Create an Amazing Diary Vector in Photoshop
Using its basic tools and layer styling capabilities, Photoshop can be used to create photo-realistic vectors. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a diary vector in Adobe Photoshop using an easy step-by-step approach. You will also learn to create shadow, a pencil icon, a stitched effect, and a folded paper effect. So, let’s get started.
Resources:
Now that we’ve got what we need, let’s have a look at our final result:
Step 1
Create a new Photoshop document with width of 1000px and height of 800px.
Step 2
Set # e2c523 as your foreground color. Now, select the Rounded Rectangle Tool, and click on the “Shape layers” icon from the top options bar. Set the radius to 10px, and draw a rectangle, which will form the basic shape of our diary. You can label this layer as “base.”
Step 3
Next, we’ll make borders of the diary. Firstly, duplicate the “base” layer by going to “Layer” > “Duplicate layer.” Now, select the Rounded Rectangle Tool with the same settings and press the icon of “Exclude overlapping shape areas” from the top options bar. After that, draw a smaller rectangle inside the previous rectangle as shown below. Use # c79a00 color to fill borders.
Step 4
Now, we’ll apply a leather texture to the base layer of diary. Open the texture file, press Ctrl + “A” to select it, then press Ctrl + “C” to copy the selection. Come back to your document and press Ctrl + “V” to paste the texture there. Place this texture layer just above the base layer. Now click on the texture layer, and apply a vector mask thumbnail of the base layer to make selection around it. Then, click on “Add layer mask” icon, which is present at the bottom of the layers palette. Change the blending mode of the texture layer to “Overlay” and reduce its opacity to 65%.
Step 5
Next, we’ll create the stitched effect. First, adjust the settings of your brush. Select “Hard round brush,” open the brush panel, and use these settings.
Set # ffec96 as your foreground color. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool and click on the icon of “Paths” from the top options bar. Now, draw a rectangle just inside the border. After that, right-click and choose the option of “Stroke path.” Then, select “Brush.”
Step 6
Now, we’ll do some layer styling on these layers. Click on your “base” layer and go to “Layer” > “Layer style” > “Satin.” Use these settings.
Next, click on the “border” layer and go to “Layer” > “Layer style” > “Inner glow.” Use the values below.
After that, click on the “stitched” layer and go to “Layer” > “Layer style” > “Drop shadow.” Use the settings shown below.
Step 7
Now, we’ll create the shadow of the diary. Duplicate the base layer. Place this copy just above the background. Fill it with # 737373 color, then go to “Filter” > “Blur” > “Gaussian blur.” A notice will appear that this layer must be rasterized before proceeding, click “Ok” and set the value of 2.5px for your Gaussian blur. After that, press Ctrl + “T” to activate the Free Transform Tool. Then, increase the size of this shadow layer and drag it downward. Change the blending mode to “Multiply.”
Step 8
Next, we’ll create button strap for the diary using same colors and technique. Select the Pen Tool, and click on the icon of “Shape layers” from the top options bar to draw the shape, as shown below.
Apply leather texture using the same technique from step 4. In order to make its border, simply duplicate this layer, place the copy below the original shape, fill it with #c79a00 color, and increase its size. For the stitched effect, use the Pen Tool to draw the shape where you want to create stitch effect. Make sure to select the option of “Paths” from the top options bar. Once you’ve drawn the path, right-click, select stroke path, and brush. Apply the same layer style settings as used for the basic shape of the diary.
Step 9
Now, we’ll make button. Select # 323232 color, and draw a circle using Ellipse Tool. Then go to “Layer” > “Layer style” > “Blending options.” Use the following settings.
Add a shadow below the button strap in the same way as was explained in step 7.
Step 10
Next, we’ll create the pages of our diary. Select the Pen Tool with “Shape layers” settings, and draw the shape as shown below.
Now go to “Layer” > “Layer style” > “Blending options.” Use the following settings.
Duplicate the left page layer and go to “Edit” > “Transform” > “Flip horizontal.” Drag this copy to the right side to form the right page. Collect both layers in a group and duplicate it few times to form more pages. Drag each copy a bit downward and outward to make the edges visible.
Step 11
Now I’ll show you how to create a folded paper appearance. Select the Pen Tool with the “Shape layers” setting to draw the shape as shown below.
Apply the following layer style settings on this folded paper shape.
Now, erase the page behind this folded shape nicely using the Hard Round Eraser Tool.
Step 12
Create a new layer above the page layers, draw a thin rectangle in the center of both pages using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. Fill it with # a1a1a1 color, and apply the following values for “Inner shadow.”
Step 13
Next, we’ll create the binding rings. Create a new layer at top, draw 2 small circles using the Ellipse Tool. Use # 000000 color to fill them. After that, draw a small rectangle between these circles.
Use the following layer style settings for the binder ring.
Now, combine the two circles and ring in a new group and duplicate this group few times to form more rings.
Step 14
Next, we’ll create few colorful bookmarks using the Rectangle Tool and the Pen Tool. Place them in between different page layers. Reduce the opacity of rectangular bookmarks to 75% and add some drop shadow.
Create one bookmark above the page layers; hide its lower half with another rectangle of #f6f6f6 color. Add some drop shadow.
Step 15
Now, create a note paper using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, and fill it with # ecea38 color. Arrange it at an angle with the Free Transform Tool. Create its shadow in the same way as was explained in step 7.
You can add some text on it. I used the “A.C.M.E Secret Agent” font and # 6d6d6d color.
Step 16
Now, I’ll show you how to create paper clips. Select # 00d7f0 color and the Hard Round Brush, 3px size. Select the Pen Tool with the “Paths” setting to draw the clip shape. Once you are done, right-click, and choose the option of “Stroke path” and then “Brush.” Right-click again and choose “Delete path.”
You can change color of your paper clips using the “Color overlay” option. Use the following settings to add a drop shadow.
Step 17
Place one paper clip over the yellow note paper and erase the part that should be behind the paper.
Step 18
Duplicate the note paper layer, give it folded appearance as explained in step 11, and place it below the page layers after rotation.
Step 19
Now, I’ll show you how to create a pencil icon. Draw a rectangle using the Rectangle Tool; fill it with # fed152 color. Then, duplicate it twice, and fill the copies with a darker color, # f5b70a. Drag the copies on either sides of the lighter rectangle. Then, click on one of the dark rectangles and go to “Edit” > “Transform” > “Skew” to give it the shape shown below.
Draw two triangles to form pencil tip using the Pen Tool. After that, draw two rectangles forming the rubber holder. For rubber, draw a rectangle and an ellipse, as shown below.
Click on one of the rubber holder rectangles, and apply these settings for a gradient overlay.
Use the following settings for the rubber rectangle shape layer.
Resize and position this pencil wherever you like over the diary. For the shadow, I divided the shadow layer into two parts, part of the shadow below the page is dragged more to the left.
Step 20
Open up the wood texture file and place it above the background layer to give the impression that the diary is placed on a table. That’s it, we are all done. Hope you enjoyed it!
