Create a Realistic Vault Icon in Photoshop

Learn how to create a realistic Vault/Safe using Adobe Photoshop. We’ll be creating this vault using shapes, blending options and various techniques.

Final Result

1. Create a new document that’s 600×600 pixels. Press CTRL ‘ to bring the grid around the canvas to be used as a guide. Get the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw a box using the colour like below.

2. Remove the grid by pressing CTRL ‘ again. Draw another smaller box like below. Double click on the rectangle layer to go into Blending Options and put in the Gradient Overlay below.

3. Select the Rectangle Tool and draw a shape like below. Double click into Blending Options and put in the following settings below:

4. Next select the Ellipse Tool, while holding down the Shift Key draw a circle. Double click into Blending Options and put in the following:

5. Draw another circle, go into Blending Options and put in the Gradient Overlay below:

6. Again draw another circle, go into Blending Options and put in the following:

7. Using the Ellipse Tool, draw a shape like below using the colour white. Set the Opacity to 8% for an effect.

8. Draw another circle, go into Blending Options and put in the following:

8. Using the Ellipse Tool, go into the Paths Mode and draw a circle on the green area. Select the Text Tool and click on the circle you created. Using the font below, press the symbol | many times until it completes the circle.

Create another smaller circle and write out the numbers using the same font. Go into Blending Options put in the Drop Shadow below on the lines and numbers layer.

9. Using the Line Tool (1px), draw a corner of the vault using the colours #585858 and #fffffff. Select the 2 lines while holding down the CTRL Key and drag them to the new folder icon. Click on Add Layer Mask to place a mask over the folder. Using a soft edged black brush, erase the bottom of the line to if fades in.

10.  Complete the rest of the corner lines like step 9.

11. Press CTRL ‘ to bring up the grid again. Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool, draw the top of the vault. Press CTRL+T to make the shape transformable. While holding down CTRL+Shift, click on the Top Corners and drag them to the center for a depth effect.

12. Double click on the top layer to go into Blending Options and put in the  settings below:

13. Next click on the first vault layer, while holding down the Shift Key, click on the last vault layer to select all the layers. Drag the layers to the new folder icon. Duplicate the vault folder, press CTRL+T and transform it like below.

14. Click on the Add Layer Mask icon to place a Mask over the duplicated folder. Using a Soft Edged black brush, click on the mask layer and erase the bottom part of the vault. Set the Opacity to 30%.

15. Next select the Rounded Rectangle and draw a thin black rectangle underneath all the layers. Next go into Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and put in 10. Press CTRL+T and drag the top corners center and a little back while holding down the Shift & CTRL Key.

Final Result