Creating a 3D Catalog Graphic in Photoshop

Shawn Escott - January 12, 2010

In this tutorial, we will take a flat catalog image and create a more exciting 3D version.

Prepare your catalog image in a Photoshop layered file.

From the top menu select Edit > Transform > Perspective

Select the right bottom handle and slowing drag up a few pixels and you will see the perspective of the image change. When you get it to a similar angle as below, press Enter on the keyboard to accept the change.

Make a new layer. Select Layer > New > Layer

Select the Rectangular Marquee tool and draw a rectangular box on the left side of the image. This will be the spine of our catalog.

Choose a color from the Foreground Color picker.

From the top menu, select Edit > Fill
Make sure the Foreground Color is selected and click ok.

Your image should look like the one below.

From the top menu, choose Select > Deselect

Next, from the top menu, select Image > Transform > Perspective.

Select the left bottom handle and slowing drag up a few pixels, just like we did on the cover image. Press enter on the keyboard to accept the change. (If you have an actual image of the spine you can do the same technique to add perspective and align it with the cover.)

Lets finish it up with a nice drop shadow. Make a new layer. Select Layer > New > Layer

Select the Lasso Tool from the side tool bar and draw a shape similar to the one below. Control click on the PC, Command click on the Mac. Fill the selection with black and then deselect.

Now, let’s soften the edges of the shadow. From the top menu, select Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Drag the slider until you achieve the look you want.

Adjust the opacity of the Layer to 15%.

Click and drag Layer 3 below layer 1 and you’re finished!