Learn how to create 3D software design by yourself.

If you didn't understand how it works from the video above you can also check this tutorial.

So how that works?

Note: This method works only on Photoshop CS2, Photoshop CS4 And Photoshop CS5. And not on any other Photoshop version.

We are going to work on this tutorial using mainly the smart object function that in Photoshop.
What is a Smart object?
"Smart object" is a function in Photoshop that we used to create this great package, the function let us edit the 3D layout inside a flat window and that make it easier for us to edit the 3D layout, with that we can always edit the 3D layout without the need of transform a flat picture to 3D one, and the best thing is that you can always go back and make more changes to the 3D layout. All you need to do is to enter the smart object, edit the flat layout and save it, after you will save it the 3D window will change automatically according to the flat layout.

After you extracted the file, you could see on Software1.jpg the layout that you will have on the PSD:

Open the file "Software1.psd", and open the file "software-cover-flat.psd" as well we will use both of them.
The reason we use the software-cover-flat PSD is because we have 2 sides on the 3D PSD (Software1.psd) and we need to change the left layer and the right layer. The left layer need to be a continuation of the right and because we want everything to be exactly on the same height and we need the continuation to be perfect we use the software-cover-flat PSD and just cut the left to the left and the right to the right.

We are now going to work with software-cover-flat.psd now, this is the window that will display inside of Photoshop:

In the PSD you should see a guideline that separate the left side from right side. If you don't see the guide go to view >> show >> and make sure there is a v on guides, you can also do that by pressing on the shortcut key "ctrl+;"

Below you can see what each layer does on the layout:

In the picture below you can see how each layer affects the flat layout, the numbers in the picture above and in the picture below are the same for each part, that way you can see where the layer located on the layout.

On each layer that have a color box you can change its color by pressing twice on the color box, and then chose the new color on the color picker and just press ok.

If you want to change the text press twice on the text box icon that on the left side of the text layer that you want to change, and write the new text you want in there.

If you want to change the color of the text, select the text layer that you want to change, then go to the tools bar and chose the "type tool" (the one with the T icon) and you will see in the top windows of Photoshop a color box showing up, press on the box and then chose the new color that you want.
As you can see in the picture below in steps:

If you want to add a picture to the design, put the picture above the layer that called "PUT IMAGE HERE".
If you want to hide the layer that say put image here press on the eye icon that on the left of that layer:

You can do the same to all the layers that you want to hide.

Now change the flat layout to the design that you want, when you done you will need to merge all the layers that on the PSD to one layer, if you want to save the layout now would be the right time because after you will merge the layers you won't be able to make more changes.
To merge the layers press on "ctrl+shift+e" or you can go to layer >> merge visible

After you merged all the layers go to the tools bar and select the "rectangular marquee tool". You can see the tool selected in the picture below:

With the "rectangular marquee tool" selected, select the left side of the layout by pressing on the left key on the mouse and drag it from the top left to the bottom of the right left side. You can tell where the left side end with the guideline.

Now go to "Software1.psd" if you didn't opened it yet do it now, and this is the how it would look. In the middle you have the 3D software layout and on the right you have the layers.

We are going to work now with the smart objects, on the layers panel we have 2 of them, "Software LeftSide" is the left side of the 3D layout and "Software Front" is the right side of the layout.

Press twice on the icon that on the left of "Software LeftSide" layer to open the smart object window (the flat window).

After you will do that Photoshop will open a new window a flat window.

On the new window you will see the left 3D side on a flat layout, any change that you will make on that window will take affect on the 3D layout after you will save it. Paste the left side that you copied on the new window to that that press on the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl+v" or go to edit and paste, after pasting it save the document, you can do that by pressing the shortcut "ctrl+s" or just go to file and click on save.

After saving go back to the window that you had on the start (the window with the 3D layout) as you can see in the picture below:

And there you will see how the changes that you made to the flat layout affected the 3D layout. Now do the same thing for the right side go back to "software-cover-flat.psd" copy the right side this time, then go to "Software1.psd" and press twice on the smart object that called "Software Front".

Paste it in the new window (the flat window) and save it by pressing "ctrl+s". Go back to the 3D window and you will see that the changes that you made on the smart objects affected the 3D layout as well.