Creating the Spider Web in Photoshop: Part 1 of 5 : Adobe Photoshop Tutorial

A CreativeCOW Preparing Graphics for Video Tutorial

Dean Velez
The Anvel Motion Graphics Courseware for After Effects
Atlanta, Georgia

Article Focus:

In this 5-part tutorial, Motion Graphics Trainer, Dean Velez explores creating complex backgrounds using a Photoshop still with the 3d properties of After Effects. We'll also create high end transitions using path tools and various effects as well as eye catching 2D animation using parented layers and resolving text using the track matte features. In lesson one, we'll prepare the Photoshop still.

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PLEASE PREVIEW THE WEBBKG.MOV ANIMATION BEFORE STARTING. Download movie and project files from the red bar above.

1. Create a new file 1000x1000 72 dpi RGB color mode

2. Turn the background layer black

3.Put white in the foreground color box and black in the background color box

4.Make a new layer name it web

5.Select view rulers

6.Drag a guide line into the middle for vertical and horizontal (FIG1)

Fig. 1

7.Create a small diamond in the center using the brush tool with a 4 pixel 100% opacity white brush (FIG2)
To create a straight line with the paint tool you will need to have the paint tool selected and click on the screen where you want the line to start... go to where you want the line to end, hold down shift and click...the paint tool should draw a straight line from one point to the other...repeat this step to continue the line.

Fig. 2

8.Turn off your guide lines and rulers

9.Create 8 spokes coming out from the diamond (FIG 3)

Fig. 3

10.Create a frame linking all the spokes (FIG 4)

Fig.4

11.Create a loose spiral starting from the center and stopping at the frame (FIG 5)

Fig. 5

12.Create 8 spokes coming out from the diamond and connecting to the frame (FIG 6)

Fig. 6

13.Create a new layer under the web layer and fill it black the following steps will help us in creating a more organic web