This guide was written by Dizaztor:

There are three characteristics that set an ‘aqua’ image apart from a flat image:

• Glare
• Proper Lighting
• Drop Shadow

1. Creating Glare
Create a new window with a transparent background.

Tip: Even though OS X icons have a maximum area of 128×128, its best to start large and reduce the image size later. A safe size to start at is 256×256 pixels.

File: New…
- Create a perfectly round circle using the Elliptical Markee Tool by holding down the SHIFT key and dragging across the window.

- Use the Paint Bucket Tool to fill the ellipse with a solid color. Use grey if you are just learning how to aquify. You can always adjust the color later.

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