Stylish Dark Navigation Box
In this tutorial I am going to be teaching how to make a more advanced styled navigation box using some more effects and tools.
Step 1
To get us started create a new document and then we need to have a background so select the gradient tool. Set the style to radial gradient, set the foreground colour to #b3a773 and the background colour to #877948. Fill the background with a gradient from the center outwards (left click in the middle and drag to a corner and release).

Step 2
Our second task is to make a header for the navigation box. Using the rounded rectangle tool make a rounded selection (radius set at 10 pixels) 220 by 50 pixels.

Select the gradient tool again (set it to linear) and set your foreground colour to #202020 and your background colour to #2f2f2f. Left click on the left side of the selection, drag to the right side and release.

Step 3
We are now going to be adding a shine effect to this layer. So go Layer > Layer Styles > Gradient Overlay and use the following settings (click the gradient icon to go to the second window).


Now your header should have a shine effect to it.

Step 4
Now we are going to be adding a stroke to our header. Go Layer > Layer Styles > Stroke.


Step 5
Next up is some added diagonal lines. We are going to do this by creating a new layer (Layer > New > Layer) and making a selection of 15 by 100 pixels using the rectangular marquee tool.

Fill (Edit > Fill) the selection with white (#ffffff).

Step 6
Duplicate your line and move it 20 pixels to the right (Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow x2).

Do this again so you have three lines in total.

Merge the three line layers.

Step 7
Now we are going to tilt the lines so go Edit > Transform and rotate it a bit.

Hit enter to set the transformation.

Step 8
Select the area of your header background (Ctrl + Click layer icon).

Invert the selection (Ctrl + Shift + I).

Hit delete and deselect (Ctrl + D).

Step 9
Lower the opacity of the layer to 5%.

Step 10
Add some text in your header.

I’ve also added a little icon that I’ve made a tutorial on (addFreak Logo).

Step 11
Now that we’ve finished the header, we can begin on the main section where the links will go. Start with making a rounded selection like we did for the header except it’s going to be 250 pixels high.

Fill this area with the colour #2f2f2f and deselect (Ctrl + D).

Move this layer below the header so we can see the header

Remove the overlapping bits of the lines on the header border to tidy it up a bit.

Step 12
Now we are going to be applying some layer styles to this new layer.
Layer > Layer Styles > Outer Glow

Layer > Layer Styles > Inner Glow

Layer > Layer Styles > Stroke

Now your box should be looking more like a navigation box now

Step 13
Next up we are going to be adding the text.


Step 14
We are now going to be doing the dividers - the bits between each link. On a new line make a selection of 200 by 1 pixel using the rectangular marquee tool between the first two links.

Fill (Edit > Fill) the selection with the colour #292929.

Step 15
Now using the pencil tool (with the foreground colour set to white) make a little rectangle 8 by 3 pixels in the middle of the divider. Zoom in to do this accurately

Step 16
Apply an outer glow to this bit by going Layer > Layer Styles > Outer Glow


Step 17
Duplicate the two layers so you have one between each link and you are finished at last!





Katalog Stron
February 17th, 2008
Good looking navigation box. Regards.
Brian
February 18th, 2008
Great tutorial. The final outcome looks very clean and professional.
Rappi
February 22nd, 2008
I love the outcome of this tutorial, will defiantly give it a try!
Photoshop Tutorial Directory
March 19th, 2008
I’m really liking this one, nice tut and very well explained
kathryn
April 13th, 2008
Thanks for a great tutorial.
I am a ps newb….but I got there in the end!
KEN
May 20th, 2008
Perfect, very cool, but I want to add link into button above then how to do?
James
May 20th, 2008
Thanks for your comments guys
Ken, this is the design of the navigation box, I haven’t done a tutorial on how to code it sorry. You’ll need to slice it up and code it in html before you can add links into it. There are lots of slicing tutorials out there, one is http://www.slicingguide.com
Dal
June 13th, 2008
Whats an easy way to center text in the box? xD
James
June 13th, 2008
Under Window > Paragraph select Center text (second icon on the left).
Dal
June 13th, 2008
Thanks James! Great tutorial.
Andrei Constantin
July 4th, 2008
You really have potential James. You really do
Andrei Constantin
July 4th, 2008
James I would not recommend slicingguide.com
they are old and outdated. no xhtml there
Who uses tables these days?
James
July 4th, 2008
Thanks, yea slicingguide.com teaches tables for xhtml/css maybe have a look at sitepoint.com and their css book - I still havn’t gotten around to reading it but it looked good at a glance.
chongfai
August 15th, 2008
finally… i’ve done with this tutorial… thanks dude…
Freshlinkmedia
August 31st, 2008
Wow.. Nice design, i like your fresh tutorial. The screenshot it’s very clear to see and follow..