With this tutorial I am going to show you how to design a simple web layout using Photoshop like the one bellow.
1. Let’s start by creating a new document. I created a document with a size of 1024*768.
2. Now fill the background with a dull color. I used #545964
3. The next step is to select the Rounded Rectangle Tool 
and set the Radius to 40 pixels in order to draw the main body of our layout. (I like rounded corners and that is the reason I am using the Rounded Rectangle Tool, you can also use the Rectangle tool if you like). Draw a white rounded rectangle that is 700 pixels wide and has a height of 600 pixels. You can specify the width and height under the Rounded Rectangle Options
Place the Rounded Rectangle in the middle of your document and you should now have something like this.
Now we are going to add a reflection to the rounded Rectangle that is so Web2.
4. Duplicate the Rounded Rectangle layer by pressing Ctrl+J (or Layer->Duplicate Layer)
5. Select the move tool 
and drag the duplicate layer below the original
7. Select the duplicate layer and add a Mask by clicking at this icon 
at the bottom of the Layers Palette.
8. Now we are going to add a fade at the reflection. Make sure that the mask you have just added is selected and select the gradient tool 
.
Draw a black to white Gradient like the arrow in the direction that the arrow in the screenshot below shows.
9. Finally reduce the opacity of the Duplicate layer to 15% and you should get something like this.
Now we are going to create a short of a header.
10. Select the Line tool 
and set the weight to 3 pixels. Draw a line like in the screenshot below. For this tutorial I drew a light grey line but you can choose whatever color you want depending on the color scheme you want to give your layout.
11. Add your Logo and your Slogan or your site’s name above the Line at the right corner. I just used a Photoshop shape as a logo and some random text.
12. Now we are going to add reflection to both the Logo and the Text.
Duplicate the layers (Ctrl+J)
Go to Edit->Transform->Flip Verical
Move the duplicate Layers below the original ones
Add a mask to both Layers (see step 7)
Draw a black to white gradient on the mask (see step 8 )
Now you should have something like this.
What is missing is some kind of navigation. I am going to add the navigation at the side.
13. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool again but this time set the radius at a much smaller value (5-10) the color you want your navigation buttons to have. I chose #c7c9ce
14. Select the Background layer. Now draw a rounded rectangle like the one shown in the screenshot below.
Repeat this step to create as many buttons as you like, I created four.
15. Select the Vertical Type Tool 
and add the text you want at your buttons.
16. The layout is almost ready, I just added a Latest News Column with the Rounded Rectangle Tool and some random text and here is my final result.
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