Vista users are quite familiar with “Aero” Theme effects in the new Windows Operating System. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how you can recreate some of the Transparent Window Effects using Adobe Photoshop.
I mentioned this effect in my “Pixel Popping Techniques Tutorial” a few days ago, so I thought it would be a good idea to go into a bit more detail for replicating the same design. You may also be interested in our photoshop tutorial that teaches you how to create the Windows Vista Aurora Look.
The Vista Window at a Glance
Before you try to design something, it’s almost always a good idea to examine the way something should look first. Let’s take a look at a Vista “Window”. 
Making note of all the important parts of this design will help us remake the design ourselves. Let’s start with the Main Window
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The Main Window
The main window makes up the entire frame of the window, and holds all of the windows smaller components. Therefore, it seems like a good place to start. We’ll begin by creating a new document (Choose the document size based on how large you want your window to be). The background I’ll be using is shown below (You might be familiar with it from our Windows Vista Lighting Effect Tutorial). 
We’re going to place the main window in the center of this new document. To create the box, select the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the toolbar, and then set the radius of the rectangle to 5px in the Options Bar. Select a foreground color of Black, and create a nice sized rectangle across your canvas. 
Set the Blending Mode of this shape layer to “Lighten“. Doing this will keep the shape intact, and make blending options 100% visible, while making the black shape invisible. Go into the Blending Options (Right Click Layer > Blending Options) and apply the following: 
Phew… That’s a lot of styles… 
It sure does come out looking nice though!
The Light Rays
As we’ve seen in the real Vista Window, there are some nice rays of light that appear to be passing through the main window. We’re going to recreate that effect now. Turn your Main Window Layer into a selection (Ctrl + Left Click Layer Thumbnail). Create a New Layer Set above this layer. While this layer set is selected, create a new layer mask to reveal the selection (Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection). Any layers placed inside of this layer set will only be visible now inside of this mask. 
Create a new layer, and place it inside of this Layer set. Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, make a thin selection extending from the top to the bottom of your canvas, and then using the Paint Bucket Tool, fill the selection with White. 
Deselect everything (Ctrl + D), and then Rotate this layer using Transform (Ctrl + T, or Edit > Transform > Rotate). Try to make it angle out a bit, to about -45*. You can enter in this value in the options bar, or hold shift, and rotate the layer in intervals (default of 15* intervals). 
Apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) with a value somewhere between 2-5. Using the Eraser Tool (Large, Soft default brush 200-250px, 0% hardness), go just slightly over the right edge. Decrease the layer opacity to the 10-30% range. 
Complete this series of steps several more times to create a few similar light rays. Try to overlap some, and change the blur value & opacity to get a nice collection of rays. 
At long last, the Main Window is completed! Now to move onto the Inner Window.
Creating the Inner Window
Be sure to be working above all other layers & layer sets at this point. To begin, we need to create a shape for the inner window. Draw out a rounded rectangle shape, just as you did to create the shape for the main window. 
Set this layers Blending Mode to lighten, as you did with the original. Apply the following blending options to this shape layer: 
Create a new Layer Set, and create a layer mask based off the inner window. In this set, you’ll have your Window’s contents. You’re window might look something like shown below: 
That’s a pretty slick lookin’ Vista Window if you ask me!
Final Remarks
This is an excellent design technique for interface & layout design when used in moderation. I’ve seen it used in website designs for blogs, forums, and of course Microsoft new Operating System. There are a few notable “Extras” tacked onto the Windows Vista version of the design (such as the “Minimize”, “Maximize”, and “Exit” buttons, as well as the title), but those probably aren’t quite as practical in everyday design. With your new knowledge in blending options, you could probably replicate the exact look yourself! 
However, for the purposes of this tutorial, we will not cover those in detail. Please feel free to download our Vista Window Photoshop Document yourself if you’d like to see how we did it. If you’d like, you may use the styling effects we’ve setup in the document for your own personal use (Just remember to tell your buddies where they can learn how to do this too!). Be sure to check out our other great Photoshop Tutorial here at Tutorial9 if you enjoyed this one.
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Hey David,
First, I like to start off saying what a great tutorial this is. And how happy I am to see tutorial 9 on it’s way. I remember how devastated I was seeing Grey Cobra slowly disappearing.
Anyways, I have something that I’d like to discuss over the email, I hope you’d be interested
right me up sometimes when you have time.
Thank you
Great tutorial
faith x is going to make you an offer you cant refuse
could you send me a .psd file that dosnt have anything grouped?
Keeping them grouped is a good way to keep things organized Matthew. You can ungroup them if you wish… It would be much quicker for you to do it yourself than to have me make a new file/upload it/send it/etc.
I’m speechless and I’m gonna try it too.
Nice tut, I’ll go try this out now
Awesome =)
This works like a treat its amaizing
i finally figured parts out aswell kept going wrong 
what font do you use?
how do you make that logo?
graet tutorials
thnx
Not bad for the Vista Window Effect. Respect!
Once again, great. Well done Leggett, it’s the best looking Tuts for Ps I’ve seen also with good content
I just discovered this tutorial and I have been looking all over for something like this! Thank you so much! I must say that this effect is very beautiful. Just wanted to show my appreciation.
thankz for the tutorial….. it helps alot^_^
Super duper tutorial. Excellent!
Wow really cool effect… very nice…
I love it! Thanks for this beautiful and amazing tutorial!
Great tutorial! Thank you
Great tutorial. Only suggestion I would make is when “Creating the Inner Window” I would left click and get the selection from the Main Window layer and then Select -> Modify -> Contract by 7 pixels. Then use the selection tool + ALT to subtract for the window title bar, and then select -> modify -> smooth by 3 pixels. This method guarantees you even border around your inner window without eyeballing it.
My heqart is beating . . . Amazing tutorial sir . . .
I was trying to create in in Corel Draw X3 but was not able to give bevel effect . .
Again . . Thanx for this tutorial sir . . .
I really need to congratz this site owner, what a great tutorials you have here. So long since i’ve seen such good explained tutorials, with easy steps and high quality effects.
Keep on this way!
Simply ………….Thanks…….