In our tutorial, we’ll be creating a shiny Pepsi can. For it to be convincingly realistic, a number of Layer Styles such as Gradients, Inner Shadows and Glows would be applied to a flat can shaped image.The resulting effect would be a 3D-like Pepsi can.


Step 1

We start off with a document size of 750 x 850 pixels, a resolution of 140 dpi and a white background. Head on to the Tools bar and pick the Pen Tool (P), then outline a shape of a can as shown below. You may want to enable Grids (pressing Ctrl+’), as guidelines as well. Also, an actual Pepsi can was used as reference for the most part of the tutorial.

The final outline:

Step 2

Right-click the can’s path and select Fill Path to add colour to the shape. I must add that, what the colour is, doesn’t matter at this point since we’ll be applying Layer Styles with a new set of colour.
The path has to be filled for Layer Styles to work or the layer would be indicated as empty.

Clear the path of the can shape with the Marquee Tool (M), by making a selection around the can and hitting Delete. Pressing Ctrl+D clears the selection. Duplicate this “can” layer for use later.

Step 3

Now, double-click on the “can” layer to bring up the Layer Style dialog box.
Select a Gradient Layer Style and edit its Gradient and Style (select Reflected) as shown below:

Step 4

Add an Inner Shadow Layer Style as well:

The final result for the “can” layer below:

Step 5

Select the “can copy” layer duplicated earlier on and below the Layers Palette, click on the third icon from the left for a Layer Mask. Select a Soft Round black brush with an opacity of 80% and paint away some of the mask of the ‘can’ duplicate.To get straight lines when painting, hold the shift key when painting downwards. Also reduce the opacity of the brush when fading/erasing the central section of the mask.

Step 6

To better blend the reflection we’re trying to create, go to Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur and set the Blur Radius to 4.0 pixels. And we get the result below:

Step 7

Create a new layer and name it “base.” We’ll now sketch out the base of the can with the Pen Tool as its been done below:

Step 8

From the options within the Pen Tool, select the add Anchor Point Tool and add more points to the outline and adjust them with your mouse or directional keys on the keyboard until the lines are
acceptably smooth.

Below is the final outline:

Step 9

Right-click within the outline (with the Pen or Anchor Point Tool still Selected), and select Fill Path for as ash colour to fill the base with. Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool and make a selection over the base and hit Delete to clear the base’s outline. Press Ctrl+D to clear the selection.


We have the result below:

Step 10

In a new layer above the “base” layer, draw a rectangle with the Rectangle Tool (U) and fill with an ash colour – #e8eaeb.

Step 11

We’ll create a brushed metal effect here with this popular technique. Go to Filter> Noise> Add Noise and set the Amount 32.5%. Also have Monochromatic checked.

Step 12

Head on to Filter> Blur> Motion Blur and increase its Distance to 70 pixels.

Step 13

Hit Ctrl+T to enter the Free Transform mode. Right-click, select the Warp Tool and bend the just slightly the rectangle.

Step 14

Right-click the layer and select the ‘Create Clipping Mask’ to clip the layer to th “base” layer. Also hit Ctrl+E to merge the two layers as one. The layer should still maintain the name as “base.”

Step 15

Add a Bevel and Emboss Layer Style with the parameters below:

Step 16

Follow up with an Inner Shadow style:

Step 17

Still on the Inner Shadow Layer Style dialog box, select Contour and adjust the points of its Mapping as shown below:

Step 18

Add a Satin style and reduce its opacity to 18%, Distance to 15% and Size to 25%.

Step 19

Adjust the Satin’s Contour Mapping to something of a slope.

Now we have a realistic looking metallic base for the can. Though the
steps used to achieve this was a bit tricky execute.

Step 20

In a new layer, select a Rounded Rectangle Tool with its Radius set to 5px on the tool’s Options bar. Fill the shape with the colour #e8eaeb and clear its outline with the Marquee Tool.

Step 21

Follow Steps 11 and 12 for a brushed metal effect for the “rim” layer.

Step 22

Press Ctrl+T for the Free Transform tool – the Warp Tool to be precised. Bend the rim of our can just a little upwards from the points (handles).

Step 23

For a more polished metal look, burn and lighten the areas of the rim with the Burn and Dodge Tools (O) respectively.

The result produces a shiny metal appearance.

Step 24

We’ll also add an Inner Glow Layer Style to the rim as this gives the rim a softer edges without fading.

Step 25

I downloaded a Pepsi logo and positioned it at the middle of the can with the help of Guides. Just enable them by pressing Ctrl+R and with the Move Tool (M), hold and drag the margins (rulers)of the workspace to align the Guides that appear from them.

Step 26

Position the Pepsi Logo within the set Guides. That done, press Ctrl+; to clear the Guides and Ctrl+R to remove the rulers.

Step 27

The logo mustn’t be perfectly round and so the Warp Tool (Ctrl+T) would be used to narrow its sides just a little. The aim of this to make the logo appear as if its bent over the curves of the can.

The result:

Step 28

With the Burn Tool (Range set to highlights and Exposure at 25%), darken the sides of the logo.

The logo now blends with the darker shades of the can.

Step 29

For the “text” layer use the Horizontal Type Tool (T), to type out the letters below. But before then, on the Type Tool Options bar, change the font to Myriad Web Pro and the foreground color on the Tools bar to white.

Step 30

This font was chosen because, it came closest in replicating Pepsi’s. Anyway, hit the Ctrl+T to enter Free Transform mode and scale the text downwards only just slightly.

Step 31

With the Rectangle Tool (for a new layer), draw and fill a small vertical rectangles with white.

Step 32

Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to clip off a part of the “o” letter and clear the selection (Ctrl+D).

Step 33

Draw another small rectangle across the “o” for an “e”.

Step 34

Pressing Ctrl+T for the Free Transform Tool, more specifically, the Warp Tool, change the Warp type from Custom to Flag and its Bend to 30% at the Warp Tool’s Options bar. The “e” is given the signature shape of the original Pepsi logo.

Step 35

Right-click within the Warp and select Flip Horizontal to change the orientation of the Flag Warp to the way of how the original logo is.

Step 36

Before merging all these shapes with the text, the text must be rasterized by heading to Layer> Rasterize > Type. Then press Ctrl+E to merge the shapes the “text” layer. And With the Free Transform Tool, rotate and scale the text for a flatter look.

Step 37

Still within the Transform mode, have the text Skewed. That is, slanted forward on its axis.

Step 38

Select the Burn Tool, with an Exposure of 10% and darken the lower plane of the text.

Step 39

Type out the weight figures of the can in a new layer.

Step 40

Have the text slanted with the Skew Transform Tool.

Below is the final result:

Step 41

Create a new layer in between the “logo” and “rim” layers. Fill the layer with white using the Paint Bucket Tool (G) and then go to Filter> Pixelate> Mezzotint. Select the Type as Fine dots from the drop-down list.

Step 42

Add a Motion Blur with a Distance of about 230 pixels.

Step 43

From the Layers Palette, set the Blend Mode to Color Burn and reduce the layer’s opacity to about 45%. You’ll notice that the Blend effects does not show on the white areas of the image.

Step 44

Use the Warp Transform Tool to bend the ‘brushed’ effects so as to give the can a more rounded appearance.

The can now has a convincing brushed metal appearance.

Step 45

To make the brushed metal look not too distinctive, use the Eraser Tool (E) with a reduced opacity of  5% and carefully fade some portions of the brushed effects – do not erase completely.

The result:

Step 46

Now to create a couple shiny portions of the can at selected areas. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and on its Options bar, choose ‘Add to selection’ to create multiple selections (in this case, flat
circular shapes).

Step 47

Fill the selection with white using the Paint Bucket Tool and deselect the selection. Select the Smudge Tool at Strength of 50% and smear the white thinly across the can.

Step 48

Use the Eraser Tool to fade edges of the smudge.

Step 49

Create a new layer as the background layer and fill it with any colour; as the colour doesn’t matter for now. Add a Gradient Overlay Layer Style to the layer with the parameters below:

You’ll notice that the previous effects from Step 43 shows
through now and this is a good thing.

Step 50

Erase certain areas of the background layer with the Eraser Tool’s opacity set at 80%.

Step 51

Apply a Gaussian Blur to the layer with a Blur Radius of about 72.2 pixels.

Our Pepsi can now has an enhanced background. Something you’ll associate with an Ad for a product in a magazine.

Step 52

We’ll now fade the brushed metal effect at some points with the Eraser Tool.

Step 53

Create a “shadow1″ layer and select the Ellipse Tool to draw a flat circle. Fill it with black.

Step 54

Add a Gaussian Blur to the shape with a Radius of about 8.7 pixels.

Step 55

In another layer, draw another circle and fill with a black colour.

Step 56

Blur this circle a lot more than the previous one. This time with the Blur Radius set at 33.5 pixels.


This is the order of the layers so far in the Palette.

Step 57

Create a new layer at the top of the Layers Palette and name it “gloss.” Select a white Soft brush and paint the on both sides of the can – hold down the Shift key to constrain your brush stroke to a straight line.

Step 58

Set the “gloss” layer’s Blend mode to Soft Light and reduce its opacity to 76%.

Here another image with the “gloss” layer’s Blend mode changed to Overlay. I sort of like this blend for it give the Pepsi can a lot more radiance that corresponds with the intense light from the background. Well, we’ll stick with the above image – if you prefer.

Step 59

Finally, darken the both ends of the base of the Pepsi can with the Burn Tool for a more solid look. And we’re are through! Hope this kick-starts some fella’s career in the brand marketing field.

By David Ella Ella