Final Image:

As an iPhone fan I decided to create wallpaper with cool 3G's battery meter. In this Photoshop lesson, we'll create a detailed icon of a battery similar to the one used for the iPhone touch. Amazing output in the end.

For the beginning create a new file (File>New) having 1920x1200px/72ppi. Then take the Paint Bucket Tool (G) and fill the new background layer with black color.



Then pass on creating the battery. Choose the Rounded Rectangle Tool (U) set Radius to 5px in Options Bar and represent a shape. Fill is set to 0% for this layer on the layers' panel.





On the lateral sides we'll add several anchor points using the Add Anchor Point Tool.



Click on created anchor points and drag it as shown:



We've got the next shape.



Next select the Layer Style. Make a double click on the left mouse's button on this layer on the layers' panel and set the Gradient Overlay as shown:



Next we'll set gradient in Gradient Editor. With red is indicating the Opacity for color stops. Place the color stops as shown:



This way we've got a glass body.



Then select the Pen Tool (P) to represent the lateral element. Set Fill to 0% for the layer.



Next select the Layer Style. Make a double click on the left mouse's button on this layer on the layers' panel and set the Inner Shadow as shown:



Add Inner Glow:



Set Gradient Overlay:



Set the gradient the same way we did at the beginning of our lesson:



This is what we have to get at this stage:



Make a copy of the lateral part by using the shortcut Ctrl+J. Go to Edit>Transform Path>Flip Horizontal and place it on the other side as shown:



Select now the Ellipse Tool (U) and represent the inside element of the battery. Set Fill to 0% for this layer:



Next select the Layer Style. Make a double click on the left mouse's button on this layer on the layers' panel and set the Stroke as shown:



You must get the same thing as in the example below:



Pass on representing the battery's plus element: Make a copy of the lateral part firstly and then resize it with Free Transform option. Using after that the Convert Point Tool, we may adjust the left battery's element.



You must get the next result:



Now we'll represent the indicator of the battery's charge. In this case we'll make a copy of the battery's body and make the appropriate transformations as in the image below. Place this layer under the glass body.



Next select the Layer Style. Make a double click on the left mouse's button on this layer on the layers' panel and set the Inner Shadow as shown:



Add Outer Glow:



Set Inner Glow:



Add Gradient Overlay:



Gradient Editor:



We get almost the made up battery:



The inside elements should be done with the Ellipse Tool (U), which layer will be situated under the layer containing the glass body.



It's the result you should get on this stage:



Now we'll represent the battery's reflection. Make copies of all the layers, except the black background's one and put them all together. Press Shift button as to select out all the layers and then right click on these layers on the layers' panel. Press Ctrl+E to put them together. Next we'll place the batter's copy in the mirror by vertical position using Free Transform options, as it is indicated below:



Choose the Eraser Tool (E) (Opacity 20%) to clean out the bottom part as in the picture below:



Next we'll make a copy of the battery and put together all its layers. On the new layer we've got, select the Filter>blur>Gaussian Blur and set the parameters demonstrated below:



We'll get the next result:



Set Fill to 40% for this layer. Create a new layer again and use the Brush Tool (B) to insert several highlights on the battery with the Opacity of 30% and the parameters shown below:



On the next image there are indicated the appropriate zones for drawing the highlights.

Final

Thanks for reading this tutorial. I really enjoyed making it. You can view the final image below.

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