How To: Make a real glass orb in Photoshop

This tutorial is an on-screen demonstration on how to create a circle that looks like a glass orb using PhotoShop. First make the background black. Then using the elipse took, draw a circle, filled with light grey. Right click on the shape layer and click "Rasterize layer". Select the eliptical marquee tool and make a circle in the grey shape, a little ways in from the edge. Select the area and choose "Layer via cut", click on Layer 2 and delete. Click on Shape 1 and create a contour by choosing the first element and setting the range full to the left. This makes the ring look three-dimensional. Use the elipse tool to make a light blue circle in the middle, perfectly centered. Rasterize the shape layer. Use the Magic Want tool and select the blue circle, then brush the middle of the circle to create shading. Select an oval in the upper part of the blue circle, and use the Gradient tool to set the foreground to transparent. Set the foreground color on white and drag the gradient from top to bottom. Experiment and see what looks best. Repeat at the lower end of the circle. Using this technique, you can make a circle look like a sphere.