Stage 1

This stage shows how the basic template of a wheel rendering is created. In this stage you will use the Vector Shape tool and the Layer Style tool.

Start by creating a new page at around 1600 by 1600 pixels. Onto this, snap some guides to the middle of the page in both the horizontal and vertical, thus giving you the exact centre of the image. Guides are created by pressing on the rulers at the side of the page and dragging onto the image. Now using the VECTOR SHAPE tool, which you must set to produce a circle from centre, drag a circle, which is almost the size of your paper (1.1). As you will no longer need to alter the size of this shape, you can change it from a vector shape into a bitmap image by Rasterizing the layer. Do this by selecting LAYER, RASTERIZE, SHAPE. Now you can add some layer effects. By double clicking on this layer, the layer style palette will appear. Onto this layer you want to add a GRADIENT OVERLAY and STROKE (1.2). You can do this by selecting the checkbox next to the effect you desire. By touching the text next to the check box you will see many variables you can adjust, related to that particular style. The layer you have now created is the basis for the rim.

Next you need to give the rim some depth. Again using the VECTOR SHAPE tool, drag out another circle, this time a little smaller than the first (1.3). Onto this you again want to apply a LAYER STYLE. This time you only want to add a GRADIENT OVERLAY, and you also want to invert its effect (making the top dark and the bottom light as opposed to vice versa). You can do this by checking the REVERSE checkbox in the GRADIENT OVERLAY options window (1.4).

Now you can quickly create the black circle that will form the hole in your alloy. Do this once again using the VECTOR SHAPE tool (1.5). Now you can create a brake disc.

Start by creating another circle, this time in a dark grey colour (1.6). Then carefully using the erasure tool dot some holes in the layer. Finally go again to the LAYER STYLE window by double clicking on the layer and this time add a BEVEL AND EMBOSS (1.7). In the BEVEL AND EMBOSS window you may want to turn the depth up to maximum and the size to around “4” in order to get the best effect.

You should now have four layers forming the basic template for a wheel. Since by the end of this tutorial you will no doubt have many layers it is probably wise to put these four into a LAYER SET. It may also be an idea to save the image as a template, meaning whenever you want to design a wheel you just open this and go.

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