Taoist Orb

Learn how to make an ethereal looking Taoist Yin-Yang orb.

The principles of this tutorial this will of course work with different shapes - not just the Yin-Yang device, so feel free to work with something else

Step 1

Open your document and select your tool

Open a new document in Photoshop by pressing Ctrl+N on the keyboard or clicking File> New.

I'm using a 360px wide by 450px high document. Make sure your background is white.

Now, choose the "Custom Shape" tool from your tools palette.

On the options (upper screen) toolbar you'll find a drop down menu with all your available shapes. Choose the Yin-Yang shape . Then we're ready to go.

Note, if you don't see the Yin-Yang shape in your options palette, use the options arrow to load "All" shapes into the palette.

Step 2

Draw your shape

Press X then D on your keyboard to reset the colours so that we have black as the foreground colour.

Now, draw the Yin Yang shape in to your document while holding Shift on your keyboard. Holding shift will constrain the shape's proportions to form a perfect circle rather than an oval. Try to make your shape about half the width of your document.

Step 3

Make a selection from shape then create a new layer

Locate or open up your layers palette (F7 on the Keyboard or "Window> Layers").

Hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and left-click with your mouse on the layer containing your shape. This will make a selection in the document from the shape we've just drawn.

Next, create a new layer by pressing the new layer icon in the layers palette.

Step 4

Fill the circle.

Select the paint bucket tool from the tools palette.

Select a new foreground colour by left-clicking on the foreground color on the tools palette

I'm using a blue with the following RGB values: R 58, G 185, B 196.

Now, fill the selected area with your colour.

Next, press Ctrl and D on the keyboard to clear selection marquee.

Now, choose the paintbrush tool from the tools palette.

You'll have to manually paint in the areas that the paint-bucket tool missed when filling the selection with blue. We're looking for a complete perfect blue circle.

Step 5

Re-order layers

In your layers palette, drag the blue circle beneath the Yin-Yang symbol.

Step 6

Change blending mode

In the layers palette, select the Yin-Yang shape layer and change its blend mode to "Overlay".

Step 7

Change blending options for shape

Right-click the blue circle layer in the layers palette and choose "Blending Options"

Choose the "Gradient overlay" option and use the same settings as I have:

Note, for the gradient, i'm using the default "Foreground to Background" gradient that i selected from the dropdown like so:

Step 8

Duplicate shape

In the layers palette, right-click the Yin-Yang shape and select "Duplicate Layer".

Next, right-click your duplicate layer and choose "Rasterize Layer".

Step 9

Change opacity

In the layers palette, change the opacity of your rasterized layer to about 35%..

Step 10

Apply Gaussian Blur

Make sure your rasterized layer is still selected in the layers palette. Then, from the menu at the top of your window choose Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur.

Apply your blur with the same settings as I have. This will give it the ethereal dreamy effect.

Completed

You now have your finished orb. Try adding some other effects, for example. I've added a reflection which looks pretty cool. Enjoy!