Novice: iPhone-like Icons
In this tutorial I’m going to demonstrate how to design a navigation button like the one(s) above..
I suggest you download the tutorial pack here (.rar) before you get started.
First things first — Open up a new document (File>New) with these Dimensions (200 x 200 px) :
2. Next change your Foreground Color to #D2D2D2 :
3. Select the Paint Bucket tool and fill the Background with that color.
Once you’ve done that, pat yourself on the back — but not for too long.
4. Select The Rounded Rectangle Tool:
[url=http://www.divinetutorials.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/4roundedrectangle.jpg[/img][/url]
5. Make sure “Paths” is selected instead of “Shape Layers”.
6. Hold down Shift and draw out something like this:
7. Right Click on The Rounded Rectangle and select “Make Selection” (Note: The Tool must be still selected)
8. Select The Gradient Tool and load the Gradient Pack supplied in our .rar file. Choose the Gray to White Gradient.
9. Hold Shift and drag The Gradient inside the selection upward from bottom to middle.
10. Select Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Select Stroke and change the size to 1px and The Stroke color to #d5d5d5. (Make sure the right layer is selected when doing this, simply select layer in pallette until it’s highlighted.)
11. Now click Select > Modify > Contract and enter Contract By 5 Pixels.
12. Create a New Layer and name it “Main”.
13. Repeat Step 9 except this time drag downward from top to bottom.
14. Repeat Step 10!
15. Hold down Control (on Windows) and click the “Main” layer in the Layers Pallette to select it.
16. Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool.
17. Hold down Alt (on Windows) and start a selection from bottom to the middle (stop there) the “Main” selection should now be cut in half.
18. Create a New Layer and fill the selection with white. You can deselect now. (Select > Deselect or CTRL+D)
19. Lower the opacity of that layer to “22%”. (Twenty Two)
20. Open up the Wing.psd document or any other image you like — and literally drag it from that document to the one we’re working on. Make sure it’s centered.
21. Hold down Control (on Windows) and click the “Wing” layer from the layers pallette. It should now be selected.
22. Fill it with a gradient from The Gradient Pack. Which ever you like!
23. Add Text and you’re done! It’s that Simple. To create more Buttons simply replicate previous steps!
You’re done!
Source: http://www.divinetutorials.com/2010/04/30/how-to-design-a-cool-navigation-button-in-adobe-photoshop-cs4/