The key steps to create a long shadow effect in Photoshop are as follows: 1. Create a basic graphic or text and determine the location of the object; 2. Optionally use "Bevel and Emboss" to increase the three-dimensionality, set the depth to 100%, and the direction is consistent with the light source; 3. Copy the layer and fill it with dark gray as the shadow, elongate the shadow along the direction of the light source through deformation or dynamic blur; 4. Adjust the transparency of the shadow layer to 20%-50%, and use the eraser tool to soften the end details. The entire process requires attention to object positioning and detailed processing to ensure that the final effect is natural and meets design requirements.
Want to create a popular long shadow effect in Photoshop? In fact, it is not difficult. The key is to understand the basic operations of light source direction and layer style.

Set up basic graphics or text
Before you start, make sure the object you want to add shadows, which can be shapes, icons, or text. Create a new layer and draw your subject content on it. The colors are random, but it is recommended to use solid colors, so that subsequent adjustments are more intuitive.

Don't rush to add shadows at this time, first confirm the position and size of the object. Because once long shadows are added, adjusting the position may destroy the overall visual effect.
Use "Surface and Relief" to simulate three-dimensionality (optional)
Although long shadows are mainly achieved by copying layers, if you want to have a more layered feeling, you can turn on the "bevel and embossing" effect of the layer panel. Set the depth to about 100%, and select the direction you want the light source angle, usually 45 degrees or 135 degrees.

This step is not necessary, but it makes the final effect look more natural.
Copy the layer and move it to form a shadow
This is the core step. Press and hold Ctrl (Command on Mac) and click on the layer thumbnail to select the object. Then create a new layer and fill it with the Paint Bucket Tool to dark gray (such as #333). This is your shadow part.
Next, use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl T), right-click "Deform", and then drag the shadow layer to lengthen it along the direction of the light source you set. You can refer to the classic long shadow style at 45 degrees.
Tips: If you feel that manual pulling is inaccurate, you can use "Filter> Blur> Dynamic Blur", set the angle consistent with the light source, and increase the distance a little to make the shadow look more realistic.
Adjust transparency and edge details
The last step is very simple. Reduce the opacity of the shadow layer, which is generally more natural between 20% and 50%. You can also use the eraser tool to gently wipe off the end of the shadow to make it look softer.
If you are doing UI elements, be careful not to cover up other important information; if it is a poster design, you can exaggerate it appropriately.
Basically these are the steps. It seems simple, but the key is that the details must be handled in place, otherwise it will easily appear rough.
The above is the detailed content of How to create a long shadow effect in Photoshop. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Mastering Photoshop shortcut keys can significantly improve work efficiency. 1. Zoom and Navigation: Z key activates the zoom tool, Space bar Drag the quick pan canvas, double-click Z key to adapt the image to the window size, Ctrl/Cmd/-adjust the zoom level; 2. Layer management: Ctrl Shift N creates a new layer, Ctrl G group, Ctrl E merges layers, Shift [or] moves the layer level, Ctrl Click on the layer thumbnail to quickly select content; 3. Select and brush adjustment: M and L to switch rectangular marquee and lasso tools respectively, Shift adds/Alt to subtract selections, [or] adjusts the brush size, Shift [or] adjusts the hardness, so as to achieve efficient editing and smooth operation.

Repairing old photos can be achieved through key steps in Photoshop. The first is scanning and preliminary adjustment, including high-resolution scanning, cropping images, rotation correction and brightness/contrast adjustment; the second is to remove scratches and stains, use the imitation stamp tool to deal with large-area damage, repair tools to deal with small scratches, and pay attention to low transparency overlay and layering operations; the third is optional coloring and color tuning, and use the "hue/saturation" adjustment layer to increase retro tone; the last is to polish and output, check details, adjust sharpness, confirm resolution and select a suitable format to save. The entire process requires patience and meticulousness, especially when dealing with key parts such as the facial features of the characters.

The key to creating a custom gradient in Photoshop is to master the use of the gradient editor. 1. First select the gradient tool (shortcut key G), click the top preview bar to open the "Gradge Editor"; 2. Click "New" in the editor to start customization, and you can also modify the style in the built-in gradient library; 3. Set color transition by adding, deleting and dragging the color slider, and double-clicking the slider to select specific colors; 4. Adjust the opacity stop point to control the transparency changes, click the diamond icon to add the transparency node; 5. Select linear, radial and other types in the gradient tool options to match design needs, and you can get started quickly after you are proficient.

LayerMasks and VectorMasks are used in Photoshop with similar uses but different principles. LayerMasks is based on pixels and uses grayscale values to control the display and hiding of layer areas. It is suitable for photo detail editing, soft transition effects and fine brush adjustments, but zooming in may lead to jagging; VectorMasks is based on vector paths and shapes, and has resolution irrelevant resolution. It is suitable for graphics that require clear edges such as logos, icons or text frames, and can be scaled losslessly; the selection is based on the content type (photo or graphics), whether the size needs to be greatly adjusted, and the required edge effects (soft or sharp), and sometimes combined use can give full play to their respective advantages.

TocreateandmanipulatevectorshapesinPhotoshop,usetheShapeToolstodrawvectorpathsonshapelayers,editanchorpointswiththeDirectSelectionTool,combineorsubtractshapesusingpathoperations,andrasterizewhennecessary.First,selectthedesiredshapetool—Rectangle,Elli

ToselectaspecificcolorrangeinPhotoshop,usetheColorRangetool.1.GotoSelect>ColorRangeandclicktheeyedropperonthedesiredcolor.2.AdjusttheFuzzinessslidertocontrolselectionbreadth.3.AddmoresampleswithShift-clicks.4.EnableLocalizedColorClustersforcomplex

AnartboardinPhotoshopisamovable,resizablecontainerthatactsasanindividualcanvaswithinasingledocument.Itallowsdesignerstocreatemultiplelayoutsordesignvariationssidebyside,eachwithitsownsizeandcontent.Artboardsareidealforweblayouts,appscreens,banners,an

Rulers provide positioning references, Guides implement element alignment, and Grids builds a systematic layout. 1. Rulers display position coordinates, and can drag out reference lines to check element deviations and judge distance specifications; 2. Guides are virtual lines dragged out from rulers, accurately align elements and divide areas, and support locking and color settings; 3. Grids consists of rows and columns to control the overall layout rhythm, and adapt to responsive design, which are common, such as 12-column web page grids and 8px mobile grids. The combination of the three improves layout efficiency and professionalism.
