Step 1 - With the circular marquee tool, create a simple circle in any color. We will use red in this example.
Step 2 - Give the circle an inner-glow layer effect by changing the glow color to black and changing the blend mode to multiply. Using an inner shadow can result in an angular deflection which is why we use the inner glow method for uniformity.
Step 3 - Load the selection from the circular area. Drag the linear gradient (white to transparent) downward from the top making sure it is close but not completely at the bottom in a new layer.
Step 4 - Press Ctrl/Cmd T to change the white gradient. Drag the handles bringing them up going halfway through, and drag it just a bit inward from the top and sides. Now lets create a merge composite layer. To do this, hide the background, create a new blank layer on top and press Alt Ctrl Shift E or Option Cmd Shift E on Mac, creating a merged layer on top.
Step 5. take the merged layer and create a circular selection above. the circle should be much larger than the original circle. Again use your eyes to tell you what seems right, then copy the section and paste it in to a new layer. This creates the top portion of the orb. Place it again in the proper exact position.
Step 6) On now to the base of the orb and create an elliptical shape fitting in to the bottom half of the circle in a new layer. Duplicate this layer while reducing the size just a bit.
Step 7) Choose the larger ellipse layer, pressing Ctrl/Cmd and clicking on the layer thumbnail to load its selection. Now drag across in the grey-white-grey-white-grey color combination with the cylindrical gradient tool.
Step 8. Duplicate this layer too and bring the duplicate upwards, as shown. Now place the white small portion up above the actual gradiated layer. Place it as shown in fig.8. Link both layers and reduce their size by a bit, so that the outer gradiated ellipse is just a bit within the red circle.
Step 9. Take the duplicated gradient layer and again select it , now giving it a slightly different gradient of grays and whites. Now bring the duplicated gradient layer down. arrange it beneath both the other layers, and position as shown in fig.9. It should be a visible from both sides as it is the rim of the orb.
Step 10. Now to remove the portions of the orb that aren't required. As before by keeping Ctrl/Cmd pressed and clicking on the layer thumbnails; first select the large outer rim elipse (with the gray gradient) and then Shift Ctrl/Cmd Click on the thumbnail of the the upper top portion layer (created in step 5). You will now have the 2 ellipses selected. We want to also select the bottom portion of the orb. Choose the Rectangular marquee tool hold down shift and drag over the bottom portion. Inverse the selection (Ctrl/Cmd Shift I) and delete the middle portion of the orb. The figure should look as it is in Fig.10.
Step 11) Let's create the glass portion. Make a circle of the same size of the orb in any color and place it behind the other layers.
Step 12. As with the initial outer orb, give it the same kind of innerglow effect, and now bring it forward so as to cover all but the red outer portions of the orb.
Step 13) Go to the layer palette and make the fill amount =0 to make the layer invisible, but keeps the layer effects visible.
Step 14 -Create a white gradient reflection like in the red circle, in a new layer above the glass layer, to have a more realistic lighting effect. You will have to adjust the settings as needed to make it as realistic looking as possible.
Step 15. Now select the base layers, ie the grey metal gradient layers and the white elipse, and merge them together. After this press Cntrl U to adjust the hue of the layer. Since it's grey, click on colorize, and adjust to a reddish colour in keeping with the colour of the orb itself.
Step 16) Lastly, make a very small drop shadow to the upper piece of the red orb, in order to create more realism. The lower portion may seem off, so create a new layer above the red lower orb portion. Select the radial gradient tool in the white to nothing option and drag from a point over the red to just a bit inward. Erase parts that are not enclosed within the red portion.
Now your glass ball is done. Any items can be showcased inside there now, just make sure they have a good reflection added on. This effect will give the base a shiny and realistic look.
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