Draw Realistic Microsoft ARC Mouse in Photoshop

In this Adobe Photoshop tutorial you will learn how to create realistic and creative computer mouse design - Microsoft ARC mouse. If you compare it with the real ARC mouse, you will not find a difference from our design. Mostly we will use Pen tool and color it by shading and highlight techniques using the Burn Tool and Dodge Tool to create a 3D effect. This is a very detailed tutorial which is used more than 70 images to help you easily learn drawing basics in Photoshop. So, lets start to draw.

Final Image Preview

Step 1

Begin by creating a new file (File->New) with next settings:

• Width: 420 pixels
• Height: 300 pixels
• Resolution: 72 pixels/inch
• Background Contents: White

Step 2

Make a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N or you can go to Layer->New->Layer or you can press the indicated button in the picture below). Rename the layer to “Base”. You can rename a layer by pressing right click on it, then selecting “Layer properties” option and in the “Name” box you can enter what name you prefer. From the Tools menu select Pen Tool (P key) and make a path like in the picture below.

Fill the path with a dark gray colour. I used #010101.

Step 3

Into a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) called „Top Part” make next path using Pen Tool (P).

Fill that path (Right click -> fill path) with a dark gray colour. I used #0b0b0b

Step 4

Use any selection tool (Lasso Tool , Polygonal Lasso Tool or Pen Tool) to make a selection like in the next picture.

Pick Dodge Tool (O) with next settings:

• Master Diameter: 145 px
• Range: Highlights
• Exposure: 100%

Add some highlights using Dodge Tool (O) with the settings above like in the picture below:

Go to Filter -> Noise -> Add noise and make same settings like in the next picture:

Step 5

Make a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N or you can go to Layer->New->Layer or you can press the indicated button in the picture below ). Rename the layer to “stroke1”. You can rename a layer by pressing right click on it , then selecting “Layer properties” option and in the “Name” box you can enter what name you prefer then from the Tools menu select Pen Tool (P key) and make a path like in the picture below:

Add a 2 pixels black stroke (Right click on the path -> stroke path):

Duplicate the layer created above (Select it and press Ctrl+J) and rename it. Block transparent pixels and make it white then move it a little to the right:

Step 6

From the Tools Menu choose Eraser Tool (E ).

Then using Eraser Tool (E key) erase over the stroke to give a plus of realism.

Make a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N or you can go to Layer->New->Layer or you can press the indicated button in the picture below ). Rename the layer to “shape1”. Then select Pen Tool (P key) and make a shape like in the picture below:

Step 7

Make another new layer, rename it „shape strokes” and using Pen Tool (P) make a path like in the next picture:

Add a 1 pixel white stroke (Right click->stroke path).

Change the Blending mode for the “Shape strokes” layer to Soft Light and decrease the opacity of it to ~ 50%.

Step 8

With the “Top part” layer selected, make next selection using Polygonal Lasso Tool (L) with a Feather Radius: 2 pixels (Right click on the selection -> Feather ).

From the Tools Menu, select Burn Tool (O key) with the settings below:

• Master Diameter: 8 pixels
• Range: Midtones
• Exposure: 6%

Add some subtle shadows in the selection:

Step 9

Then, choose Dodge Tool (O) with the settings below:

• Master Diameter: 56 pixels;
• Range: Highlights;
• Exposure: 31%;

Again, add some subtle highlights using Dodge Tool (O) in the indicated place.

Into the "Top Part" layer, add more highlights in the indicated place.

Step 10

Make a new layer, rename the layer to “scroll”. From the Tools menu select Pen Tool (P key) and make a shape using a grey colour #979694.

Add some highlights using Dodge Tool (O) at the top of our “scroll” layer like in the picture below:

Create another new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N), rename it into "Strokes" and using Pen Tool (P) add some strokes like in the picture below:

Decrease the opacity of the “strokes” layer to about 50%.

Step 11

Duplicate the "strokes" layer (Ctrl+J) and make it white.

Move a little above the duplicated layer to obtain a 3D look

Step 12

Make a new layer, rename the layer to “Highlight1”. From the Tools menu select Pen Tool (P key) and make a path like in the picture below:

Fill the created path with the white colour #FFFFFF.

Step 13

From the Tools Menu select Blur Tool with next settings:

• Master Diameter:31 pixels
• Mode: Normal
• Strength: 50%

Use Blur Tool in the indicated places from the picture below:

Step 14

With the "Base" layer selected, make next selection using Polygonal Lasso Tool (L).

Fill the selection with a dark gray colour. I used #101113.

Now go to Filter -> Noise -> Add Noise and make the settings from the picture below:

Step 15

Pick Dodge Tool(O) with the settings below:

• Master Diameter:16 px
• Range:Highlights
• Exposure:100%

Add some highlights over the selection from the precedent step.

Make a new layer, rename the layer to “Highlight2” and add a small white shape in the selection from the step 14.

Step 16

Again, make another new layer and using Pen Tool (P) make a path like in the picture below:

Add a 2 pixels white stroke (Right click on the path->stoke path).

Use Eraser Tool (E) and erase a little to give a plus of realism.

Step 17

Make a new layer, rename it “Highlight5” and make next path over the stroke we created at the step 16.

Fill the path with the white colour (Right click->Fill Path).

Step 18

Now, we are going to create the bottom part. Start by making a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and rename it “Bottom part” then using Pen Tool (P) create a path like in the next picture:

Fill the path with a gray colour. I used #b6babd.

Go to Filter -> Noise -> Add Noise and add some noise to our bottom part.

Step 19

With the “Bottom part” layer selected, using Dodge Tool (O) add some highlights in the indicated place just like in the next picture.

Using a selection tool (I used Pen Tool) make next selection:

Use Burn Tool (O) to add some subtle shadows in the indicated places.

Step 20

Again, make a selection like next using Polygonal Lasso Tool (L).

Use Burn Tool (O) and add some shadows there.

Step 21

Pick Brush Tool (B) with a gray colour #575757 and make next setting for it:

Then into a new layer called “Bottom stroke” make next path using Pen Tool (P).

Add 1 pixel grey stroke (using the setting from picture above).

Erase using Eraser Tool (E) over the stroke to make it look more real.

Step 22

Make a new layer, rename the layer to “stroke3”.

Add a 2 pixels white stroke like in the next picture.

Again use Eraser Tool (E) to make it look fine.

Step 23

With the “Bottom part” layer selected make next selection using Polygonal Lasso Tool (L).

Use Burn Tool (O) to add some shadow in the selection.

Step 24

Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N), rename it “Black stroke” and make a path like in the next picture using Pen Tool (P).

Add a 2 pixels black stroke (Right click on path->stroke path).

Duplicate the layer created above (Ctrl+J). Fill it with white and move a little upper like in the next picture.

Set the Blending mode for the white stroke layer to “Soft Light” and you should obtain something like in the picture below.

Step 25

Using Pen Tool (P) create next path.

Into a new layer called “Shadow” fill the previous path with black colour #000000 (Important: The "Shadow" layer should be placed under all the layer but over the background layer).

Step 26

Go to Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur and make the settings from the picture below.

Now pick Smudge Tool and smudge in the indicated direction.

Step 27

Now from the Tools Menu select Eraser Tool (E) and make the shadow look more real using eraser, then create and the other shadow in the top part and that's all.

Final Result: Realistic Microsoft ARC Mouse