This is a very popular look, and I’m not sure if it has an official name, so I’m going to just call it a ‘drop shadow overhang’ just because I don’t know what else to call it. Its basically a bar of color across the top of the page, with a box of white jetting up over the edge. Its got a web 2.0 look, so its been getting a lot of use.

Note: This was originally written for PSDTuts.com, so that is why it has that title all over it, but here is the effect we are going for:

The look and techniques used here are very flexible, so this is a good skill to pick up.

---

Step 1:

I’ve started with a 600×400 space, but if you are doing this for a real website, it should be larger. Create a new layer, and use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to make a selection across the top of the image. Select the Gradient Tool and pick two colors you like that are slightly lighter and darker shades of the same color. I went with a cool blue, but you can use whatever colors you want.

---

Step 2

Click and drag within the selection, and it should fill with a gradient. Holding down Shift while you drag will make sure your resulting gradient is straight. Now we need a pattern to lay over the blue. I made some diagonal stripes you can use, just open the file in Photoshop, and click Edit > Define Pattern. Now, back in the other file (with the rectangular selection still active) make a new layer, then click Edit > Fill and select your new pattern. If you don’t like the stripes… experiment! This is a good step to add a personal touch. Scanlines, pinstripes, and even old looking victorian patterns are popular now.

---

Step 3:

Adjust the opacity of the pattern layer. I dropped mine way down to 15%. Create a new layer, and make a thin selection along the bottom of blue bar, and fill it with black.

---

Step 4:

Create a new layer, and use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to make a selection and fill it with white (this will be the main body of our layout).

---

Step 5:

Add a drop shadow to the white layer the Blending Options panel (In the layers palette, double click on the white layer, or right click the white layer and select ‘Blending Options’). Use the settings in the image.

---

Step 6:

Now we need to flatten the Blending Options to change them from being a layer effect to being part of the actual layer. Create a new layer, then CTRL + Click on both layer titles. Now you can merge the two layers (CTRL + E, or click Layer > Merge Down).

---

Step 7:

With your new flattened white layer, click Add Layer Mask at the bottom of the Layers Palette. Select the gradient tool and set your colors to plain black and white.

---

Step 8:

Click and drag to make the bottom half of the white layer fade out. That’s the basic drop shadow overhang, now its time to turn it into a layout.

---

Step 9:

Add title text with the type tool. I added a reflective effect using the same methods as the overhang. To achieve this, I duplicated the type, hit Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical, placed it underneath, clicked Add Layer Mask in the layers palette, and used the gradient tool to fade off the bottom half. Lower the opacity a bit and you get a nice reflection. See what I mean about this being a flexible technique? Layer masks make it easy to pull off an otherwise complex effect.

---

Final:

Add a line of text for a menu, or try something else, maybe buttons or tabs. Fill it with some content and you are on your way to having a finished layout featuring the Drop Shadow Overhang.