Make Aero Fly in Photoshop

When OS X first appeared its fruit-colored, liquid capsule buttons kicked off the massive Aqua design fad. Like a monsoon everything from Websites to icons and paperweights to drinking glasses poured down from every corner of the graphic communications industries. Suddenly brightly-colored liquid designs were everywhere.

A similar but smaller trend of brushed aluminum designs rushed ahead of the OS X “Panther” interface.

Since its inception, OS X has been the pinnacle of user interface styling. With its clean, simple buttons, dialog boxes, and the superior Quartz graphic engine fueling them, it’s no wonder the Mac’s user interface design has become with each iteration a new and powerful influence on its biggest market–designers.

Now, even as the Mac community holds its breath for the next major Mac interface update it is not OS X that inspires the latest design trend. The spark for thousands of user interfaces, Websites, and even industrial products is OS X’s chief competitor: Microsoft Windows.

Window’s Vista’s Aero Style is all the rage.

Due out in late 2006 and considered the most significant Microsoft operating system update since the 32-bit Windows95, Windows Vista (formerly codenamed “Longhorn”) is inspiring imaginations in both Windows- and Mac-based designers. Based on Vista’s interpretation, the so-called Aero Glass style abounds on computer and Website user interfaces–everything from navigation systems to desktop clocks, icons, log-in screens, and other “skins.”

Typically charcoal and white, the Aero style simulates glass and glass-mounted objects floating in three-dimensional space, casting a drop shadow on objects beneath them, including desktops and backgrounds. Simple, sleek, and elegant, Aero is all the rage.

Creating a flexible Aero style is simple in Photoshop CS2, CS, or even 7. Here’s how: