What We’ll Be Creating
Preparation
Create a new (Ctrl + N) document 800×600 pixels with any colored background, set your foreground color to #131313 and background color to #131313. Select the “Gradient Tool” (G) with a radial gradient.
Once you’ve selected the radial gradient drag a gradient over your canvas starting from the middle dragging outwards. Now go to “Filter > Noise > Add Noise”, follow the settings below.
Your document should look like this.
Drawing The Flask
Select the “Ellipse Tool” (U) then apply the following settings.
Now drag out an ellipse onto your canvas.
Quick Tip:
When dragging out the path onto your canvas hold down the Shift Key on the keyboard, doing this will ensure your ellipse is 100% round.
Select the “Pen Tool” (P) then change the options on the tool bar at the top to the following.
If the options on the tool bar are unavailable make sure you select the vector mask in the layers window. Once you’ve changed the options draw the neck of the flask joining it on the ellipse. My path is shown as the black line in the image below.
Now add the following layer styles to your layer, also rename your layer “Flask”.
Your flask should now look like this.
Creating The Flask Top
Select the “Ellipse Tool” (U) then add an ellipse at the top of your flask.
Rename your ellipse layer “Top 1” then duplicate it, rename the duplicated layer “Top 2” then drag it underneath the original. Select the “Move Tool” (V) and move the duplicated ellipse down, select the “Rectangle Tool” (U) then join the two ellipse’s together. Make sure you select the vector mask before adding the rectangle to the ellipse path.
Add the following layer styles to your “Top 1” layer.
Now add the following layer styles to your “Top 2” layer.
Once you’ve added the layer styles to your “Top 2” layer change the color of the vector mask by double clicking it from the layers window.
You should now have something like this.
Finally select the color #28292d then draw an ellipse over the “Top 1” layer.
Label your last ellipse layer “Top”.
Creating The Magic Potion
Select the “Ellipse Tool” (U) then draw an ellipse inside of your flask. Select the “Rectangle Tool” (U), change the options in the options tool bar to subtract path from area then draw a rectangle over half of the ellipse.
Drag the layer underneath your “Flask” layer” if it isn’t already then rename it to “Potion Bottom”. Now add the following layer styles.
You should have something like this.
Lets now create the top part of our magic potion, select the “Ellipse Tool” (U) then drag out a big ellipse about 340px by 340px any where on your canvas.
Add a gradient overlay to your big ellipse using the settings below.
Right click your big ellipse layer then select “Convert To Smart Object” from the list. Now rename your layer “Potion Top”.
Quick Tip:
Smart Objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images, such as Photoshop or Illustrator files. Smart Objects preserve an image’s source content with all its original characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.
“Free Transform” (Ctrl + T) your “Potion Top” layer so it sits on top of your “Potion Bottom” Layer.
Finally add an outer glow to your “Potion Top” layer using the settings below.
You should have something like this.
Creating The Bubbles
Select the “Brush Tool” (B) then open the brush window (F5). Select a round brush with a radius of 10px, then apply the following settings.
Create a new layer and name it “Bubbles”, then with the “Brush Tool” (B) selected brush some bubbles in the potion. Once your happy with your result set the opacity of the bubbles layer to around 22%.
Add a layer mask to your bubbles layer then drag a linear gradient from the bottom of the bubbles upwards, your looking for the bubbles to less visible towards the bottom. You should have something like this.
Adding The Flask Shadow
Select the “Elliptical Marquee Tool” (M) then drag out a small ellipse selection underneath the flask. Once the selection has been made create a new layer above your background layer and rename it “Shadow”, fill (G) your selection with the color black #000000 then deselect the selection (Ctrl + D). Blur the ellipse using the guassian blur filter “Filter > Blur > Guassian Blur” blur by 3px then finally set the opacity of the ellipse to 36%.
Adding The Flask Shininess
Duplicate your “Flask Layer” then rename the duplicated layer “Flask Shine”. Right click your duplicated layer and select “Clear Layer Styles” from the menu. Now press (Ctrl + T) for the free transform tool then resize the flask by dragging one of the corner anchor points.
Quick Tip:
Holding down the shift key and alt key on the keyboard whilst resizing the shape will resize the shape from the middle.
Once you’ve resized the duplicated flask layer set the opacity to 4%. Now add a layer mask to the layer and drag a linear gradient over the neck of the flask. You should have something like this.
Duplicate your flask layer once more then rename this layer to “Shine Side”. Right click your duplicated layer and select “Clear Layer Styles” from the menu. Select the “Move Tool” (V) then using the arrow keys on the keyboard shift the flask shape to the left, the more the flask is shifted over to the left the bigger the shine will be.
Right click the duplicated layer and now select “Rasterize” from the menu. Load a selection around your original flask layer then hit the delete key.
Quick Tip:
To load a selection around an element click the little thumbnail inside of your desired layer whilst holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard.
Select the “Move Tool” (V) then move whats left of the flask back over so it lye’s over the edge of the glass flask.
Now set the layers opacity to about 9%. If you wish you can repeat the steps above to make the glass more shiny, you should have something like this.
Conclusion
Thanks for taking the time to try this tutorial, I’ll look forward to your results & comments.
Thank you for taking part in this tutorial, if you liked it then please promote it by retweeting, digging and sharing. Thank You.

Hi, thanks for this tutorial. One question about the “Potion Top” layer. Does “convert to smart object” automatically convert the circle into an oval ellipse? I haven’t actually done the tutorial myself yet but I can’t figure out how the circle, placed on top of the flat, straight edged semi-circle, becomes an ellipse in the flask. Thanks
when you converted to a smart object you have to adjust the perspective using the free transform tool. Because its a smart object the gradiens perspective should change also.
hope this is what you mean.
Awesome tutorial with nice Creative work
thanks so much for this wonderful tutorial
you make Photoshop more interesting and enjoyable
keep up good work
God bless you 🙂
Great tut!
I very like your style.
Keep up the good work!!
Great Tutorial and techniques well explained.
Thanks for sharing…
Featured in Tutorials of the week in http://www.hangaroundtheweb.com
hi Richard Carpenter it is very nice tutorials Thanks for take time for you follow
Great tutorial, but at the last few steps where you’re to rasterize and ‘add a selection’ I got completely lost, the shine looked nothing like you had. So, I just used a paint brush with lots of opacity and then erased around to make it look like a shine.
I also changed the setting for the lid. I deleted the square box and then with the Top 1 later, put a ‘inner shadow’ and fooled with the size, choke etc levels. Then also added a inner glow of the pink to make it a bit reflective off of the lid.
But, thank you I learned alot. 🙂
@ Inkedkoi
maybe you could share your result with us?
Thanks is very intesting!;)Good Job!
Great tuto.Thank u for sharing.
This is a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing.
select the “Rectangle Tool” (U) then join the two ellipse’s together. Make sure you select the vector mask before adding the rectangle to the ellipse path.
Dear Sir,
Please tell me how to join two ellipse’s together. cause i am beginner in Photoshop.. I didn’t understand how to join two ellipse’s
Thank you
Nice tutorial and very detailed
This tut also featured in https://www.linetoweb.com/
You just saved me weeks of fsirtratuon… I don't how I can thank you!! Thank you, Thank you!!