Okay, so today I wanted to mess around with making a 3D button, specifically one that looks like it belongs on a Mac. I’ve seen some cool ones online and figured, why not give it a shot myself?
I started by sketching out a basic button shape. Nothing fancy, just a rounded rectangle. I wanted that classic macOS feel, you know? Kind of soft and bubbly.
My Process
First things first, I opened up my go-to 3D software. It’s nothing too professional, just something I’m comfortable with. I Created a basic rounded rectangle shape, pretty much like drawing it in 2D, but with the option to give it some depth.
Extrusion Time! This is where it got 3D. I pulled that 2D shape into the third dimension, giving it some thickness. I played around with the depth until it looked right – not too flat, not too chunky.
- Created a rounded rectangle.
- Extruded it to give it depth.
- Played with the depth until it looked good.
Next up, I wanted to give it that smooth, glossy Mac look. So, I started messing with the material settings. I increased the shininess, added a bit of reflection – like it’s reflecting a soft light source. It’s all about those subtle details.
Color and Gradient. I picked a nice, light gray color. Then, to make it pop, I added a gradient. A slightly darker shade at the bottom, fading to a lighter shade at the top. This gives it that illusion of depth and a light source, very Apple-esque I think.
The final touches were all about the bevel. I rounded off the edges even more. You have to look for it. Made them super smooth, so the button looks almost… soft? Like you could squish it.
And that’s pretty much it! It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It definitely has that 3D, Mac-inspired vibe I was going for. Might tweak it more later, but for now, it’s a win in my book!