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[h1]Intro to 3D: Boxes[/h1]
Here is an example of what I will be covering in this tutorial.


1. Important Stuff.
 a. One of the first things I will cover are Vanishing Points. The most important part in making your image look 3D. Vanishing Points are pretty straight forward, it's the point at which you can no longer see an object. You can use one, or multiple vanishing points in your image. Note that the more points you add, the harder it will be to create. Lighting is another key part in making your image look real. In this tutorial we will be using gradients to portray lighting.

2. Getting Started. Single Vanishing Point.
 a. Alright, lets start with a basic box. This will include only one vanishing point. Make four guides anywhere on your canvas. Make sure they are evenly spaced to make a perfect square.
 Screen Shot
 b. Make four more guides above the top and bottom and to the right of both sides of the box you have. Again, keep them an eqaul distance away! If you go 10 pixels above, you must go 10 pixels to the right.
 Screen Shot
 c. Select the Pen tool . Use these settings:
 
 d. Click the top left of the original box guides. This will set an anchor. Click again, this time in the bottom left.
 Screen Shot
 e. Continue this until you have closed the path and have a complete square.
 Screen Shot
 f. Using the same method, make the other two visible sides of the box.
 Screen Shot
 Screen Shot
 g. You should now have a complete box. Lets move on to lighting. Lets place the light on top of the box.
 h. Open the blending options for the front square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Dark Red: 9D0000 Light Red: FFB0B0
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.
 i. Open the blending options for the top square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Light Red: FFB0B0 (Remove the dark red tab).
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.
 j. Open the blending options for the right square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Dark Red: 9D0000 Light Red: FFB0B0
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.

2. Two Vanishing Points.
 a. Now that you have the basics of vanishing points and lighting down, lets add another vanishing point and another light source.
 b. Start with 3 vertical guides, one in the center and two others off to each side. Remember to keep them evenly space.
 Screen Shot
 c. Add two more guides, this time horizontal for the top and bottom of the box.
 Screen Shot
 d. From the bottom guide, add another above it and from the top guide, add another below it.
 Screen Shot
 e. Select the Pen tool . Use these settings:
 
 f. Click the top center guide intersection to start the shape. Next, click the bottom center to make the first line. Then click the outer right guide and the inner bottom guide intersection, draw another line up from there to the inner top guide intersection and finally close the box. (If that seemed a bit confusing, just look at the screen shots below).
 Screen Shot
 Screen Shot
 g. Repeat step 2f but for the opposite side. You should now have a complete box.
 Screen Shot
 h. Lets add some lighting, this time we will use two light sources. One on either side and slightly above the box.
 i. Open the blending options for the left square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Dark Red: 9D0000 Light Red: FFB0B0
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.
 j. Open the blending options for the right square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Dark Red: 9D0000 Light Red: FFB0B0
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.

3. Three Vanishing Points.
 a. This one is a little trickier. this time we will make it so it not only disappears from left to right but also to the bottom.
 b. Make 3 vertical guides as we did last time.
 Screen Shot
 c. Now add 3 horizontal lines like so.
 Screen Shot
 d. Select the Pen tool . Use these settings:
 
 e. Click the top center to set your first anchor. The click the mid left to make the first line. We will be drawing a diamond. Continue clicking each of the center intersections until you have closed the path.
 Screen Shot
 Screen Shot
 f. Now we will add four more guides. Add two more horizontal guide below the three you have now. Then add two more vertical guides outward from the center but between the outer most two you already have.
 Screen Shot
 g. Now select the Pen tool again. Starting from the left corner of the diamond we have now, draw a line to the first bottom guide we just made. Then click the bottom center guide intersection. Finally click back up to the center corner and then back to the left corner to close the path.
 Screen Shot
 Screen Shot
 Screen Shot
 h. Now repeat step 3g but for the opposite side. You should now have a complete box and we can move on to lighting.
 Screen Shot
 i. Open the blending options for the left square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Dark Red: 9D0000 Light Red: FFB0B0
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.
 j. Open the blending options for the right square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Dark Red: 9D0000 Light Red: FFB0B0
 Stroke: 1 pixel black.
 k. Open the blending options for the top square, add a gradient overlay with these settings.
 Screen Shot - Light Red: FFB0B0 (Remove the dark red tab).

4. File > Save...

Finished! You now know the basics of creating 3D objects in Photoshop. If you follow the simple rules of vanishing points and lighting you should be able to create great things. If you just skimmed through the tutorial and looked at the pretty pictures, you won't be making anything amazing any time soon...

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Click the link below to download the PhotoShop file for this tutorial.
Intro to 3D: Boxes PSD

It's not finished yet, I had to go. I will finish it today.

Edit: Now it's finished. All of the screen shots are working.

Got on good-tutorials today. Maybe I should write another 3D one.