Creating a 'Shiny Button' - I'm not happy!

[Rik]

Hi Xperts.

I'm trying to create a button that I'm sure you all have done!

I am doing this with linked colours so that I can change the colour if I want.

The problem I am having is that, in my opinion, it doesn't really look as good as some other buttons I have seen.

The button doesn't really give that shiny look.

If I change the colour to, say Red, then it doesn't look too bad.
But, in Blue, it just doesn't look very good at all.

Is the problem that using linked colours and I am not able to access some other mixture of colours that would make the button look better?

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have attached the xar file so that you can see my efforts!

[gwpriester]

Rik

Please attach a JPEG or PNG image (I have done this for you) so people can decide if they want to open your XAR file or not.

In this case your example is so simple that a XAR file is not really necessary.

You might try adding the reflection of something in your highlight which will make the highlight more effective. People on the street grinning for example

[bcire68]

Hi Rik,

I personally would have done it differently. I would have made the shine shape white (or an almost white that is a shade of your button color if you want) and then applied a linear transparency. IMHO I think that this gives better results.

Eric

[Rik]

Hi Eric.

Thanks for your suggestion.

I think I tried that but I have tried again.
Result posted and again I would have to say that it's just not good enough.
I have played about with making the shiny bit darker and lighter, to almost white and still I cannot get it to look the way it should be.

I'm not sure whether it's something that I just don't understand how to do?


That's why I posted and hoped that people like you would help as normal.

[gwpriester]

For example

[Psaumure]

Hi Rik, this is based on the shiny button video tutorial on Yahoo. The tutorial showing around buttons but I applied the same techniques to the square button. I have attached your file with a shiny button that you can reverse engineer. Hopefully this is what you're looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGUOH...eature=related

[MEB]

The problem I am having is that, in my opinion, it doesn't really look as good as some other buttons I have seen.

Maybe if you post a sample of what are you looking for?
What do you consider a "good button"?

[Rik]

Hi Psaumure: Thanks very much for that. I changed your blue button to a linear fill and certainly looks better than my effort.

Hi Miguel: Good point about posting what I am looking for. Or more to the point, what I was trying to recreate.
So, this is the button that got me going and I wanted to do this using linked colours and when I tried to do this in Blue, that's when my unhappiness started to creep in.

If you look at the attached picture, you can certainly see that it very much looks like a shiny button.
Even if you mask out the word 'HOME', it still looks like a shiny button!

[ss-kalm]

I think one of the problems is that you're using a square, it just doesn't seem to give the same effect. Have a look at the GEL button creation example in the clipart: Designs gallery > Examples > Example Drawings 1 > Gel Buttons. It's a good reference.

[Rik]

Hi Keith.

I think you may be right.
I've just done the same with a round button and I can comfortably make the top part whiter without it looking silly and the whole thing looks more shiny.

I'm sure someone is going to come along and make a really shiny one!