1. Create a new document (200x25). Fill it with a dark grey:
2. Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. In the settings, make is Gaussian, Monochromatic, and set it to 2. Click Ok:
3. This will add some texture to our metal bar. Now, select the dodge tool. Set it up so that the range is midtones, your using a 1 px brush, and your exposure it 75%. While holding shift, dodge the very top of the background. Repeat with the bottom at 40%. Zooming in will help you make more detailed effects:
4. This will give our bar more depth, and metallic looking edges. Create a new document now (200x17). Fill it with a light grey to dark grey gradient:
5. Add Noise again, but this time, set it to 1.4:
6. Use the blur tool, and a small brush to blend the bottom half of the noise a little. A size 28 brush at 30% should work fine. Only apply the blur to the bottom half of the image though!
7. Use the dodge tool (midtones and 75%) and dodge right below the top of the image (1 px down from the top):
8. Repeat using Highlights:
9. Still using highlights, barely dodge the bottom of the image:
10. Create a new layer, and select the pencil tool. Select a dull shade of brown/orange/red and color over the bright line you dodged out near the top. Set this layer to color:
11. This will give it a slightly more aged look. Merge these layers (Ctrl + E), and copy paste them over your original document:
12. These bars alone will make up for good borders. To add a nice touch, we can add spikes on top of the bars. Create a new document (8x8) and fill it with a medium grey:
13. Copy paste this into your main document. Go to Edit > Transform > Rotate. While holding shift, rotate it to an angle like shown below:
14. Using the dodge tool, make lines going across vertically and horizontally:
15. Use the burn tool to shade in the top left, bottom left, and bottom right areas:
16. Go back with the dodge tool, and highlight all of the edges a little so that you can tell that its apart from the dark metal background:
17. Apply a drop shadow if desired, and copy paste until you are happy with how far they are spread from each other:
18. If using for a content box, just repeat this image over and over:
Good Luck!
