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This lesson demonstrates how to create a three sided cube; my tutorial Here demonstrates how to personalise your cube with photographs.
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards.
Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
1/
Open a New document and set the following attributes. Then extend its grey workspace by dragging out one of its corners.
2/
Now, from the top menu, choose View then click a tick before Rulers, and position your document so the rulers can be clearly seen.
3/
From the toolbar, activate the Rectangular Marquee Tool, and set the following attributes into its Options bar.
Using your Rulers as guides, left-click and drag out a square selection.
 
4/
Then press your D key to set the default Foreground and Background Black and White colours. Then activate the Gradient Tool, and set the following attributes into its Options bar - double-left-clicking to set the Foreground to Background gradient.
5/
Now, beginning in the centre of your document, apply a gradient inside your selection - in the direction indicated below-left. Or choose your own gradient design.
 
Tip
If you run out of transparent workspace during this tutorial, activate the Crop Tool, then isolate your document with a Crop bounding box, and enlarge your document as described in my tutorial Here.
6/ Important Step - Duplicating Your Square Panel!
Left-click and drag your rectangle (panel), to the middle of your document, then press Ctrl then D to remove the selection marquee. Then right-click your image’s menu bar, and from the drop-down list, click Duplicate. Accept the settings in the subsequent Duplicate Image dialogue box, and minimise the duplicated rectangle - keeping it on your workspace for later use.
7/
Now, press Ctrl then T to activate the Free Transform command. Then right-click your image, and choose Skew from the subsequent drop-down list. Left-click and tug the
right-centre deformation handle, and gently tug it upwards, as illustrated below - then press your Enter/Return key to commit the change. This skews your first panel.
8/
Now, press Ctrl then T to activate the Free Transform command. Then left-click and tug the centre-right box - (circled in red), to the left, creating the following square panel.
After the right-side panel has been reshaped, press Enter/Return to commit the change.
This can take a little practise to perfect.
9/
Right-click your panel, (in the Layers palette), and choose Duplicate Layer from the
drop-down list.
10/
Then activate the Move Tool. 
And (on your workspace), drag the duplicated layer to the side of the original panel.
11/
Now, press Ctrl then T. Then right-click the left-side panel, and from the drop-down list, choose Flip Horizontal. Then press Return/Enter to commit the change.
 
12/ Optional - If Needed
If your gradients are mismatched, ensure the left-side panel is active, then press Ctl then T to surround it with a Deformation Bounding Box. Now, right-click it, and from the subsequent drop-down list, choose Rotate 180 degrees - then press Enter/Return to commit the change.
With the Move Tool, drag the two panels together.
13/
Working on the left-side panel, press Ctrl and T. And this time, press and hold Ctrl, then drag the left-side vector handle to the right - as indicated by the arrow below. Then press Enter/Return. This narrows the left-side panel.
Note
At this point, you may need to make minor adjustments using the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl then T), and the Skew command.
Tip
Whilst the Move Tool is active, use your arrow keys to position a panel, pixel by pixel.
After you have positioned both panels so they fit snugly together, you are ready for the next step.
 
14/
Now, activate the panel you Duplicated back in Chapter 6, and with the Move Tool, drag it onto your current document.
15/
Working on the new panel, press Ctrl then T, then right-click and choose Distort.
You are looking to distort the top panel so three of its corners touch the three corners of the two panels already on your workspace. Therefore, one-by-one, left-click the following corners, (of the top panel), and gently tug them towards the corresponding corners.
Note
It is important to follow Steps 1 to 4 in the correct sequence; in addition, reposition just the four (circled) corner nodes, and not the central nodes between them.
 
 
After you have created your three panelled cube; isolate the top panel with a selection marquee - (you can do this quickly by pressing Ctrl then left-clicking your panel’s layer thumbnail). Then apply a gradient to the top panel, so the designs match. If you are applying photographs to your cube; corresponding gradients are not crucial.
Tip
Smooth any ragged edges using the Blur Tool, set to a very low Strength (around 10%).
16/
When you have completed your cube, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Merge Visible, and your work is complete - and ready for the photographs, as described in my tutorial here.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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