Beach Layout - Travel Blog

1. First of all of all open a new document with the size 800 by 1000 pixels.

2. Now we are going to make the beach which it will be place at the bottom of our layout. Select the Pen Tool and make a shape like the one bellow. Press Ctrl+Enter to transform the path intro a selection, then fill it with the color #ffd766.

3. Transform the layer intro a Smart Object (right-click on the layer, then select Convert to Smart Object). This way you will be able to modify the filters which we are going to add. First go to Layer > Blur > Montion Blur and use the settings from the following image, then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise.

4. Now we are going to add some light. We will use the same technique which I presented in the tutorial Magnific Light effects in Photoshop (Magnific Light effects in Photoshop ). Create a new layer and place it intro a group (Ctrl+G). Set the blend mode of the group to Color Dodge, then select the layer inside the group and paint with a big soft white brush (set the size around 150 pixels).

5. Now the water. Create a new group and change its name intro Water. Create a new layer inside the group, then Use Pen Tool to make a shape like the one bellow and fill it with any color. Open the Layer Style window and use the following settings for Gradient Overlay.

6. Duplicate the layer which you created at the step 5 (Ctrl+J). Use Free Transform to scale it down, then open the Layer Style window and use the settings from the following image for Gradient Overlay.

7. Duplicate this layer too, then scale it down and use the settings from the next image for Gradient Overlay.

8. Now you can convert each layer inside the Water group intro a Smart Object. We are going to add Motion Blur to each layer inside the group. Select the first layer (the one which you created at the step 5), go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and use the settings Angle: -55, Distance: 20. For the second layer (the one which you have created at the step 6) use the settings Angle: -30, Distance: 270 px. For the third layer use the settings Angle: -40, Distance: 150 px. Create a mask for each of this three layers and use a soft black brush to mask some parts of the image where you don`t like the way it looks.

9. Create a new layer right above the Background layer and fill it with the color #f4fbfd. This will be the sky.

10. Now we are going to create some clouds. Create a new layer, then select a soft white brush with the size around 100, then draw a cloud. Open the Layer Style window and use the settings from the following image.

11. Follow the next link to download a vector package called Summer Sun Summer Sun Vectors - Web Design Blog . Place some vectors that you like in our document and use Burn Tool to add some shadows. I usually import the vectors intro Photoshop as Smart Objects so that I can modify their sizes without losing the quality.

12. Create a new layer, select Rounded Rectangle Tool and create a rounded white rectangle with radius of 15 pixels which is going to be the content background. Set the opacity for this layer to 75%. In a new layer create another rounded rectangle with the same size of 15 pixels and use the color #e3f9ff. This is going to be our sidebar. Set the opacity for this layer to 75% too.

13. Open the Layer Style window for the content background layer and use the settings from the following image for Outer Glow. Use the same settings for the sidebar layer, but change the color to #779dad.

14. Now add the name of the site. I used the font Arista and the color #78e1ff. Open the Layer Style window for the text layer, then use the settings from the next image for Stroke and Outer Glow. This will give to the text a web 2.0 look.

15. Now we are going to create some buttons. Use Rounded Rectangle Tool to create a rounded rectangle with the radius of 10 pixels and a blue color. Ctrl+Click on the button layer to select it, then select Elliptical Marquee Tool with the ‘Subtract from the selection’ option on and make a selection like the one bellow. Create a new layer and draw a linear gradient from white to transparent. Set the blend mode of this layer to Soft Light. Duplicate the button as many times as necessary, then add the titles of each page.

16. Now all you have to do is to add the content and that`s it.

Final Result