Create a Christmas design using Photoshop

Create a Christmas design using Photoshop

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In this tutorial, you’ll go through easy steps and techniques to design beautiful Christmas wallpaper or even an e-card to send to your friends.

Final Image Preview

Start working by creating a new file (File>New) of 1920×1200px/72 ppi with white background contents. Select now the Rectangle Tool (U) to represent the background of the wallpaper to be.

Go to Layer Style by clicking on the layer we work on the Layers’ panel to add Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:

We’ve got the next background:

Make a copy of the last made layer and apply on the copy’s layer different parameters for Layer Style > Gradient Overlay:

Gradient Editor settings:

Also set the Fill for this layer to 0%.

Using the Ellipse Tool (U), try to draw a kind of snow hillock on the picture.

Go to Layer Style to add Inner Glow

Also set to Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:


Using the Pen Tool (P) try to represent now a wavy road.


Next select the Layer Style. Make a double click on the left mouse’s button on this layer on the Layers’ panel and set the Inner Shadow as shown:

Add Inner Glow

Also set the Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:


Next we’ll start representing a fir-tree using the Pen Tool (P). Start with the primary layer.


Go to Layer Style and set the Inner Shadow as shown:

Add the Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:


Make a copy of the last made layer, set Fill to 0% and go to Layer Style to remove the Inner Shadow but add the Outer Glow as shown:

Set the Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:

Add Stroke


Next we’ll represent the branches’ inclination, using the same Pen Tool (P). Place this layer under the previous made one on the Layers’ panel.

Set Fill to 0% and go to Layer Style > Drop Shadow


Using the same tools, try to make the inclination of the branches on the other side.

Set Fill to 0%, add Layer Style > Drop Shadow


Next we shall insert on the top of the tree a small star, using the Custom Shape Tool (U) and the color #FFC62C


Using the Convert Point Tool, select the anchor points of the star. Then apply the Free Transform (T) click on Maintain Aspect Ratio and drag the anchor points to the central part of the star to change the shape form.

Add Layer Style > Outer Glow:

Set the Stroke:

Gradient Editor settings:


Now we’ll represent a highlight on the star. In this case we have to make a copy of the star’s layer. Press Alt button and using the Ellipse Tool (U), we can draw a small ellipse which will cut out the unnecessary highlight’s elements. The ellipse will be turned around with the Free Transform option.

Set Fill to 0% for this layer and go to Layer Style. Make a double click on the left mouse’s button on this layer on the Layers’ panel and set the Gradient Overlay as shown:

Gradient Editor settings:


Press Alt button and click between the highlight’s layers and the layer containing the star itself (on the Layers’ panel).



Next we’ll represent the shining rays coming out of the star. Choose the Pen Tool (P) and set the Foreground color to white for this operation. This layer needs to be situated lower than the layers containing the Christmas tree.


Add Layer Style > Outer Glow

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Set the Inner Glow


Now we’ll decorate the tree with the Christmas globs. Use the Ellipse Tool (U) to represent a small ellipse of the color #0375E0

Go to Layer Style > Drop Shadow

Set the Inner Shadow



Next represent a highlight on the glob’s surface, using the same Ellipse Tool (U).

Set Fill to 0% for this layer and go to Layer Style >Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:



Next combine in a group all the layers containing the Christmas glob (press CTRL button to select the appropriate layers and then hold on the left mouse’s button while dragging the selected layers on Create a new group icon on bottom part of the Layers panel). Make eight copies of this group, changing the colors for the copies’ layers (the basic color of the glob’s layer). Then select the Free Transform (T) option to place the copies exactly the same way from below:

Now we have to draw also the tree’s trunk, applying in this case the Rectangle Tool (U). Place the layer under the layers containing the Christmas tree’s layers.

Set Fill to 0% and go to Layer Style > Gradient Overlay

Gradient Editor settings:



Create a new layer and choose here the Snowflake brush of white color from Assorted Brushes set.

Set the brush settings as shown (choosing the Brushes panel (F5) on the right side of the Options bar).




Apply on the layer containing the snowflakes the next filter Filter>Blur>Gaussian blur


On the next new layer (Create new layer) we’ll apply again the Snowflake brush.

The final result!
View full size here.