PixelPerfect #136: Create an Apple iPhone Billboard

Learn how to create an iPhone from scratch in Photoshop and Illustrator, then create a full blown iPhone billboard!

Create a reflection of the iPhone
Apple's signature reflection style is easily re-created by duplicating the iPhone layer, and reflecting it across the horizontal axis. Move the duplicate layer to the bottom edge of the original iPhone, then bring down the opacity to about 50%. Finally, add an opacity mask using a linear gradient to make the reflection fade away. Finally, you can add the iPhone and Apple logo, then distort your billboard's perspective.

Build elements of the iPhone
As always, Bert re-creates everything from scratch. He uses many different paths to draw the iPhone and gives a tour of all the shapes built, including the iPhone hardware, the screen, the icons, and even the detailed logos within the icons. Most shapes include some effects such as Inner Shadow, Bevel and Emboss, and Satin. However, underlying all of these effects are just simple shapes. Each element of the iPhone, including the screen detail and highlights, are on separate, labeled layers. Make sure to name your layers because there will be many.

Use Illustrator to draw icons
Many of the icons appear to have gears and starbursts. Draw these in illustrator and import them into Photoshop as Paths. All of the detail are added in Photoshop, including shading, gradients, and colors.