The warp tool in Photoshop is very powerful and can create some amazing new possibilities. Here, I’ll show you how to add your own label to a tin container to make it look like this:

Step 1
Start with your container image. Be sure to notice how the cylinder reflects light. This will come in handy later.

Now we want to place the label image on a new layer so click File>Place and find the image you want to use and click Place.

Step 2
Now reduce the opacity on the label layer within the layers palette. This is helpful for figuring out exactly how to warp it properly to the container.
You’ll see that you can transform your new placed layer here and you’ll want to do this now, but make sure you don’t shrink it more that the maximum vertical distance it would have at the closest point to you on the curve of the container. You can see what I mean here. Once you have it sized properly, right-click the payer and rasterize it.

Step 3
Now click Image>Transform>Warp. You’ll see the control points on each side. Grab a corner first and drag it in to where it should be as if they were wrapped around the cylinder. Next, grab each point in order down each side and you’ll see your label taking shape.

Now you have it warped nicely!

Step 4
Click the Move Tool (arrow) and click Place and bring your opacity back up in the layers palette.

Step 5
As you can see it looks pretty good, but a little too good. It doesn’t fit in to the environment because there’s no light reflecting off of it. Remember studying the surface of the tin cylinder? Now you want to add some of that shine to your label.
To do this, use the rectangular selection tool and set the feather to 15 pixels. Now select the areas that should have light reflecting on them. If you can’t remember, switch off your label layer and look at the tin. Remember to use the shift button while selecting the second area so you get them both.

Step 6
Now that you’ve selected the proper areas, click Image>Adjustments>Levels and drag the slider on the right to the left until it looks light enough.

Result
All done!




September 25th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Great tutorial! Will try it this moment!
September 15th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Superb post but I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Thanks!
December 1st, 2011 at 5:26 pm
simply a great graphics tutorial ob photoshop. well illustrated , simplified and well explained.
March 20th, 2012 at 2:59 am
Excellent…simple & does the job!
In Mac CS5, Warp is at Edit>Transform>Warp
May 28th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
This website is pretty cool! How did you make it !?