Image editing for the rest of us
In this tutorial, I will show you how to create an aluminum texture and a 3D pattern effect, using very simple techniques. This method is useful for designing modern and stylish interfaces or simply fashioning a mockup for the next MacBook Pro or an aluminum iPhone.
Step 1
Open Pixelmator and create a new document. I used 1440×900 pixels, but you can choose whatever size you want.

Step 2
Go to View > Show Gradients, then create a new gradient preset. Use Radial for the type. Use #1c1c1f for the dark color and #363538 for the light color.

Step 3
Add 1 horizontal and 1 vertical guide to find the center of the document. Next, with the Gradient Tool (G), fill the background layer with the gradient that you just created.

Step 4
Now, go to Filter > Stylize > Noise. Use 1 for the Amount, and leave the color intact.

Step 5
Select the Brush Tool (B) and go to View > Show Brushes. Select a round brush and change the presets as shown in the image below.

Step 6
Using the guide for reference, select the Brush Tool (B). While holding SHIFT, click to add a circle at the top of the image. Use the image below for reference.

Step 7
While continuing to hold shift, click at the bottom of the image to create the circles. It’s fairly simple. You can reduce the brush size as well.

Step 8
Duplicate the column of circles until you have created a nice block. I also resized them, which you can do by going to Edit > Free Transform or simply by pressing Command + F.

Step 9
First, reduce the opacity of the white circles; use 40%. Then duplicate the block of white circles and merge them (Layer > Merge Layers). Next, select black for the color and go to Filter > Color > False Color. The duplicated white circles will become black. Move them 1 pixel up, which will create a bevel effect.

Step 10
Duplicate the pattern; you can select the black and white blocks and go to Layer > Merge Layers so that the pattern includes only one layer. Simply move the block to the other side of the canvas. Use the image below for reference.

Step 11
Place the icon that you want to use in the middle of the document. I’m using the power icon. The color is not important in this step because we will use the Clipping Layer to change it.

Step 12
Create a new layer on top of the icon and fill it with white.

Step 13
Go to Filter > Stylize > Noise. Use 40 for the Amount and select Monochrome.

Step 14
Go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask; now, the layer will be visible only in the area of the icon.

Step 15
On the clipping layer, go to Filter > Blur > Zoom Blur. Use 20 for the Amount and move the controller to the center of the icon.

Step 16
Now go to Filter > Stylize > Noise. Use 2 for the Amount and select Monochrome again. This will create a brushed metal effect on the icon.
Step 17
Duplicate the icon layer. The icon that I used was already black, so I put it behind the icon that had the brushed metal texture. Next, move the black icon 2 pixels up, creating an embossed effect.

Conclusion
This tutorial showed you how to create an aluminum texture using gradient and noise. We also played with the Brush engine to create a pattern and then gave the pattern a really cool 3D effect. Pixelmator has very useful filters that allow users to create any type of effect or image; it’s all about experimenting with the tools to discover what you can do.

Light Version
You can create a lighter version of the wallpaper by simply using light grays for the background. You can also change the opacity of the white circles pattern to 100% so that the 3D effect is more visible.
Download the 30-day trial.
Download a detailed introduction to Pixelmator.
Take an in-depth look at all the Pixelmator features and technologies.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Thanks for this nice Tutorial ;)
November 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Great wallpaper! Where can I download it?
November 26th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Great tutorial! :D
Bruno: there’s a link to the Pixelmator file at the end of the tutorial, so you can export it to a PNG/JPEG one ;)
November 27th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
ummm how do u set the color for #1c1c1f and stuff in step 2?
November 27th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
oh n/m figured it out!
November 29th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Every tutorial I see you do I love but there always seems to be some missing step. Like duplicating the dots. I am unable to select them. Do I create anew layer for each?
December 5th, 2009 at 7:58 am
I’m with deek; in these tutorials I find all kinds of blithe “do this” or “do that” with no indication of how to do it. In this one it started with step 1 and just got worse. How to get a new image with the colored background? I ended up using a bucket fill with a foreground color of #1c1c1f. I had a horrible time with the gradient; every one I tried to make ended up with a big circle of background in the center with a ring of the gradient. I finally just modified one of the existing gradients, although I couldn’t find any difference at all between the one I tried to create new and the one I modified. Duplicating the dots was a convoluted process involving selecting the row of dots, new layer by copy, move, link layers, merge layers, repeat. There must be some way to simply copy a selection and paste the copy in the same layer, but I sure couldn’t figure out how. Over two hours, including reading Help files and forum posts that might be of help, just to accomplish step 8, at which point I gave it up. “Very simple techniques” if one knows how already, and next to impossible if one is trying to learn from this.
December 7th, 2009 at 8:41 am
have to agree with @sottwell. steps are definitely missing in this tutorial. for someone like me who’s just found your prog and learning from scratch it is absolutely vital that you include all steps/commands.
gave up on this and now not so sure about using this to replace PS.
December 19th, 2009 at 1:23 am
Agree! For example when you say move 1 pixel up to create emboss effect. I’m lost there. I understand it’s trial and error but this is a tutorial and I have no experience. Need less jargon and more tutorial.
January 21st, 2010 at 7:29 am
My gradients always look much darker than they are on the tutorials even if I do the exact same thing.
Really annoying.
January 26th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
another agreement – had to give up half way – next i’ll try some video tutes, then reading the manual, then of course give up entirely
but really cool effects! just wish i could reproduce them.
February 7th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
This would have made a great wallpaper and I think a perfect first project for other Pixelmator beginners such as myself. However there are far to many missing steps in this tutorial. The author seems to assume that the readers level of knowledge is intermediate. Yet never does the author imply this. I feel a note to readers implying just that; at the start of the article would greatly improve customer/reader satisfaction.
February 19th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
I just made this image and it looks fantastic! I had a bit of trouble duplicating the dots at first, but it worked out fine eventually. Here’s a step-by step guide to how I did it.
1) Make the row of dots in a new layer (not on the background layer)
2) Right-click on the layer and Duplicate it.
3) Press Command-F and move the dots over
4) Select the two layers. Right click and press ‘Merge’
5) Repeat.
Every time you repeat the process you’ll double the amount of dots, you only have to do this about 3 times.
Thanks for a great tutorial!
June 20th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Thx for a wonderful tutorial!
i used this tutorial as a guide line but added stuff myself ands it actually turned out quite nice :)
http://i45.tinypic.com/2z8qiya.png
Keep the tutorial’s comming! :D
July 25th, 2010 at 7:58 am
i can’t make the dots… any suggestions?
July 31st, 2010 at 7:05 am
How can I get the power icon???
August 18th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
A fuller description would have been good for those who are beginners!
Many questions I encounter…
August 18th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
I’m having trouble with step 9.
I have no black spots.