I would have make the resolution a bit bigger.
Nice tuts but poor result.
I’m only trying to make you a better author!
Cheers,
Yoni
http://gallery.hd.org/_exhibits/places-and-sights/_more2003/_more05/New-Zealand-South-Island-road-between-Milford-Sound-and-Te-Anau-mountain-landscape-low-dense-white-clouds-cropped-MB.jpg
This background (with some perspectives and shadows of-course), and a resolution of 300 will make this an awesome tutorial!
That background would not fit the bike. The bike is modern and futuristic and it needs something like the abstract background the author have made.
I disagree.
Firstly, the background the author made was simple, not like the very detailed bike.
Secondly, the background I chose is, on my opinion, very beautiful and it can make an excellent contrast between the bike and the mountains, making new definitions to old and new.
I’m only saying my opinion!
Cheers,
Yoni
I`ve just explained how to create the bike icon and not how to insert it into a background! You can put the bike wherever you want!
Thanks, Pintilei Adrian
If it’s only your opinion why are you getting defensive? The other poster was just giving you a reason why the original or another type of background would work better.
To me also, the background you want to use is to busy and doesn’t match the mood of the bike. The author’s background choice is great. It focuses attention on what’s important…the bike! It doesn’t have to be detailed just because the bike is detailed.
This is an icon so why high res? And I think Yoni has nothing to do with modern industry standard graphic design and product display. The background you chose on that messy website may be good photos but if you use that for your bike display your bike will look really cheap. I assume that Yoni understand Chinese cuz the website he tried to advertise is Chinese based, OK I have to say that your taste is just so “土”(unfashionable). Look at those professional product display such as nike, Benz, IKEA, Apple. They all use simply and abstract background which will reduce distraction and bring the feeling of modern and technology. What’s more it is just the trend. Anyway I still think you are advertising your website which is also really “土”.
If i achieve this tut,, i will feel awesome,, :O
Thanks for the TUT!!
Great tut! Awesome job with the light and shadows contrast. Personally I like having a little more light to show of my work. Something like a spotlight on the object usually makes it look really cool but it just takes a little more work for the reason that you must add some more detail like reflections, textures and so on.
Congrats, very nice!
Realy nice! Grat!
Background of any kind should be very very clean when selling an item.
Go to Nordstrom.com and take time to study how the industry makes an item that they want to sell look good.
They may have a model that looks hot but their is usually nothing but a white or off-white background or black to dark grey. Only the cover will they usually have a background of nature or cityscape because the cover sells the mood they want to set of what is to come when you open the cover and look inside and not as much the items on the cover.
Once inside the site/magazine the items being sold is clear, “it is what you see, because you don’t see anything else”. Models are not included in the sale of course and they are used to show the item(s) what they would look like when you have the item on or in your possession and to show you how your mood would be if you buy the item. But the model and the item being sole are placed onto a very clean basic background.
typo at the end of paragraph “sole = sold” lol
Love the Tut by the way, and I love bicycles but that seat is so damn high I would worry that I would drag my chin on the ground ;)
Love the lines and the highlighting techniques and will use them in future projects!
Veeery nice. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Excellent tut. Thanx
Nice tut. I think it would work better as a video tut. Would be good to show off your burn and dodge techniques.
Actually I would love to have this kind of bicycle, probably ergonomics won’t be great but it sure would impress people around.
But excellent tutorial, will try to repeat it on my own to understand the whole process
Nice tutorial, you should try to use more vector shapes, it`s easy to modify and scale :)
it looks really nice, first I thought it’s a photo :)
in step 3 once the path is closed how do you make a selection of the object so that you can fill it with color ?
After making the path with pen tool, right click and choose Make selection… then click ok (sometimes you get an exterior selection of the shape, if this happen go to select menu and choose inverse) to fill the selection go to edit fill and choose a color (or alt+backspace or ctrl+backspace to fill with foreground/bacground color)
Great dodge and burn tutorial, Thanks!
In step 4 when filling in the lights and shadows with the Dodge and Burn tools how do you prevent color from filling in the shape you make with the Pen tool ?
In the first part of step five I made the shape with the Pen tool and converted it to a selection but it would not delete.
Many thanks for putting this tut together. The results are awesome!
Good job.
wow man, a very detailed tutorial. appreciate this.
One hour. You must be kidding, right? Nowhere near…
Nice tutorial mate. I like your design but it would be hard to riding the bike – no suspension part :D
Great tutorial, I really like the style.
This is a fantastic tutorial! Just great.
I loved it, Adrian.
I really love this tutorial, keep up the good work!!!!!!!
Nice and detailed tutorial.
informative tutorial but what it you make it with different background
i can’t use burn tool on after using pen tool
please give me a reply
how to change background of fastly for cuting images plzz explain
It’s awesome. I am so much happy & I want to do it. Thank U……………………………………..
Very Nice! Cool concept and great tutorial!
amazing tuts bike. woww I will try this tuts.