Grunge Interface Revisited

Make a new document about 400 x 400, might need to be a bit bigger but lets just use this

1. Fill the background layer with #5B5B5B and create a new layer

Make a small selection and make a gradient inside of it

Duplicate the layer, flip it vertically (Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical) then move it underneath the original

Press ctrl+t and make the 2nd gradient half the size

Merge the layers together and use the Dodge tool to brighten up the light areas

2. Make another new layer and make a shape with the pen tool like so:

With the path still open and the pen tool still out, right click the path and choose "Make Selection"

Hit it with a gradient again then move it to the corner of the bars

Duplicate the bars layer and move it above the shape layer, set the layer opacity to 30%

3. Merge all the layers again and make some more selections and gradients etc

Merge the layers as you go along and use the Dodge tool to highlight some areas of the gradients

4. Remember to keep merging the layers together as you go on, though it doesn't really matter too much

With all the layers merged together you can center the main thing if you want

Make some round bolt type things, they don't really look like bolts, but whatever!

Alright.. now make a new layer underneath the main layer and use the pen tool again to make a path like so:

Now go back to the brush tool and get the 13px hard brush and take the size down to 10 on the lever

Back to the pen tool, right click the path and select "Stroke Path"

Use brush and antic Stimulate Pressure

5. Put the brush size down to 8px and redo the path then make another wire on the same layer

Now you could make a new layer above the main layer, make a selection and fill it with a scan line pattern, erase some parts and lower opacity's etc

And another..

5. Make another new layer and use a small grunge brush over the top of the interface

You can lower the opacity's etc if you want

Now make sure all the layers are merged together, press ctrl+t and resize the interface to a really small state, at the top you can see the percentage you're resizing it to, so do it about 11.0% by 10.0%

Use the dodge tool to highlight up some boring parts then apply Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen to this layer to make it look a bit less dull

6. Duplicate the main layer and move it down about 20px (shift+down arrow twice)

Apply this drop shadow to the duplicate layer

Merge the 2 layers together and duplicate it again, flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal) and move it about 100px to the right

Merge the layers together again and duplicate it again, flip it vertically and move it down wards about 180px

Merge the layers together again and apply this drop shadow:

7. Make a 1px tall selection across the bottom of the top metal pieces

And copy and paste that to a new layer

Position it underneath where you copied it from and go into the transform mode (ctrl+t)

Stretch it all the way to the top of the other pieces

Softly erase a few bits and apply Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen

Do the same to the side parts

Now you could apply the same drop shadow to these parts except a bit lower opacity

8. Make some selections underneath the metal like so

Now fill the selections with a dark grey

Make sure this layer is underneath all the metal layers

Apply this feint Inner Shadow to this layer:

9. Alright.. that's about done!

You could add a few small details like a light or something

I've made quite a few good outcomes using this method: