Glossy Icons !!!

Any half decent photoshop tutorial website will bound to have a glossy icon tutorial, so here i am trying to design a unique glossy icon. I came across one of a forumer's avatar and i think it look pretty cool and is unique with it's gloss effect. So here's the tutorial on achieving this glossy effect for your icon.

1. Open up a new 500px X 500px document. 

2. Fill up the document's background with #9c9c9c.

3. Create a new layer and use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to draw out a circle or any size you prefer.Name it "Black".

4. Fill it up with #000000.

5. Create a new layer above. Draw out another circle with the similiar tool and fill it up with #ffffff. We name this layer "white".

6. Create another layer above "white" and Ctrl-Click the "white" layer. Fill it up with #7e7e7e.

7. Use the marquee tool to select portion of the layer and cut it away by pressing delete.

8. Change the layer's blending 

9. With the layer selected, Go to Layer>Layer mask>Reveal All.

10. Using the Gradient tool, give the layer a mask from the top to roughly 2/3 of the circle.

11. Create a new layer and Ctrl-Click on the white layer again.

12. Using the Elliptical tool, select "Subtract from Selection" and Subtract away the top part of the selection.

13. Fill it up with #0f1517.

14. Change Blending Option.

15. Make the" white" layer invisible or delete it.

16. Add a shape you like.

17. Apply the Blending Option

18. Give "Black" layer a bit of nice shadows and gradient to give it a nice feel.

The effects would look even nice if you decrease the size of your image.