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How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop

In this tutorial I will give you some tips on how to create and decorate Christmas tree with balls and stars. You will learn how to add a Layer Style, draw Christmas balls with Ellipse Tool, apply brushes, customize brushes etc. So let’s get started!

Final Image Preview

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

Create a new document (Ctrl+N) in Photoshop with the size 1920px by 1200px (RGB color mode) at a resolution of 72 pixels/inch. Using the Paint Bucket Tool (G), fill the new background layer with #050043 color.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Take after that the Pen Tool (P) to create the shape of the Christmas tree.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Select Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and click to Inner Shadow:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Set the Outer Glow

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Add Inner Glow

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Also set the Gradient Overlay

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
We’ve got the next fir tree:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

Next step we’ll download a set of brushes for in Adobe Photoshop, named: grunge procedural. Create a new layer and select the brush out of the earlier downloaded set. Set the Opacity to 10% in Options bar.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Paint with color #4D80E8 as shown. Place this layer containing the brush under the tree’s layer:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Next we’ll draw several shapes, using the Pen Tool (P). The shape’s color is #020353. Place this layer under the Christmas tree’s layer:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Select Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and click to Outer Glow:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
We’ve got the next shape:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

Using the same tools, we’ll represent one more colored shape with #0B2A80 color. This layer will be situated under the tree’s layer:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
… and one more shape, colored with #1038AA. The tool applied in this case is the same with the previous ones. The layer will be situated under the tree’s layer:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Go to Layer Style and select Inner Glow:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
We’ve got the next background:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
On the next layer (Create new layer) we’ll use the brush out of the grunge procedural set of white color (Opacity 10%) to make lighter the background behind the tree’s top.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Create a new layer and choose the Soft Round brush of white color, set Opacity to 80% in Options bar.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Using Soft Round brush represent the snowflakes. This layer needs to be placed under the layer containing the tree.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
On the next new layer we’ll paint again with brushes (two types – the hard and soft round brushes) of white color to add more snowflakes. The layer will be also placed under the layer having the Christmas tree on it.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
We’ve got the next background:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Create a new layer to represent here the snow on the tree. Select Spatter brush from Brush Tool (B).

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
We need to customize our brush in Brushes panel (F5), select the Brush Tip Shape. Click and drag any of the sliders to change the size, the roundness and brush angle as show. The Preview window displays the changed brushstroke.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Go to Shape Dynamics:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Now you can paint the snow as shown on the Christmas tree.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Select Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and click to Drop Shadow:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
We’ve got the next snow on the fir tree:

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
On the next new layer we’ll apply the earlier brush of white color (Opacity 20%) to paint several more lines, representing the snow on the tree.

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4
Take the Ellipse Tool (U) now to represent a Christmas ball for the tree. The layer has the color #0375E0

How to Create and decorate Christmas tree in Photoshop CS4

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