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Navigation Arrow Bar

Having an up/down or left/right arrow navigation bar can be useful in websites where you want to allow users to scroll a section on your page. This could be a section of images, text, or any other web elements. It's also useful as a way to go from one page link to the next (as in a book format). In this tutorial, we'll learn how to make a simple up/down arrow bar.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open up a new document in Photoshop and create a new layer. Create a new layer and name it "Arrows".

2. Select a color for your navigation arrows from the Swatches palette.

3. Select the Polygonal Tool. Make sure Fill Pixels is selected. Set the sides value to "3".


4. Click and drag to make a triangle arrow. Use your mouse to rotate the triangle so that it is pointing up.


5. Select the Move tool. Hold down the ALT key and drag the arrow down to create a duplicate copy.

6. Goto Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. The copied arrow should now be pointing down.


7. Click CTRL+E to merge together the copied arrow layer with the original "Arrows" layers.

8. Create a new layer underneath the "Arrows" layer. Call this layer "Backdrop".

9. Select the Rectangular Marquee tool. Create a rectangular selection for the backdrop of the arrows.


10. Select the Paint Bucket tool and fill the selection with a color.

11. Right click the "Backdrop" layer, select "Blending Options" from the list.

12. Check off the "Bevel and Emboss" option. Adjust the Depth, Size, and Soften sliders until you are satisfied with the bevel appearance. Click OK to accept the changes.



13. Right click the "Arrows" layer, select "Blending Options" from the list.

14. Check off the "Bevel and Emboss" checkbox. Adjust the Depth, Size, and Soften sliders until you are satisfied with the bevel appearance.

15. Next check off the "Drop Shadow" checkbox. Adjust the Opacity, Distance, Spread, and Size sliders until you are satisfied with the drop shadow effect.


16. Create a new layer, inbetween the "Backdrop" layer and the "Arrows" layer. Call this new layer "Scroll".

17. Select the Rectangular Marquee tool. Create a rectangular selection that connects both arrows.

18. Use the Paint Bucket tool and fill the selection with any color you wish.

19. Right click the "Scroll" layer, select "Blending Options" from the list.

20. Check off the "Inner Shadow" checkbox. Adjust the Opacity, Distance, Choke, and Size sliders until you are satisfied with the inner shadow effect.

21. You should now be done with your Up/Down arrow bar.



Scroll Bar | Arrow Bar | Navigation Bar | Tutorial Photoshop