The only plugins needed for this tutorial are Antialiasing and Light Rays.
Step 1 - Preparing The Render and Your Background
1.1) File > Open. Open up your render that you want to use in the advert. If you don't have one already, make your own using the Cutting Out Images tutorial.
1.2) File > New. Make a decent sized canvas for your ad. I used the dimensions of 500 x 550.
1.3) Make a new layer and copy your render onto it. Resize your render while holding Shift to keep it in proportion. Alternatively, use Layers > Import From File. I called this layer, sensibly, Render.
1.4) Go to your background layer and fill it with a colour of your choice. Traditionally iPod ads use a light green or pink.
Step 2 - Make Your Render iPod-Like.
2.1) Make a new layer on top of your render and fill it with black. I called this layer Black.
2.2) Go back to your render layer and use the Magic Wand to select the outside area of your render. Go to the black layer and press Delete.
(Alternatively, the Silhouette Plugin could be used on the Render layer. However, if you want to keep some details in your render this is not reccommended. This detail will be brought out later.)
As suggested by theonlychad, the Alpha Mask plugin could be used to make a silhouette of your render.
Step 3 - Making The Headphones
3.1) Make your primary colour white and make a new layer.
3.2) Select the Brush tool and set it to 3 pixels. (This could vary depending on how big your canvas and render is, so adjust accordingly.)
3.3) Draw a smooth line from where the person's ears are. Make sure that the two lines connect before where the line ends.
3.4) Finish the line somewhere at waist level so that it loks like the iPod is in his/her pocket.
3.5) Make sure you put it into perspective, it helps. My character was facing a certain way, so I drew it accordingly. If the cord is passing by somewhere you don't want it to be simply erase it..
Step 4 - The Text
4.1) Make a new layer and call it Text. Now add your text. Make sure it's white. I used the font "Arial"
4.2) Begin with a lower case "i" and then put a phrase of your liking depending on who your render is of. {e.g. iAssassin)
4.3) If you want to add that extra touch of reality, you can add an Apple logo next to your text. Make a new layer and apply the logo to the left of the text.
Addtional Steps
Note: If you used the Silhouette plugin in Step 2.2 this step cannot be done, everyone else, this is for you.
5.1) Go to your black layer and go to the layer properties (F4)
5.2) Lower the opacity of this layer to somewhere between 230-240. This will add some details to your render but it will still mostly be black.
5.3) Now to add some subtle background effects. Make a new layer over your background layer. I called it Light Rays.
5.4) Go to Effects > Render > Light Rays. Set it to whatever direction you want.
5.5) Go to the Magic Wand tool and set the Flood Mode to Gloabl. Select one of the rays and hit delete.
5.6) Now go to the Layer Properties (F4) and lower the opacity by a lot. I chose 34.
And, hopefully, all going well, you have created your very own iPod advert.
Please feel free to post your results and comments, they are all appreciated.
