1. start of with a canvas of 600x600 at 300bpi
2. drop some paint on the background. I've selected the fine color of #5E0F74
   
   Picture 1.png
3. create a new layer. call it greybg. Use your marquee tool to create an oval. Pick a gray color of somewhat dark hue, like 828181. Drop paint into your selection.
   
   Picture 2.png
4. dup your grey layer by hitting cntr+j
5. shrink your layer using the free transform tool. cnt+t. hold down alt+shift as you click and drag to keep it locked in the center
6. create a new layer called "center oval". use your marquee tool to create a circle in the center. Fill this again with a neutral grey color.
   
   Picture 3.png
7. Dup the center oval layer twice. Name one layer light, the other dark.
8. create a new layer called oval color. hit cntr+alt+g on PSCS2 or just alt+g on CS and earlier. this groups the layer with the layer you've made under it.
   
   Picture 4.png
9. Select a gradient with a linear quality. Make sure that at one spectrum is a purple color while at the other is white. Use the gradiant tool to make a gradiant that goes from the top left of the stage to the bottom right.
10. go back to your dark circle layer. HIt cntr+u to bring up the hue saturation panel. Change the lightness of this layer to absolute dark. Do the same for the light, but make it light. Gently nudge with the move tool the dark layer to the bottom and the light layer to the top.
    
    Picture 5.png
11. On both the dark and light, go to filture, blur, gaus blur and create a blur of about 3-5 px.
    
    Picture 7.png
12. on your grey layer, add an inner glow with the following aspects to it.
    
    Picture 8.png
13. on the center oval, add a bit of emboss to the layer to give it a raised look. Note the gloss contour. This gives it a coin-like effect.
    
    Picture 9.png
14. at this point you should have something that looks remotely like this. Of course, an element of play comes into it, so make sure you're getting the look your after. Now we're going to add in some features within the circle to make it look like a glassy orb.
    
    Picture 10.png
15. Select your gradient layer by hitting cntrl+layer. (or apple+layer for macs)
16. Add some lens flair to this gradient by selecting filter, render, lens flair.
    
    Picture 11.png
17. with your gradient still selected, we'll create a sphere effect by going to filter-> distort -> spherize. You should have something like picture 11
    
    Picture 12.png
18. Now we'll add some accents to this image by creating some white streaks across the face of the orb while using some blend modes. Select your circle layer. cntrl+layer.
19. create a new layer called white light
    
    Picture 13.png
20. on the white light layer, add a white to transparent gradient that goes from the top left to the bottom right.
    
    Picture 14.png
21. use your free transform tool (maybe with a little distort or whatever) to position the light streak within the orb.
22. now change the blend mode and opacity to something that you think looks cool. I've done a luminosity of about 60% opacity.
23. Now we'll give the light a bit of an accent by cutting off the lower section. First, select your white light layer as so:
    
    Picture 15.png
24. With this selection, hit cntrl+shift+I to invert your selection and than hit delete. This removes (with force) the lower section of the light, giving it a cool look.
25. Here is where you should be now:
    
    Picture 16.png
26. (note, I added a layer called more color, cause I wanted a richer hue in the center. play and get what you're after!
27. create a new layer called "lower blur". select your circle with cntrl+layer and add in a white fill to this "lower blur" layer.
    
    Picture 17.png
28. create a new layer, move your selection up and to the left just a nudge, then hit delete, removing most of the white fill. I needed to create a new layer to move my selection up or else I would have moved the fill layer.
    
    Picture 18.png
29. delete your newly created layer at the top. You just used this to move your selection.
    
    Picture 19.png
30. Now use your free transform tool to distort this lower white layer.
31. add a bit of a blur to this layer
    
    Picture 20.png
32. I found a uw logo on the uw site and added herein. I also used a blend mode to integrate it to the background. Picture 21.png
33. Now all that's left is to add in those little silver buttons to this image. The good news is that once you create one, your done!
34. create a new layer. create a small circle and fill it with black.
    
    Picture 22.png
35. duplicate this layer and fill it with white. transform this layer down a bit.
36. Now, go to the small black circle layer and add in a hint of an outer glow. Note, we'll switch the blend mode and give it an outer shadow.
    
    Picture 23.png
37. At this point, you've got to get your artist skills on cause I can't tell you how to best get this chrome effect. I simply added in small flecks of white and black with a pencil tool to the white circle layer. Trial and error here folks!
    
    Picture 24.png
38. Once you've got what you're after here, cntr+e the layers of this effect down so you can duplicate them over again.
    
    Picture 25.png