How to create a download button in Photoshop CS4

In past tutorials, we've already looked at how to create buttons using Photoshop. However, you might want to go past the basics and learn how to incorporate icons into your button designs. You might also want more practice creating buttons in Photoshop. So in this tutorial, we're going to look at how to create a download button using Adobe Photoshop CS4.

First, start Photoshop and click File then New. When the dialogue box pops up, enter the values 220 px for width and 110 px for height. Make sure that the background is set to transparent. When the new document opens, find the shape tool on the left hand side of the workspace on the Tools panel. Click the little black arrow at the corner to reveal more options. For this tutorial, we want to choose the rounded rectangle shape tool.



If you want your button to be a solid color, then choose your color from the color swatch now. However, in this tutorial, I've decided to give my shape a gradient so I'm leaving the default colors. Drag the rounded rectangle shape tool to fill most of the canvas.



Now click on the foreground color swatch and use the color picker to choose a color. I've chosen to use a blue-green (hexadecimal value #11645D). Once you're done picking a foreground color, choose a background color of the same hue by clicking on the background color swatch and using the eyedropper tool to select from the foreground color swatch, then move the color picker up to a lighter shade (in this case, hexadecimal value #27D9CA).



Now to add a gradient, navigate to the bottom right hand of the workspace in the Layers panel. Click on the fx and then Blending Options.



When the dialogue box pops up, click on Gradient Overlay. The default gradient is black and white, but we want to use our foreground and background colors. Click on the black arrow next to the gradient preview and select the first gradient on the list (which uses the foreground and background colors).



Next, click on Stroke near the bottom of the dialogue box. Change the size to 1 px so it will give it a subtler effect and change the position to Inside to put the stroke inside the shape (so it'll outline the corners more precisely). Then use the color swatch to pick a color other than black. Because we want the stroke to blend in with the existing colors a little better, use the eyedropper tool to choose the darkest blue-green on the gradient and then move the color picker down to make it even darker (in this case, the hexadecimal value is #0A3935).



Here, let's add an inner glow to give it a little more definition. Click on the color swatch to change the color to white. I wanted the inner glow to be a little more visible and stand out more, so I changed the Technique to Precise.



We want to add some gloss to our button, so we need to create a new layer. To do this, go to the top bar and click on Layer then New then Layer.



Find the shape tool on the Tools panel on the left hand side of the workspace. Click on the little black arrow at the corner for more options, then select the rectangle shape tool. Next, click on the color swatch at the bottom of the Tools panel and use the color picker to choose white. Drag a box near the top of the button. How big it is depends on personal preference.



Navigate to the Layers panel on the right hand side of the workspace. At the top of the panel, there is a drop down for opacity. Type in the value or use the slider to change the value in order to make the white box translucent and give the button a nice gloss finish.



At this point, we want to add an arrow icon to our button. You can make one or you can use an already existing one. We're going to download an already existing arrow icon, so go to a free icon website such as www.iconfinder.com and type the search term in.

Find an arrow icon that you want to use and click on it. On Icon Finder, you usually have the option to choose one of several sizes. Choose a smaller size (such as 48 x 48 px or 32 x 32 px) and download it. Once you've downloaded it, click File then Open and navigate to the Downloads folder or the folder where you saved it. Open the file and press Ctrl + A to select the icon and then Ctrl + C to copy it. Switch back over to the other tab where you have your button and press Ctrl + V to paste it.

You can leave the arrow as it is if you prefer, but I'd like to turn it pointing down to indicate a download. To do this, click on Edit then Transform then Rotate 90 CW.



This step is optional and depends on the icon you've chosen, but I don't like the way the gloss looks here and want to move it to the other side. To do this, click on Edit then Transform then Flip Horizontal. Then use the move tool at the top of the Tools panel to drag or nudge the arrow down to the bottom of the button.



In this case, the icon still looks a little big so I want to scale it down. To change the size of the icon, make sure the icon's layer is selected then click Edit then Transform then Scale. Use the bounding box handles to change the size; be sure to hold down the Shift key while doing so in order to keep it proportional. Once you're finished, use the move tool again to adjust the placement.



I want to add some definition to my icon, so I chose to add a layer style. Go to the bottom of the Layers panel on the right hand side of the workspace and click on the fx, then Blending Options. From there, choose Bevel and Emboss and use the Style drop down to choose Pillow Emboss. I've changed the size to 1 px to thin the effect and softened it by 5 px. I've also changed the gloss contour to Ring.



We're almost done; we just need to add some text. Click on the text tool in the Tools panel and use the font drop down to choose a font family (I've left mine on Arial). Change the size of the font to one that suits you (I've chosen 26 and then 27 pt later), a font weight (I've chosen strong), the alignment (I centered my text), and a font color (I left mine black). Type Download Now into the text box.



Now let's finish up by adding a layer style to the text to make it more legible. Again, navigate to the bottom of the Layers panel and click on fx, then Blending Options. Choose Inner Glow and click on the color swatch to change the color to white.



At this point, you're ready to save. Click File then Save for Web & Devices. Once the dialogue box pops up, use the drop down to choose a PNG or GIF option (so the background will retain its transparency). Then give it a name and navigate to the folder you'd like to save it in. And that's it!

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