3. Design Explanation
Minimalism and normcore seemed to have became the
trend nowadays, and coincidently, I am attracted to
these trends. The original coke can design is already
extremely simple, but it has a dynamic color scheme. I
wonder what would it look like if the color scheme is
changed to something with less dynamic energy. I also
altered the font to make my design more different from
the original design.
5. Create the basic
shape of the coke
can using a tool that
is of your preference,
I used the pen tool
for this step. You
could create the can
by imagination or
use a sample like I
did.
Step #1
6. You can create the
whole shape at once, or
create half of the shape
and make a copy and
then flip it. The right
hand image should be
what it looks like after
finishing the first step.
Step #1.1
7. Step #2
Now, create the top
and bottom part of the
can using a different
color of your choice.
Duplicate the Main
Body Layer and make
the copied layer a
Clipping Mask by
pressing the alt key
while clicking on it.
Give the top and bottom a name as well so that it
would be easier to find it later.
8. The shape is created,
however, it does not look
realistic. To give it a realistic
look, we will use the
Gradient Tool. Since I have
blakc for the can color, my
gradience is based off
black, you will need to
change the gradient
according to the color you
chose.
Step #3
9. Step #4
After adding the gradience,
the can looks more
realistic. Let’s add more
details to it. Create a black
shape similar to mine in the
same position. Apply a
Gaussian Blur of 2. Set it
as a Clipping Mask and
change the blending mode
to Overlay. Change the
Opacity to make it look
more natural as well.
Before After
10. Add another black line
along the top of the can.
Convert to Smart Object
and set the blending
mode to Soft Light and
change the opacity.
Apply a Gaussian Blur of
4. Name the line
horizontal div 1.
Step #5
11. Step #6
Select the main
body of the can,
then create a new
layer. Set #eeb946
as your foreground
color, use a Soft
edge brush of
100px to draw a
straight line across
the can.
12. Step #6.1
Set the blending
mode to Soft Light
and opacity to 70%.
Add a new layer
mask to it and select
Black as your
Foreground Color.
Use a soft brush with
a flow of 30% to
make part of the
shape on the right to
make it less visible.
13. Step #7
Create a white
triangle like the like
the one I have
created. Convert it
to a smart object
and give it a
Gaussian Blur of 15,
change the blending
mode to Overlay.
Before After
14. Create a black shape
in the middle of the
can. Give it a name,
and change the
blending mode to
Soft Light. Apply a
Gaussian Blur of 10.
Duplicate the layer
and change the
opacity to make the
shadow more
natural.
Step #8
15. Step #9
Create two black
rectangles in the
indicated , and
convert them to
smart objects.
Change the blending
mode to Soft Light
and apply a
Gaussian Blur of 10
for both shapes.
16. Step #10
Create a white shape
like the one on the
right, then, convert it
to a smart object. Set
blending mode to
Overlay and change
the opacity as
needed to make it
appear more natural.
Apply a Gaussian
Blur of 7.
Before After
17. Step #11
Locate the shadow line
at the top. (Horizontal
div 1) Add a layer
mask to this layer and
select black as the
foreground color. Use
the soft edge brush
with a flow of 30%,
delete the part of the
shadow where the
light goes through.
Before After
18. Step #12
Create a new layer and
set the foreground
color to #ebb946. Use
the Soft Edge Brush
with a size of 48px,
100% flow. Click once
at the indicated place
to create a highlight.
Select blending mode
to Overlay and
duplicate the layer.
* Change the opacity of the layer if needed
19. Step #13
Locate the layer of the
body of the can. Go to
the Layer Style section,
apply an inner shadow.
Use the multiply blend
mode; put 8 px in the
distance, 15 px in the
size section. Change the
opacity as needed and
keep the other presets.
20. Step #14
Choose the main shape
layer, then, create a new
layer. Set black as the
foreground color, if it is
not already. Use the
Soft Edge Brush with a
size of 48px and a flow
at 30%. Make a straight
line at the bottom, and
set blending mode Soft
Light.
21. Step #15
Create two rectangles
like the ones on the
right. Unite the two
rectangles as one
shape, then, make two
copies of the shape and
aline them according to
the right hand. Convert
all three shapes into
smart objects and add a
layer mask to one of
them.
22. Step #16
Use the Gradient Tool,
and choose black
transparent. Select the
layer mask, hold shift
and drag the mouse
from left to right until
the middle section of
the can to produce an
effect like the one on
the right.
23. Step #17
Hold Alt and drag the
layer mask each shape
layer. Then set the
blending mode of all
three layers to Overlay,
change the Opacity to
make it appear like a
natural highlight. I used
15% in the example on
the right hand.
24. Step #18
Make a new layer and set
its foreground color to
#ebb946. Create a shape
like the one in the right in
the same position.
Convert it into a smart
object and set the
blending mode to
Overlay. Apply Gaussian
Blur with a value of 4,
change the Opacity to an
appropriate amount.
Before After
25. Step #19
Darken the middle area
even more, change the
Opacity of the middle
dark section to 25%.
26. Step #20
The body of the can
looks quite realistic
already, so let’s work on
the top and bottom of
the can. Same as the
body of the can, open
Layer Style, select
Gradient Overlay and
apply some gradience to
the top of the can.
28. Step #22
Add a shape like the one
on the right using a color
that is darker than the
color of the can. Convert it
to a smart object, then,
apply a Gaussian Blur
with value of 5. Set
blending mode to Overlay
and change Opacity as
needed. My finished
version is the second
image. Before After
29. Step #23
Create a white rectangle
like the one in the
image. Add a layer
mask, then, select the
Gradient Tool, hold
down the shift key and
drag the mouse from
top to bottom and from
bottom to top. Create an
effect like the one in the
second image.
Before After
30. Step #24
Change the blending
mode to Overlay, and
then set a natural
Opacity accordingly.
31. Step #25
Now, change the
background to a picture of
your own choice. Since the
focus of the image should
be on the coke can, I used
black and white
background picture. Not all
images come in black and
white, so we need to
convert it to black and
white first.
32. Step #25.1
To convert a picture into
black and white, choose
channel mixer in the toolbar
on the right, then, click on
Monochrome. If the result
is satisfying, you can leave
it as it is, if not, you could
adjust the RGB values in
the channel mixer. Put the
converted image into the
Background layer of the
coke can.
33. Step #26
Add the logo onto the
can. I also added some
grandience to it.
Before After
34. Step #27
To make the can even more
realistic, add some water
drops to it. Use the Ellipse
Tool (may be hidden behind
the rectangle tool) to draw a
circle or ellipse. Apply the
effects indicated in the
following slides. Then,
duplicate the layer a few
times and adjust the newly-
produced shapes and the
positions of them .
40. Step #28
Repeat the same steps for
the back, or simply alter the
front view which we just
created. Add the nutrition
facts and barcode. You can
leave out the water drops
for the back.
Final Product
(Back)