Trying to make a completely photoshop made bowling ball, but I think I've done something wrong here. Please tell me what it is.

needs some sharp light reflections to give feeling of a smooth shiny surface.......looks really textured, when real bowlking balls look glossy

try google searching bowling ball, and look at some real ones for reference

in my opinion everett the ball is oblonged horivontally, the top finger holes are oval instead of round and the ball's texture is just that if you look at a reg b ball the surface is smooth and glossy i would try to make a duop layer and set it as an overlay and then add the light to hit the ball on the appropriate spots in a cordance to the shadows hope that helps but i'm sure many more here can give better advice
-matt-

didn't you say that you don't use Photoshop? Maybe that would be a good start, and get a real photo of a bowling ball and use it as a ref.

notice how your lighting appears to cause shadows on the textured surface

Look at the smooth lighting reflection on the surface in this example
http://www.birddogbowling.com/images/Rampage_ball_image.jpg

click on a brand name here and you will see plenty of examples
http://www.birddogbowling.com/bowling-balls-c-21.html

wanna borrow my ball untill you get your's fixed?
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/39717/index.html

The best way is to find a picture of a bowling ball that you like and compare that one to yours.

Here is a good one. What do you think yours needs?

more holes, i got 4 fingers

That's not a finger Splodge! and your going to go blind if you keep sticking it in that bowling ball!!!
Not to mention....That's Marco Bowling Ball!!!!

I'm not looking at your ball.

Others have done so, and have offered good thoughts.

I am looking at your shadows.

NOT with good thoughts.

Take something round (an orange, a baseball, etc.) and put it under a lamp - observe how the shadow falls.

After you got the shadow thing right, you can worry about a reflection (if your image is supposed to be sitting on a SHINY surface - otherwise forget it!).

Oh heck - here, I'll grab my camera and dig up my bache ball set...



Now, IGNORE the actual ball, but look at how the shadow isn't all the same density/darkness. It has a gradient.

Okay - goodluck with the rest of your project!

The "all knowing" Reinman has spoken.

(just cause I know what I'm talking about don't mean I know what the hell I'm doing. But I'll take your endless praise, anyway, cause I LIKE IT!!! )

Actually, I got cs2 a couple days ago. Thanks for all the help, I'll try out all of your advice.