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  Magical Layout - Part 1  
This Photoshop tutorial will show you how to create a magical layout filled with star dust. Click on the image below to see the whole layout.  

  Step 1.  
  Create a new document with dimensions of 740 x 460. First of all, we're going to create some borders for the layout. Use the Rectangular marquee tool to create two thick stripes. For the thick blue stripe, I've used 8CC2D3 with the other one being white.  
   
 
a) Click to enlarge  
 
  Step 2.  
  Next we're going to make a subtle gradient background for the main content. Create a selection using the rectangular marquee too, like in image a). Change the foreground color to a light blue (E8F9FF) and the background to white. Select the gradient tool. At the top you'll have the option to select various types of gradient. For this part of the layout select the linear gradient. You'll see in the image that there's an arrow indicating the distance and direction that you need to drag the gradient tool. Drag the gradient tool from top to bottom and you should have some like in image b)  
     
 
a) Click to enlarge   b) Click to enlarge
 
  Step 3.  
  With the rectangular marquee tool, create a pixel wide blue (ADCDD9) line above the gradient. Next we're going to make the layout look bit more interesting by creating the header graphic. Create a new layer and then make a selection in the space above the content section, taking about ¾ of vertically. Create a linear gradient using a mildly unsaturated green (5D9A8E) for the foreground and a very dark green (263E39) for the background. The red arrow, in the image below, indicates the distance and direction to drag the gradient tool.  
     
 
Click to enlarge
 
  Step 4.  
  Make another new layer above the previous one and then make a selection covering just over half of the gradient you just created (See Image a). We're going to create another linear gradient in this selection, but this time it'll be foreground to transparent. Select a blue color (3DA0BA) for the foreground, make sure you have the gradient tool selected, and then go to the top where there is a sample of the gradient. Click on it and then select foreground to transparent. Drag the gradient tool up, the distance and shown in image a). You should end up with a gradient similar to image b), with 3 blended colors  
     
 
a) Click to enlarge   b) Click to enlarge
 
  Step 5.  
  Now we're going to create a subtle gradient in the remaining white space, so create a new layer. Make the foreground CEF2FF and the background 263E39. Change the gradient type back to “foreground to background”, since it should still be “foreground to “transparent”. Using the rectangular marquee tool, make selection covering the white space and then drag the gradient tool down, as shown in the image below.  
     
 
Click to enlarge
 
  Step 6.  
  You should now have a subtle blue gradient where the white space used to be.  
     
 
a) Click to enlarge
 
  Step 7.
  The last gradient should make the graphic look like a glowing beam, as shown in image a). Make a new layer and then create a selection, like in image a). Change the gradient type back to “foreground to transparent” and then make the foreground D3F3FD. Create the gradient and you should have something like in image a)
 
   
   
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