New Interface Finishing Help

Hi. I'm making a new interface for my site which is basically a bar at the top connected to a bar along the left side and has multiple curves and points in it. I am unable to post it because I cant upload it right now. Anyways, it looks very nice, but I need a way to finish it. Right now it is basically one solid blue color. I have tried airbrushing around the edges to make it fade off, I have tried beveling, lighting effects, as well as many other techniques to make it look more than just a solid color. I have been unable to acheive anything worthy of replacing my current site with. Are there any tricks that you guys use to spice something flat up? I know it could be great looking, I just need a little help along.

Thanks,
SharpDesign

I understand your problem fully man. I have had many days of sitting just trying to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to do to finish everything up. It starts out nice with the shape and then.....Nothing......

My suggestion is that you go through a few tutorials on interface making and try some different tricks......If ya find a good one, use it on the one yer trying to finish up........

If you just want it not so flat.....Try considering bevel it with lightning effects. Airbrush is maybe a way to do it, but I believe it's easier to do it with channels and lighteffects.
Below, a simple gothrough on what I'd do.....

1: Make the shape you want for the interface. Preferrably on a separate layer.

2: Select the shape (ctrl-click on the shapelayer).

3: Go to channels, click the "Create channel from selection" to make....a channel with the selection :D .

4: Gassian blur a few. This will start with a larger value and decrease 3 or 4 times....For instance 9, 7, 4, 2 ....

5: Inverse the selection and click delete to get rid of unwanted edges.

6: Back to shapelayer and in to FILTER > RENDER > LIGHTNING EFFECTS and play around with the values there.
Make sure that you choose the alpha1 channel (the channel you made) . Directional lights are great to use........And decrease the mountainus value to preferred value.......

7: Click Ok and well.........No flat shape there....... :D

Now I know this tutorial is available almost everywhere.....But I kinda find it easy.......And gives a good result aswell.

Maybe this was not what you was looking towards, but it's a way of making flat shapes less dull..........

// Rock on !!!!

Hmmm........ Ok, I did that. Its done.......but, it's boring. The technique is a great idea for objects and things like that, but for an interface, it isnt enough. Is there anything else you or someone else reading this does or has to offer? It looks good on the piece of paper I drew it on, but when I made it in Photoshop, it looked boring. That tells me there is something more or less subtle, missing from it. I can't really go around the internet borrowing finishing ideas, because my idea is really original, at least to me. I have not seen anything similar anywhere else. Thanks for the help I've recieved as well as future help.

SharpDesign

Well maybe adding some rust if needed, adding other objects such as screws, bolts, pipes and those kind of stuff. I know many have this already, but the main thing is that you "fool around" with the many ideas you may have and make it to something that will come closer to what you seek.....

Good luck and sorry I couldn't help...... :(

Give us an example of the shape and design you are talking about .. you will get no end of help if you do this - provide a link to a jpeg or something and Ill give you some of my hard thought out advice!

Thank you for the advice Nanne. The whole bolts and industrial site design is not my thing. I'm more of a neutral corporate (boring) guy. =) Markzebra - I would if I could, but my faithful ISP has not yet provided me web space. I have however done a nice bevel and shadow that I think looks very nice. I may add a little effect to a tip or two to make it look a little like gel or something of that nature. I assure you I will be back soon enough to complain and request additional help on a logo, etc. Thank you again for your help and if you have a tutorial to transform something into a free flowing gel-type image, please share the link.

SharpDesign