PSDFan Extra

How to Create a Detailed Reel to Reel Tape Recorder

Hi there. In the following tutorial your will learn how to create a detailed reel to reel tape recorder. You’ll learn how to work with Photoshop’s advanced drawing capabilities, correctly using blending options and create details, textures and lighting from scratch.

Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1

Open Photoshop and hit Control + N to create a new document. Enter all the data shown in the following image and click OK. Enable the Grid (View > Show > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap To > Grid). For the moment you need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grid & Slices and focus on the Grid section. Enter 5 in the Gridline Every box and 1 in the Subdivision box. Also, set the color of the grid at #696969. Once you set all these properties click OK. Don’t get discouraged by all that grid. It will ease your work later. You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes.

Step 2

Pick the Rectangle Tool and create a 360 by 105px vector shape. Move to the Layers panel and double click on this new shape to open the Layer Style window. Activate the Inner Shadow and the Gradient Overlay then enter the properties shown in the following images.

Inner Shadow Blending Options Settings

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Angle: -90 degrees
Distance: 2px
Choke: 0%
Size: 0px

Gradient Overlay Blending Options Settings

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Style: Linear
Angle: 90 degrees
Scale: 100%

Step 3

Keep focusing on the Layers panel, right click on the vector shape created in the previous step and click on Convert to Smart Object. Make sure that this new smart object is selected and go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Enter the data shown in the following image and click OK.

Step 4

Set the foreground color at #e6e6e6 and grab the Rectangle Tool. Create a 360 by 250px vector shape and place it as shown below. The Snap to Grid should ease your work. Move to the Layers panel, open the Layers Style window for this new shape and enter the properties shown in the following image.

Drop Shadow Blending Options Settings

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Angle: 90 degrees
Distance: 2px
Spread: 0px
Size: 0px

Step 5

Pick the Rectangle Tool, create a 360 by 5px vector shape and place it as shown below. Open the Layers Style window for this new shape and enter the properties shown in the following images.

Drop Shadow Blending Options Settings

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Angle: 90 degrees
Distance: 1px
Spread: 0px
Size: 0px

Gradient Overlay Blending Options Settings

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Style: Linear
Angle: -90 degrees
Scale: 100%

Step 6

Pick the Rectangle Tool, create a 10 by 355px vector shape and place it as shown in the first image. Continue with the Rectangle Tool, create a 10 by 250px vector shape and place it as shown in the second image.

Step 7

Focus on the two shapes created in the previous step. Start with the black one. Select it from the Layers panel and grab the Direct Selection Tool. Select the bottom, right anchor point and drag it 10px up. Move to the grey shape. Again, select the bottom, right anchor point and drag it 10px up. In the end your shapes should look like in the first image. Open the Layer Style window for the black vector shape and enter the properties shown in the following images.

That’s the end of the preview!

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