How to Draw High-Detailed Glass Ball

There is a plenty of tutorials in the internet with the instructions how to draw simple glass ball. But if it’s not enough. This Photoshop Tutorial will help you to draw high-detailed glass ball with many glares, tinges, highlights and shades.

Final Result Preview

Step 1

To get started, you have to create background. Create a New Document 332×332px with (#175c5f) background color. Set Foreground color (#4ad5c5) and draw Linear Gradient (Foreground to Transparent) downwards from above.

Step 2

Create a New Layer. Use Rounded Marquee Tool to select an area 165×166px in the center of the screen and paint it over using color (#a33200). Deselect.

Step 3

Let’s consider that the light source is situated up and on the left. Add some shades in the lower right part of the ball. Create a New Layer. Set Foreground color (#823a00). Choose mild 100px brush and touch slightly the borders of the ball in the bottom, on the right and on the left. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 4

Add more shades. Create a New Layer. Set Foreground color ( #5a280),which is a little darker and use the same brush sized 80px to add several strokes. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 5

Add more shades in the bottom. Create a New Layer. Use Pen tool (Paths selected) to select an area in the bottom part of the ball. Right click on the Path, make selection. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 6

Set Foreground color (#6e1700). Draw Linear Gradient (Foreground to Transparent) from the upper part of the ball down to the selected lower part. Set Opacity 39%. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 7

Let’s make the highlights on the ball. Create a New Layer. Сtrl+Click на перво on the primar layer with the ball. Set Foreground color (#ff9000) and draw Linear Gradient (Foreground to Transparent) from the upper part down to the lower. Deselect and move the layer 10px up. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 8

Create a New Layer. Use large mild 80px brush to make several srokes coloured (#ff9000) slightly touching the upper part of the ball. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 9

Now add the highlights in the lower part of the ball. This will be the reflection from the surface. Create a New Layer. Set Foreground color (#45b5b9). Use large mild 50px brush make a stroke strictly under the surface of the ball. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 10

Make the principal speck more intensive. Set Foreground color (#ffac2a). Create a New Layer. Make several strokes in the upper part of the ball, but not so much as in Step 8. Use large mild brush to make these strokes. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 11

Now put the speck into a little frame. Create a New Layer. Сtrl+Click on the primal layer. Paint over the selection using (#ffd565) color. Feather Selection 20px and deselect. Free Transform it to 125×100 and move to the upper part of the ball. Set Opacity 15%.

Step 12

Make the principal speck more intensive. Set Foreground color (#ffe765). Create a New Layer. Make several strokes in the upper part of the ball, but not so much as in Step 10. Use large mild brush to make these strokes. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 13

Add the reflection from the surface of the floor. Create a New Layer. Set Foreground color (#ffffff). Make a stroke in the upper part of the ball, but not as thick as in Step 12. Use little 9px mild brush. Duplicate Layer and hide new layer. We shall use it in the next step. Apply Gaussian Blur (6,2px). Add color Overlay. Use( #8bffe6) color. Create Clipping Mask.

Step 14

Make the speck more intensive by means of whites. Duplicate Layer and click on the eye to hide Color Overlay.

Step 15

Make the last stroke - the brightest part of the speck. Unhide the Layer you have hidden in the Step 13. Apply Gaussian Blur (1.4px).

Step 16

Add an auxiliary speck. Set Foreground color (#ffffff). Use Pen Tool (Shape Layers option selected) to draw one little stroke in the upper part of the ball.

Step 17

Duplicate Layer and apply Gaussian Blur (2px). Duplicate Layer worked up with filter.

Step 18

Duplicate shape created in the Step 16. Apply Gaussian Blur (1px).

Step 19

Now let’s make the shades for the ball. Create a New Layer. Сtrl+click on the layer with primal circle. Set Foreground color black and draw Linear Gradient (Foreground to Transparent) from the bottom of the ball up to 15px. Apply Gaussian Blur (2.1px). Send the layer backwards, until it is in the bottom of the list (before the background). Then move layer 2px down and 3px right.

Step 20

Repeat the procedure carried out in the Step 19. This time draw gradient p to 20px. Apply Gaussian Blur (3.2px).

Step 21

Create a New Layer. Arrange it so that it would appear to be in the bottom of the list. Use middle mild15px brush to make a stroke coloured (#0c3332) in the lower right part of the ball. The tail of this stroke has to look out on the right of the ball, as well as on the left and below the ball.

Step 22

Create a New Layer and send it backwards. Ctrl+Click on the ball. Paint over the selection using (#0c3332) color. Free Transform it, make it 50% smaller and without pressing Enter button move the upper part to the left holding Ctrl. Apply Gaussian Blur (15px) and move it down and to the right.

Step 23

Repeat the procedure carried out in Step 22. Use (#115359) color, apply Gaussian Blur (6.5px). Move the selection a little moreto the right and a little lesss down.

Step 24

Create the last general and the most prominent and massive shade. Create a New Layer and send it backwards. Use large mild 60px brush to make the strokes around the ball touching mostly the part under it and slightly touching the parts on the left, making the strokes from the left to the right (to the border of the canvas). Apply Gaussian Blur (17.6px).