PhotoshopBucket

Cool Shiny Text

2008-08-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From SupaDupaWebDesign.co.uk

Shiny glass logos are all the rage right now and it seems everyone these days (including us) is doing it. So here is a dead easy tutorial on how to create a shiny glass logo in Photoshop.

1. First, create a new file (File > New) with dimensions of 300x300 pixels. Select the Text Tool in your tool panel, click on the canvas and type in some text in a nice thick styled font. I'm using a font called Planet Kosmos which I picked up from dafont.com.

2. Next, in the Layers window, right-click on the text layer and select Blending Options. IN the Layer Style window click on Gradient Overlay. Create a gradient with a dark colour at the top and a lighter colour at the bottom. Here are the settings I have used:

Left Gradient Stop: #50A8E0
Right Gradient Stop: #074189

The key is for the top colour to be rather dark and the bottom to look like its almost a fluorescent colour (or lit up).

3. Now, this step is what makes the shiny glass effect work and may take a few tries before you get it right. Create a new layer above your text layer. Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool (square selection tool). and create a selection over the top half of the text.

4. Now select the paint bucket tool and fill in your selection. Don't worry about the colour, we are about to get rid of it.

5. Now, in the layers window, right-click on the filled layer and select Blending Options. Now, drag the 'Fill' slider all the way over the 0. This will make your layer appear to have no fill at all. Next, go down to Gradient Overlay and open of the gradient (click on it). Make both stops solid which (#ffffff). Then also change the opacity stoppers so the the left one is nearly 0 and the right one is 100 (see screenshot)

6. We are nearly done. If you still have a selection...selected, press (ctrl-D) to deselect. Now, we are going to select the shape of the text. To do this hold down ctrl and click on the text layer. You should then see the selection in the shap of your text.

7. Now we want to inverse the selection. Shft-Ctrl-I will do this for you. Now, make sure your still on the top layer (the one with the white faded gradient) and hit Delete. This will delete all the gradient outside the shape of the text. If you are using a white background, you won't see the different, but if your not, you will because your white gradient will be in the shape of your text. Here is what is happening on a non-white background:

8. That's it. You now have a shiny glass logo. You can go further and add a stroke and drop shadow to the text like I have done to get the finished product below. Experiment with different colours and gradient settings.

This Tutorial is From SupaDupaWebDesign.co.uk

Create a Lighning Effect

2008-08-11T23:50:00.000-07:00

Tutorial on Creating a Lightning effect in Photoshop CS3 from Valik Rudd on Vimeo.

Create a Swan-Bride

2008-08-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From PSDFan.com

Final Image:

This is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1:

Open up a new document, 80X600px and paste in an image of a swan.

Step 2:

Cut the swan out from it’s background using the lasso tool, or whichever tool you might prefer. Position the cutout so that the bottom part of the swan is cut off, and the image is positioned in the bottom-left of your document.

Step 3:

Now do the same with an image of a bride. After cutting out the bride I went to edit>transform>flip horizontal so that she was facing away from the swan. Don’t worry about the photo’s original background showing through the semi-transparent veil, we’ll fix that later. Be sure to duplicate both your swan/bride layers and hide the originals just in case we need them later.

Step 4:

Now grab your pen tool, and make sure that ‘paths’ not ’shape layers’ is selected (see image below).

Then create a path along the top line of the swan’s wing, as shown below.

Then with a dark gray, 1px brush selected right click on your path and select ’stroke path’ with simulate pressure unchecked. Then delete your path, to leave a 1px line following the top contour of the swan’s wing.

Step 5:

Now repeat this technique of drawing and stroking paths, and be sure to leave the right edges of the wings open, don’t close them off. The images below show the paths with the photo layer visible and invisible.

Step 6:

The skin of the bride was looking a little orange so I select my ‘bride’ layer and go to adjustments>hue/saturation and reduce the saturation of my image by 30.

Step 7:

Now with your bride layer still selected click on the area surrounding her and also the space between her arm/body. Then go to select>inverse to invert the selection, leaving only the bride selected. Then select a medium sized soft brush and set the brush mode to ’saturation’, set it’s opacity to around 70%. Then carefully brush over her veil. This technique will get rid of the blueness that was previously showing through due to the sky background in the original photo. Then with your selection in place change your brush to ‘color dodge’ and reduce it’s opacity to around 30-40%. Then brush over your veil. The veil will now have less saturation and will blend nicely with the rest of your image.

Step 8:

Now create a new top layer called ‘bride pen lines’. Repeat the path/line technique on the left side of the bride, paying particular attention to her veil and the edges of her dress. Remember to make sure that you have a 1px dark gray brush selected again for stroking your paths. The images below show the paths in place with the photo layer visible and invisible.

Step 9:

Now the tricky part. We need to join the lines between the swan and the bride. Create a new top layer called ‘joining lines’. Then drag your pen line from one point to the other as shown before. But this time, don’t let go of your mouse button after clicking your second anchor point, instead move your cursor about to bend the line you’ve created, and do this until it creates a nice arch between your two photos. Repeat this until you’ve joining up most of your lines between the swan/bride. If you remember, I said it was important now to close off the lines for either image, and this step shows you why. We want the lines of each photo not to end where the photos end, but to continue to the other photo.

Step 10:

Now, as you can see there are many lines on the swan’s wing and bride’s veil that haven’t been linked up, their positions just don’t fit. What we want to do here is continue their lines, but not make them join with the other image, simply make them continue to the edge of our document. Firstly, create a new layer called ’swan lines behind bride’, making sure that this layer is positioned below your bride photo layer. Then you guessed it, create some large arching lines that bottom behind your bride right to the edge of your main image.

Step 11:

Now create a new layer above your bride photo layer called ‘bride veil lines’. Repeat the same technique, but this time drag lines from the veil of your bride right to the edge of your main image.

Step 12:

Now repeat this technique once again for the second wing of the swan, on a new layer called ’swan wing 2′. Make sure that this layer is below the swan photo layer. What you should have now is one hell of a lotta lines!

Step 13:

Now select your swan photo layer and select a large, soft eraser brush with a low opacity (around 10%). Begin erasing away the edges of your wings, creating a subtle transition between photo and path lines. Repeat the same technique for the bride, erasing away the left edge of her to create a smooth transition between photo and path lines. The end result should look something like this:

Step 14:

Now select your ’swan wing 2′ layer, and go to layer > create layer mask > reveal all. Create a gradient ranging from black to white and drag it across your image. This will fade away the lines coming out of your second swan wing, and reduce some of the busyness of the image.

Step 15:

Now repeat the same process for the ‘bride veil lines’ and ’swan lines behind bride’ layers, fading them out using layer masks. The result should be something like the image below:

Step 16:

Now paste in your original swan photo layer (it should be very large) and move this below all other layers so that it makes up your background layer. Make it so that the swans wings comprise most of your background.

Step 17:

Now go to image>adjustments>brightness/contrast and reduce the brightness to -100 and contrast to -65.

Step 18:

Now reduce all pen line layers opacities to 60%.

Step 19:

Now go to the following pen line layers

> swan wing 2
> bride veil lines
> swan lines behind bride

and duplicate them. Move the duplicate layer below the original and then apply the outer glow effects shown below. The outcome of doing this is also shown below. It’s very important to remember to duplicate each layer AND move it below the original though. Remember also to only apply this layer effect to the 3 layers listed above, and not the other 3 layers.

Step 20:

Now select the 3 layers that weren’t given an outer glow, they should be above all of your other layers:

> pen lines swan
> pen lines bride
> joining lines

up their layer opacities to 90%

Step 21:

Now I select a small smudge brush at 50% strength and select each outer glow line layer. I then smudge each glowing line into the line it joins, to create a smoother barrier between the two. Then I select a large, soft eraser brush and erase parts of my outer glow layers that are looking too bright until the image looks right.

And we’re done!

To finish things off I reduce the original photo layers opacities to around 65% and add some simply text.

This Tutorial is From PSDFan.com

Ray of Light

2008-08-08T01:03:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From TutorialWiz.com

To start off, we need an image that has some gap or spaces where lights normally pass through, such as a window, clouds, or hallway. In my image to the left, I will create a ray that will pass through the hole in the cliffs.

If you want to try this tutorial on this image, you can download it HERE

First off, we need to duplicate the original layer, one of the ways to do this is right click the layer in the layers pallete and select "Duplicate Layer"

We will now work with the duplicate layer, so select the duplicate layer as the working layer in the layers pallete, then go to Image->Adjustments->Threshold

Set the Thresold level to about 100

Now go to Filter->Blur->Radial Blur

Set amount to: 100, Method: Zoom, and Quality: Best

Then move your cursor over to the "Blur Center", then click and drag its center point to the upper left corner.

Note: Where you drag this will depend on your image and depend on where you want the source of light to come from.

Now set the layer's blending mode to "Lighten" or "Screen" and change the opacity to around "60%"

Then use the eraser tool with the soft brush (size 150px soft brush) and erase out part of the layer where obviously light is not passing through.

That's it!

Here's a few before and after images. (CLICK to view larger version)

This Tutorial is From TutorialWiz.com

Create Simple Stars

2008-08-08T00:12:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From TutorialWiz.com

Start a new document whatever size you want

- Create a new layer and fill it with black.
- Then go to Filter->Noise->Add Noise.
Set: Amount: 20Distribution: Gaussian Monochromatic: Checked
Note: The more "Amount" you set, the more stars where will be

Duplicate this layer and set it to: Overlay.
Thats it.

This Tutorial is From TutorialWiz.com

Create the Sun in Photoshop

2008-08-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From TutorialWiz.com

Description: In this tutorial, i'll show you how to make a red hot Sun.

Start a new document about 800x800. We will intially make it large, then scale it down. It looks better that way.

- Create a new layer.

- Then use the eliptical marquee tool, and while holding down shift, create a circle selection. Make the selection almost as big as your canvas.

- Fill the selection with black.
- Now go to Filter->Render->Difference Clouds
- Press CTRL+F two more times to reapply the filter.

Then go to Image->Adjustments->Levels.
Move the center and right slider towards the left, something similar to mine below:

Now go to Filter->Sharpen->Unsharp Mask
Amount: 500%
Radius: 3.0
Threshold: 15

Now go to Filter->Distort->Spherize:
Amount: 100%

Then Filter->Distort->Spherize again, but this time:
Amount: 50%

Then go to Image->Adjustments->Color Balance

Apply the following color levels:
Shadows: +100 | 0 | -100
Midtones: +100 | 0 | -100
Highlights: +70 | 0 | -15

Alternatively, you can use the Hue & Saturation to colorize your sun.

Now sharpen the image again. Filter->Sharpen->Unsharp Mask.
Amount: 300%
Radius: 3
Threshold: 15

CTRL+D to deselect

If you want to learn how to create stars, See the SIMPLE STARS tutorial

Here is the Final Result:
I add some drop shadow and inner shadow.

DOWNLOAD PSD FILE

This Tutorial is From TutorialWiz.com

2008-08-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From 9Tutorials.com

In this tutorial we will create a peaceful, mysterious and beautiful sunset on the highland.

Step 1: Prepare a pic similar like below,which you can clearly see the sky line (Link to the pic in the tut will be provided later in the end of the tutorial)

Step 2 : Use Soft Round Brush,size doesnâ€™t matter but the opacity is only around 10-15% and turn on Air Brush setting.First choose black,and paint one or two times over the forest (donâ€™t touch the sky since the sky will be go over by different color later).Then use #ad651a (or you can use a lighter version of it,since the opacity is around 10-15%,some small different wonâ€™t matter,but beware,do not make the color go any darker),go over the sky,try to go all the place just once.You will have something similar to the pic below.

Then,click the icon next to the “Quick Mask” on the layer tab,and then choose Curves,and make the line go like the pic below.

You will have result as below.

Step 3: From now,any new layers will be created in the middle of the original layer and the “Curves” layer.

Create a new layer,fill it with black.Then add Len Flare on it,choose the first type of Len Flares(75%) and try to keep it in the center.

Step 4:

Then,use Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur>Radius : 68

Again,choose Soft Round Brush,with the same settings like the beginning,but with the color #fee020.Then start to brush,the starting point will be the flare,brush down

Keep brush down,make the flare center,to make it looks like the flare is spreading them.Do it till you have something similar like below

Step 5:

After that,go to Blending Option,choose Blend Mode as “Linear Dodge”.You will have result as below

Step 6:

Duplicate the Len Flare layer once,and put the duplicated one on top of it,then go to Blending Option,choose Blend Mode of the duplicated one as “Lighten”

Finally,duplicated the original Len Flare one more time,and put this new layer on top of all layers (except the “Curves” layer),go to Blending Option,and choose the Blend Mode as “Screen”.The result will be like below.

Step 7:

In addition,you can add something more to blend things better (not recommended if you are satisfied with result).Choose the color #ff9e39,and use the same brush settings,then brush from left to right at the place where the sky and the forest meets.(You can go over and over several times until you feel it is fine). Like this screenshot

And,it is done

You might want to check the order of the layers:

This Tutorial is From 9Tutorials.com

Cool Cloud Break Effect Using Photoshop

2008-08-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

This Video shows you how to create a cool Cloud Break Effect using Photoshop.

The video is from Luv2Help.com. There you can find a lot more cool Video Tutorials.

Video Tutorial: Supernova Explosion Effect

2008-08-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

This video tutorial shows you how to create a Supernova Explosion Effect

Planetary Explosion Tutorial in Photoshop

2008-08-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From iDigitalEmotion.com

Important Note: To generate the explosion effect, the width and height of the image should be the same, or you will get a different result. I will use a 1000x1000 px document.

1. Creating the stars

Creating the stars is a super simple process, others make their stars with the noise filter, and then they change the levels, the problem about this technique is that it produces super uniform stars, too uniform for my taste, and I bet that for yours too.

The stars we will do here are like the ones that you can see in the background of this image, to do the stars, follow the next easy steps:

1. Rename the background layer to "Stars"
2. Lets select the "Stars" layer and apply a noise filter ( Filter/Noise/Add Noise), with an amount of 400%, check the Monochromatic checkbox.
3. Now apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter/Blur/Gaussian Blur), with a radius of 1 px, yes, yes I know that it doesnt look like stars but soon it will.
4. Now press CTRL+L to edit the levels, I will use the next input values: 172,1.00,255 you can change them in any way you want; to get different results, change the value of the first level, I recommend you a value between 170 and 190, but anyway its up to you.

2.Creating our planet

This tutorial doesnt covers the planet creation, to do that we already have a lot of tutorials available. If you're too lazy and you do not want to follow a tutorial, just search for images of planets in high resolution of stock photo sites.

3. Now the fun begins!

The fun is about to start! Well...this tutorial assumes that you have photoshop CS (its not completely necessary, the version 6 or 7 should work too), because we will be using the fiber filter. In case you do not have PS CS, there is a 2000x2000 image file with fiber filter applied, use it to follow this tutorial.

4. Creating the initial texture

To create the initial texture, create a new layer, and call it "Base Layer" and fill it using the paint bucket with any color, it does not matter. Now lets select the next colors:

#8E0000 as foreground color
#000000 as background color

Now lets apply the fibers filter (File/Render/Fibers), with the next parameters:

Variance: 21
Strenght: 7

If you did this correctly , your layer should look like this:

5. Finalizing the base texture

Now, to finish our base texture, we just have to distort this a little, by applying the Polar Coordinates filter, with the Rectangular to Polar parameter turned on.

Now it begins to look like an explosion, right?

Base texture with the Polar Coordinates filter applied.

6. using Gradients

Now, create a new layer, and name it "Gradient". Hit D to reset your color palette, and then hit X to swap your background and foreground colors, then, select the gradient tool , using the next parameters shown below:

Setting of our gradient

Lets make a gradient in the "Gradient" layer, like the next one:

It doesnt has to be perfectly centered.. Actually, if you make it perfectly centered, the result could be very different. Now change the blending mode of the "Gradient" layer to Vivid Light. Looks much better now, right? (It looks like this:)

7. Using channels and masking

The channels like layers, but they always use grayscale colors. They are strongly related with masks, because a mask is a channel, that determines the opacity of a layer. In channel, the white color means: show it all! (with an opacity of the 100%), the black color means, hide it! (0% of opacity), a 50% gray means: reveal it with an opacity of 50% and so on. If we just let the things in the way they are, we would not be able to see the stars, right? Thats why we're masking.

Well...now select the rectangular marquee tool (hotkey: M), select the whole content of our gradient layer, and copy it (Ctrl+C), now lets go to the channels tab, and create a new channel (just in the way you create a new layer) and name it...Channel.

Now press CTRL+V to paste what we just copied (the content of the Gradient layer) to our channel.

Press CTRL+D to dismiss the rectangular selection, we dont need that one.

Then , we have a channel with a white to black radial gradient. What we have to do now is loading the channel contents in a new selection (sounds complicated? well..it isnt). You just have to press (and hold) CTRL while you click the Channel thumbnail.

Done, now we have a "marching ants" selection. In the selection, you cant see that everything is selected but all of it is selected, with the transparency. You cant see everything because Photoshop only shows the areas with an opacity of 50% or more, but all the content of that channel is contained in your selection.

We will use this selection to mask our layers "Gradient" and "Base Layer".

Now go back to the layers tab, and with our selection still active, select the "Base Layer" layer.

And press the Add Layer Mask button (the 2nd one of the ones you see here, the little rectangle with a white circle in the middle).

Lets repeat this process for the Gradient layer (Go to the channels tab, hold CTRL, click the channel thumbnail, then go back to the layers tab and add the mask layer).

If you did it as its described, your Layers tab should look like this:

And you image should look like this:

We finally see those stars again! To give direction to the explosion effect, move the Gradient layer, I will move it a little bit to the center, just a little.

Looks better, huh?, now, you can add the planet between the "Stars" and "Base Layer" layers.

8. Adding a better color to our explosion

In order to make it look convincing, we need to add a masked Gradient Map layer, we are masking it because we dont want it to change the color of the stars and the planet(s).

First, we have to load the selection of our "Channel" channel (You remember how to do it, right?).

Lets add, with our selection still active , a new Gradient Map layer, to do this go to layer/New adjustment Layer/Gradient map. lets give it a name..."Color layer" will work fine. Leave the rest of the options with thr default settings.

Now, you will see a new window, where we should select (or make) a gradient. Unfortunately, Photoshop does not includes a gradient that meets our needs. We will edit our own gradient (or you can use the one this one).

Click in any place of the gradient to open the Gradient Editor. In case you want to create it by yourself, use the next values for your colors:

Color: #000000, location: 0%
Color: #FF4E00, location: 19%
Color: #FFB400, location: 26%
Color: #FFF600, location: 40%

If you dont want, or you cant make the gradient by yourself, you can find the file with the gradient in the zip file too.

If you followed all the steps up to this point correctly, your result shouldnt look very different from the one that is shown above.

Now lets smooth our effect, select the "Base Layer" and, working on the layer (not on the mask!), apply a radial blur with the next settings:

This should smooth a lot the effect, now, that if you want to wait it noisy, leave it in the way it was. Try with different values of the amount parameter, till you get a good result.

It should look like this now, we almost finish!

9. Finishing touches

Now, you just have to add a few details, that will be made with soft brushes.
Create a new layer, put it on the top and name it Glare, select the brush tool (hotkey:B). Now, select a soft brush, with a diameter of 200px, an opacity of 100% and a flow of 1%.

Select the Pure Red color from your swatches, and make some soft strokes a little bigger than all the explosion, try to make them smooth. Now, select the Pure Orange, and brush it a little more, this time do it a little closer from the center, now select the Pure Yellow and brush it again, this time try to make them only in the center.

The result after the brushing.

Now, you can change the Glare's blending mode, I will use Hard Light, and my layer will have an opacity of 100%. Looks better, doesnt it?. You should always try with different blending modes, compare the results, and choose the one that suits your fancy.

Now there is just a little detail to add, that is a classical effect from all the spectacular explorions, to do this, select the brush tool again, and make a new layer, name it "Ray".

Now, choose the 45px soft brush, with an opacity of 100% and a flow of 1%, click in the center of the explosion, press and hold shift, and then start moving the mouse to the left, and to the right, over and over again, then start moving it more to the center, the closest to the center of the explosion, the more times you will have to move your mouse in that area. The center should have more opacity than the edges. It should not be perfect, it should look like this:

Now the effect looks a little rought, but we will apply a motion blur filter with the next settings:

Angle : 0
Distance: 250

This should smooth the content of this layer. Now apply an outer glow, with color = #FF7200, and the next settings:

Oh yes! Finished product!, I hope this tutorial was helpful, remember that you should always experiment to get different results, do not just do what others tell you to do.

This Tutorial is From iDigitalEmotion.com

Create a Great Looking Ice Explosion Text Effect

2008-08-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From DoPhotoshop.com

1. Create a new document (I made mine 300×300), fill it with black and then type your text (white).

2. Go to Filter –> Distort –> Polar Coordinates and choose Polar to Rectangular.

3. Go to Filter –> Stylize –> Wind. Choose From the Right. Do it again. Then do it two times using From the Left.

4. Go to Image –> Rotate Canvas –> 90 CW) and apply the Wind filter again (two times From the Left and two time From the Right).

5. Rotate the canvas back and use Polar Coordinates again, only this time select Rectangular to Polar.

6. Go to Layer –> New Adjustment Layer –> Hue/Satuaration and use these settings.

7. Here it is. Pretty nice, huh? Enjoy!

This Tutorial is From DoPhotoshop.com

Advanced Glow Effect

2008-08-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From TrueCG.com

Open a new document in Photoshop. For this example I’ll go with the square canvas.

Pick some darker shade of red for the foreground (I’ll go with #941414) and black for the background color. Now select Gradient tool . Click and drag from the center to the edge of the canvas. You should get something like this:

Duplicate the background layer (Layer / Duplicate Layer…) and set the blending mode to Color Dodge.

Now we’re going to make a texture for the background. Make a new layer (Layer / New / Layer…). Set the default foreground/background to black/white. Go to Filter / Render / Clouds. Set the blending mode to Overlay and transparency on 30%.

Go to Filter / Sketch / Chrome... and set these values: 5 on Details and 10 on Smoothness. You can always experiment with these values to get something that fits better with your picture. This will add a smoke effect to the texture.

Previous steps were there just for setting the background for our glow effect. Now pick the Pen tool. If you need some help with this tool, you can see my Pen tool tutorial. We’re going to create S shape curve. To do so, make 4 anchor points, and then with the Convert point tool bend the lines, until you get S curve.

Create a new layer. Pick 3px thin, hard brush and choose a color (I’ll go with #ff9000).

Switch back to the Pen tool, right click on the path and select Stroke path… from drop-down menu. When the dialog box appears, in the Tool field choose a brush and mark Simulate pressure box. This will taper both ends of the S line. After that, again right click on the path and choose Delete path.

Now it’s time for the glow effects. Right click on “S layer” and choose Blending options. We’ll add two layers of glow. Since the line is thin, Inner glow is useless. Outer glow is valid, so we need something different for that second glow. It can be done with Drop shadow and some minor tweaks. Set Outer glow and Drop shadow with these (or similar) values (look picture below). After that, apply Color overlay for shiny glow middle section (color should be white).

Create a new layer and paste the layer style from previous layer (right click on layer and choose Copy Layer Style, then select new layer, right click and choose Paste Layer Style). Draw some additional lines as shown before. Try to add some diversity. Experiment.

Next thing we are going to do is to add some particles. Create a new layer, paste the layer style on it, choose 3px hard brush and start painting dots. They should vary in size and density. Bigger and more concentrated should be around the center of the glow. Again, try to experiment to see what fits in your picture.

Now, for some contrast, we’re going to add a cold color. Create a new layer, choose blue/white combination for the foreground/background and pick the Gradient tool. Make sure it’s radial. Click and drag in a corner of your choice.

Bring down the opacity on 50% and change the blending mode to Color. You can add the additional layers with a different color, but remember that you must select lower opacity comparing to the previous layer(s). Otherwise, every next layer will work against those below and then it’s not the same picture from the start..

That’s it. Try to experiment with all the settings considering color, glow and shapes.

This Tutorial is From TrueCG.com

Electrified Text Effect

2008-08-04T02:59:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From Ljudkort.net

Start off by creating a new document. I used size 500 px x 150 px

Then add a black background, and the text you want - A fat text like the one I use gives the best effect:

Now duplicate the textlayer:

Select the first text layer:

And add Filter - Stylize - Wind

Accept!

Select From the left, then press OK. Repeat this step, but use "From the right" instead once more.

The result of this action should look like this:

Now rotate the canvas as in the image:

Then perform the "Wind" step again, just as you did earlier.

Then rotate it back once this is done, as in the image:

Now select the copied layer again:

And add these layerstyles:

Create a new layer:

Now make a selection like in the image, and then fill this with white, opacity 30%:

Then select the copied layer again:

Select everything but the text using the magic wand - NOTE SPACES INSIDE THE LETTERS!

Then select the previous layer again, and press delete to remove all the white outside the text:

Now duplicate the layer that you modified with wind to get a heavier effect on it:

Now you should have a result somewhat like this!

This Tutorial is From Ljudkort.net

Make a green red glass Text Effect

2008-08-04T02:46:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From FunPhotoArt.com

How to make a Glossy Glass Text Effect using photoshop techniques.

[1] Take a new file of 600 pixels by 200 pixels and resolution of 72 dpi using the RGB mode.

[2] Now take the Text Tool and write your text.

[3] Then create a two layer as shown image below.

[4] Take the Brush and apply the following settings.

[5] Using the brush with 2nd layer.

[6] This time you can change the brush as shown image below.

[7] Now select the 1st layer using the brush.

[8] Now set the layers as shown image below.

[9] Your image should be look like this.

[10] Now go to Blending Options General Blending use these settings.

[11] Do not click ok select the Drop Shadow apply the following settings.

[12] Do not click ok select the Bevel and Emboss apply the following settings.

[13] Do not click ok select the Gradient overlay apply the following settings.

[14] Your image should be look like this.

[15] Now take the Magic Wand Tool.

[16] Now click behind the text with the help of magic wand tool.

[17] Then Cntl+Click the Layer 1 and hit Delete button on your keyboard.

[18] Now Cntl+Click the Layer 2 and hit Delete button on your keyboard.

[19] Your final image should be look like this.

This Tutorial is From FunPhotoArt.com

Glossy Photoshop Text Effect

2008-08-04T02:25:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From PhotoshopXtremeTutorials

In this tutorial you will learn how to photoshop your text to look like this:

Simple as always, this kind of tutorial only takes a few moments of your time and has only 3 layers, including the background ;).

Let’s get started!

Step 1.

Create a new Photoshop Document (File->New). Set it to have 500-550 pixels Width and 150-200 pixels Height. Fill the background layer with “#b7b7b7” (Edit->Fill).

Get the Type Tool and set the size of the font to 72 pt and use a bold-like font like “Cooper Black”. Write something down.

Add the following layer styles (Layer->Layer Style):

My result:

Step 2.

Ctrl/Command Click the Text Layer Icon in the Layer Pallet. Now draw a rectangle with the Rectangular Marque Tool holding alt. This will subtract from the total selection.

Create a new layer. Fill the resulting selection with white, and make sure you have the new layer selected while filling (Edit->Fill). Set the Opacity to 15-25% (Layer->Layer Style->Blending Options).

This is a nice outcome, and it’s fast. The style applied here will be added in a big package of styles that will be released early next year.

Optional Step 3.

You might want to add some color to this font style. To do that just go to Layer->Layer Style->Color Overlay and chose what color you want. Almost all strong colors go well with this style, so play with it a bit!

You can download the Photoshop PSD file here:
Photoshop PSD Download

This Tutorial is From PhotoshopXtremeTutorials

Create a Cheese Text Effect

2008-08-04T02:13:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From 0tutor.com

In this Adobe Photoshop tutorials you will see how to make a stylish cheese text effect.

First we will start by typing in the text we want to apply this effect to. I found a quite good text font called "Goudy Stout". Now remember to make the text nice and big.

In the layers panel right click the text layer and choose rasterize layer.

Zoom a bit closer to the text, and with the elliptical selection tool select and hit delete a couple of places on each letter as shown below.

Now your text should look quite funny like this one.

In the layers panel double click the text layer to get to the layers styles panel and give it settings as shown below.

Now make a new layer above the text layer and name it "holes". Then with the elliptical selection tool, use "add to selection" mode and draw selection part over the text as shown below.

Hold down shift and hit backspace, fill the selections with white. (we will change this later).

Now double click the holes layer to get to the styles panel and give it settings as shown below.

Locate the blending modes, its a roll down menu just above the layers panel, and set it to mulitply.

Thats it, you have made your own cheese text in Photoshop.

This Tutorial is From 0tutor.com

Free Photoshop Brushes

2008-08-04T01:08:00.000-07:00

Here are a few very good sites that have free Photoshop Brushes for you to download.

www.brusheezy.com

Brusheezy is a HUGE collection of Photoshop Brushes and Photoshop Patterns that you can download. You can even upload your own brushes and patterns to this site.

www.psbrushes.net

A very good site to download Photoshop Brushes because it is categorized very properly, and you can find your brush of desire pretty fast.

www.getbrushes.com

GetBrushes.com is free Adobe Photoshop brushes directory, featuring handpicked collection of the best brushes for Photoshop on the net, all free to download and use.
Here you’ll find PS brushes for every style and taste, ranging from always popular decay & grunge brushes, over abstract and tech, to gothic, coffee spills, hair, or fractal inspired brushes for photoshop. Have a look around.. and, well, have fun

www.myphotoshopbrushes.com

This is also a huge site with Brushes for you.

Abstract Lines Background

2008-08-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From Tu-Torial.com

Step 1:

Let's start out by creating a new file. I used a 550x900 pixels canvas set at 72dpi, and I filled my background with a black color. Now grab the background below and insert into your canvas in its own layer.

Step 2:

Create a new layer set and name it 'Abstract Lines'. Now select the brush tool and set the size to 45 px soft brush. In a new layer paint a medium sized line with # 006C6A color shade as shown below.

Step 3:

Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur, apply the settings below to the paint line layer. If your results are thin in color just duplicate the layer and merge them both.

Step 4:

Under Layer Style(Layer > Layer Style) add an Inner Shadow and Gradient Overlay blending options to your motioned paint layer.

Step 5:

Duplicate the motioned paint layer without any layer styles attached. Position it on the right side and set the layer's blending mode to Color Dodge. Duplicate this layer so the dodge effect is thicker on the design.

Step 6:

Once again duplicate the motioned paint layer without any layer styles. Position it as shown below, finish it off by duplicating the layer so its thicker on the design.

Step 7:

Duplicate the 'Abstract Line' layer set and merge it by going to Layer > Merge Layer Set. Make sure you have the layer set highlighted on the layers window or the merge option won't be active. position the layer design next to the original abstract line. Then set the layer's blending mode to Lighten at 46%opacity level.

Step 8:

Now duplicate the lightened layer from the last step by 3 to 4 times and position this designs all over the canvas. Make each copy unique with a different opacity levels.

Step 9:

Add a marquee selection around your canvas and go to Edit > Copy Merged. Then go back to Edit > Paste, this should add a new layer with a copy of your current design. Set the layer's blending mode to Hard Light at 49% opacity level.

Step 10:

Copy your current design as shown on step nine then use rotate option on Edit > Transform.

Results:

Abstract Lines Background.

This Tutorial is From Tu-Torial.com

Man in Fire Photo Effect

2008-08-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From Tu-Torial.com

1. Open your fire, explosion pictures, and one human stock foto. I choose Bruce Willis foto

2. Now, using Pen Tool to select him

u should set opacity of this path layer = 0 when draw

3. Make selection

with 2 px feather

we move him to new background

4. Resize him fit to background, in the center

5. Ctrl + click to Load Selection

Select >> Modify >> Contract

Inverse Selection ( Ctrl + Shift + I ) and ... Delete !

we have

6. Duplicate model layer, go to Filter >> Blur >> Gaussian Blur

Move down 1 layer

See difference ? this tip make your foto more real,
more impressive :)

7. Duplicate layer Fire ( Background ) move it to the top

Creat a mask

Use Soft Brush Tool with these parameter

Draw in mask to hide or show layer ( use black for hide,
white to show )

Layer Shot

8. Adding color for model

Use Hue ( Image >> New adjustment layer >> Hue/Saturation
)

Change opacity to 74 %

Use Color Balance ( Image >> New adjustment layer >> Color
balance )

Wow, fire men ;)) It real !!!

More Contract

9. Now, make some text :)

First, Type text, add this layer style

and set Fill = 0 %

Duplicate layer text, add Gaussian Blur filter ( Filter >>
Blur >> Gaussian Blur )

Done !!!

This Tutorial is From Tu-Torial.com

Create Eerie Eye Effect

2008-08-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From Boonage

How to make an eerie eye effect on a photo by using the Dodge tool in photoshop will be teach on this tutorial with just few simple steps. Though is simple but several trial and error process will be needed in order to obtain the desire result.

Open up a photo of a human face with eyes of course. The image i am using can be get at SXC.hu site. Name this layer Face
Then create a new layer, name this layer Right Eye and draw a circle around the pupil, fill the color with #FFE200.
Now change the blend mode of this Right Eye layer to Overlay, then u will get something like as shown on the above picture.
Use the Dodge Tool, in case u don’t know, it’s the tool shown on the above picture. the brush choose the size which is smaller than the pupil size and the range put as Midtone, Exposure 50%.
With all these settings, apply the Dodge tool on the Face Layerwith the shown direction as in the picture. Plus also apply it inside the iris. A few trial and error will surely be needed here as it really depends on how your picture’s eyes are. Anyway, try to get similar effect like on the picture
After u got the effect u want, use the Eraser tool, apply the eraser on the Right Eye layer to remove the unwanted part which is those which are outside the pupil. Then u will get something like the above picture and basically you’re done with it.
Repeat step 2 onwards again on the other eye. Carefull on the amount of Dodge u apply as you may end up getting a different effect compare to the eye which u had done previously.

With a bit of Curve Adjustment and Desaturation, u can get an eerie eye effect as shown below. Happy Photoshop-ing!

This Tutorial is From Boonage

Video Tutorial: Photo Effects

2008-08-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some PhotoShop Photo video tutorials from Luv2Help.com

Stacked PhotoEffect:

Invisible Clothing Effect:

Aging Photographs:

Changing your Hair Color:

These video tutorials are from Luv2Help.com

Smoke Effect

2008-08-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From EyesOnTutorials.com

This lesson I'll show you how to represent colored ornaments from the smoke by choosing a prepared set of brushes and certainly, the possibilities of the Photoshop program.

For the beginning, open a new file of the necessary size: File -> New (ctrl+n)

Then paint the background's layer in white, selecting the Paint Bucket Tool.

Download now the brushes of the smoke shape (they may be downloaded
here: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/29341741/
?qo=13&q=by%3Afalln-brushes&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps
and here: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/29341959/
?qo=12&q=by%3Afalln-brushes&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps).

Select the Brush Tool of black color and create a new layer: Layer -> New -> Layer.
All that we have to do now is representing the ornament.
First represent a dot with one of the brushes.

Then pass to another window Filter -> Liquefy (shift+ctrl+x) and choose the Turbulence Tool to add in the pictured smoke more curves.

Take the Eraser Tool of a small size and erase the unnecessary curves if having them. Then copy this layer: Layer -> Duplicate Layer (ctrl+j). Flip this copy horizontally by applying this command: Edit -> Transform -> Flip Horizontal. The Move Tool will help us to move the pictured smoke on the necessary place.

Create now a new layer and represent another dot with another bush's type. If you are not satisfied with the smoke's sizes, you may change it when using the next operation: Edit -> Free Transform (ctrl+t).

Distort it a little by selecting the Turbulence Tool (shift+ctrl+x), then copy the layer and flip it horizontally.

Now we may give to this part of the ornament a special perspective: Edit -> Transform -> Perspective by combining preliminary these two layers: Layer -> Merge Down (ctrl+e).

If a part of the ornament doesn't correspond to that one pictured already, then we may minimize a little the layer's Opacity. The new ornament's part must be flipped horizontally and vertically also (Edit -> Transform -> Flip Vertical).

Do the same manipulations you did with the other previous parts of the ornaments.

Then several other ornaments' parts:

Merge down all the layers with the smoke now (ctrl+e) and make three copies of the new layer (ctrl+j). Flip the copies horizontally and vertically as for them to be situated on all four sides equally. Minimize the Opacity of each of the layers till 65 %.

Combine now all the layers: Layer -> Merge Visible (shift+ctrl+e) and continue by inverting the colors: Image -> Adjustments -> Invert (ctrl+i).

We have to create now a new layer, set the necessary colors in the Gradient Tool's adjustments and paint the smoke with these colors.

Stretch out the gradient from the center to one of the corners and change the layer's Blending Mode on Multiply.

When inserting the colors more chaotically, you may choose the Brush Tool and the next filter's options: Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur. If you want, you may insert the picture in a frame by using the Crop Tool and Rectangular Tool.

This Tutorial is From EyesOnTutorials.com

Photoshop Transition Videos

2008-08-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

I got some cool Transition Videos done with Photoshop. ENJOY!

some horror transitions:

These two actually have nothing to do with Photoshop, but I like the face blendings. It is kinda like transition too.

Women In Film:

Men In Film:

VideoTutorial: Make Navigation Bar with Icons

2008-08-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

How To Create Killer Metallic Text - Part 2

2008-08-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From GrandMasterB.com

Since this tutorial is a two-parter I recommend going through part one before moving onto this tutorial. However, if you only want to learn how to create the metallic text effect and not the background that is fine too. I leave it up to your discretion. With all of that out of the way, let’s get on with the show…

If you haven’t done so already please open your file from the first tutorial (you did save it right?). If you don’t have it, fear not you can download the Photoshop file that I created for the tutorial here:

Photoshop File (2.8MB): Killer Metallic Text_PT1.psd

Alright…let’s roll!

STEP ONE - Let’s Make Some Text
I’m sure all of you know how to do this, but just in case here it is. Grab the text tool (t) and type out your text. I chose a nice heavy italic font (Incised Italic Bold) for this tutorial, because anything metallic should look tough. Now this font I used wasn’t quit slanted enough, so I gave it a little more of what it needed. Simply go under your menu to Edit > Transform > Skew (-10.6°). You can play with the settings as much as you like, but remember the golden rule “Less is More!”. Once you have the text how you like change it to a light shade of gray (#C5C5C5). Then add some Layer Styles to the text with the following settings:

Drop Shadow
- Multiply: Black
- Opacity: 12%
- Angle: 120°
- Distance: 5
- Spread & Size: 0
Stroke: Change only the size to 1 pixel and the color to #666666

STEP TWO - Add Some Detail
Create a new layer above the text layer you just made. Change your fill color to #A5A5A5 and make a selection of the text by cmd-clicking/ctrl-clicking the text layer on the layer palette. From here we will contract the selection by going to the menu: Select > Modify > Contract > 2 pixels. Once your selection is contract fill with foreground color (alt-backspace). Deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change to the oval marquee tool (m or shift-m to change between square and oval). Draw an oblong selection over the top half of the darker gray layer and then delete. You should now have something like in the sample image.

STEP THREE - Add Some Texture
This step is a little more involved than previous steps, but should still be relatively easy to follow along with. First things first, create a new layer above the previous darker gray layer. Reset your colors to black and white (d) and grab the gradient tool; making sure that foreground to background is selected as well as linear gradient. Next draw out a gradient from the bottom left to top right corner. After that it’s time for some filter action. Start out with making some clouds: Filter > Render > Clouds. You can do this step a few times to get the right spread by hitting cmd-f, ctrl-f if you like. After you have that it’s time to MAKE SOME NOISE! Sorry, I got a little carried away go back up to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use these settings:

Amount: 12.5%
Uniform
Mono

Then we’ll add a little bit of motion blur to finish off the look and give us a cool brushed aluminum look. Back to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur with the following settings:

Angle: 32°
Distance: 40 pixels

Move the layer around over the top of the text to get the right balance of gray. You don’t want too much white or black. Once you got it all set, make a text selection (like in step two) and create a layer mask (next to Layer Effects on the Layers Palette). Change your layer blend mode to Multiply and the Opacity to 68%…done, onto step four.

STEP FOUR - Adding Some Depth (Shadow Line)
We’re going to start by creating a new layer (of course) on top of the previous layer. Make a selection of the text layer and change your fill color to #616161. From there make a stroke/outline of the selection: Edit > Stroke > 1px > Outside. Deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change to the move tool (v). Nudge your stroke layer up and left 1 time (arrow keys). Make another selection of the text layer and invert it (cmd-shift-i, ctrl-shift-i) and hit delete/backspace. Change your opacity to 75%.

STEP FIVE - Get Like Some Highlights Dude!
Start out with a new layer, reset your colors (d) and flip your fill color to white (x). Make a selection of the text layer and add a stroke (just like step four): Edit > Stroke > 1px > Outside. Deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change to the move tool (v). This time we’re going to nudge down and to the right one time. Make another selection of the text layer and invert it (cmd-shift-i, ctrl-shift-i) and hit delete/backspace. Change your opacity to 85%.

STEP SIX - Time For Some Shading
Here is where we take this flat looking hunk of text into the next dimension. Once again, we’ll make a new layer on top of the previous layer and make a selection of the text. Reset your colors (d) and change to the gradient tool: foreground to transparent, linear gradient. You’re going to make two separate gradients one will start just above the top of the text and stop about the midpoint of the text. The second will start just below the text and end at the midpoint. This may take some time to get the look you want. We’re going for a dark gray to transparent, not really black. It has to be smooth. Once you’ve got something you’re comfortable with deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change the layer opacity to 80%.

NOTE: As we progress through the tutorial you may notice that the sample images are a bit fuzzy. I wanted to save load time and filesize, so the images are saved as JPEGs. Normally, I would use PNG but the filesize was almost triple of the JPEG at 60%.

STEP SEVEN - Another Highlight
This step is purely optional, but I feel that it gives the text just a little something extra. To start out make a new layer above the previous and make a selection of the dark gray layer just above the text. Change your fill color to white (x) and make a stroke: Edit > Stroke> 1px > Outside; then deselect. Make a selection of the text layer and contract it: Select > Modify > Contract > 3 pixels. Invert the selection (cmd-shift-i, ctrl-shift-i) and delete. Change the blend mode to Soft Light and opacity to 50%.

STEP EIGHT - Give It Some Shine
Make a new layer above the previous and if your fill color isn’t white (it should be), reset the colors (d) and swap (x). Grab your gradient tool, switch to foreground to transparent and radial gradient. If you followed along with part one this will seem familiar. At the points of the letters draw small gradient orbs, they will look goofy for a bit, but you’ll see. After you have the orbs created (remember not too many) change your layer mode to Soft Light and opacity to 80%. Make a selection of the text and create a layer mask.

STEP NINE - Shadow Of The Text
This layer is going to set the text apart from the background and make it appear to be standing on a glossy surface. This is bonus number two of the tutorial; the first bonus was the background, so if you skipped part one, you better get back there and check it out. Just as before we’re going to create a new layer but this time it will be below the text layer. The quick way to do this is (cmd-shift-click, ctrl-shift-click) the layer you want to be under. Once you’re all set make a selection of the text layer and fill with black (reset colors if need be) and deselect. Nudge the layer down ten times or hold shift and hit the down arrow once. Now to add a little perspective: Edit > Transform > Perspective (change the H value in the options window to 45°). Then Free Transform (cmd-t, ctrl-t) and change width to 120% and height to 31%. Blur the layer to make it look like a true shadow: Filter > Gaussian Blur > 5px. After all of that is done change your blend mode to Multiply and opacity to 60%.

STEP TEN - Time to Reflect
This part of the tutorial is fairly straight forward for those that are familiar with Photoshop, but for those who aren’t you shouldn’t have any issues. Start out by clicking your highest layer (should be the last highlight layer) and create a new group (folder icon on bottom of layer palette). Once you have that click the highlight layer again and while holding shift click the text layer. You should now have eight layers selected, drag them all up into the folder and click the arrow to close the folder.

Now that you have everything in a nice neat container we’ll duplicate it: Layer > Duplicate Group. Drag that duplicate layer below the shadow layer we created in step nine. With the duplicated group still selected we’ll flip it on it’s head: Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical and drag it so the bottom of the text is almost touching the other text group bottom. Change your blend mode to Soft Light and opacity to 50%. Create a layer mask for the group and grab the gradient tool: set to foreground to transparent and linear gradient. Start at the middle of the text (bottom) and drag up to the middle of the top text. If you’ve gotten all of that, you’re GOLDEN and should have an image similar to the one at the top of the tutorial. If you didn’t make it and it’s not looking similar, double-check that your layers are positioned correctly. You can download the Photoshop file with the final version of the tutorial here:

Photoshop File (8.9MB) - Killer_Metallic_Text_Final.psd
Safari Download: Right-Click, Download Linked File

This Tutorial is From GrandMasterB.com

How To Create Killer Metallic Text - Part 1

2008-08-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is From GrandMasterB.com

I know that many of you have seen tutorials all over the place that describe how to create metallic text with Photoshop. Well, I’m here to show you how to make Killer Metallic Text and I’m going to toss in a cool background and a reflection effect. So over this two part tutorial you actually get three tutorials for the price of one. How’s that sound? Along with this tutorial I will make the final Photoshop (.psd) file available for download. I know that sometimes it is easier to figure out how something works by taking it apart first. Note: Throughout the tutorial I will give you keyboard shortcuts for picking tools or performing commands. They will be listed in parenthesis next to the task.

Let’s get started!

I would start this off as step one, but you all know that we’re going to need to open up Photoshop and create a new document. When you do create your new document set it up at about 800 x 800 pixels and make the background black. Place a guide at 400y and another at 400x to get the center of the canvas and reset your center point (very important). There we go…one step saved in the tutorial!

CREATING THE BACKGROUND

STEP ONE - Creating a gradient background
To start out create a new layer, flip your fill colors (x on the keyboard) and choose a decent shade of blue. For this tutorial I picked #2D4C91 and make sure your other color is black. Grab your gradient tool (g) and select the radial gradient. Make sure that the gradient is set to foreground to background color (blue to black in this case). Once you’ve got your gradient tool set, start at the center point and make your gradient (about halfway to the other side.

STEP TWO - Transform the Gradient
This step is relatively straight forward. All you are going to do is squish the gradient vertically by using Free Transform (cmd-t, ctrl-t). What you’re going to do is grab the center square. While holding down the alt key drag downwards to the 200 pixel mark. Once you’ve got it all set hit the confirm button and change the layer’s opacity to 50%. You want the blue to be visible, but not nearly as bright as before. If you’ve got something similar to the image, let’s move to step three.

STEP THREE - Adding Some Graphic Elements
For step three we are going to dive into the GoMedia Vector Arsenal. In particular we are going to check out the radial vectors that are in Vector Pack 6. For instructions on using the vector packs check out the FAQ Page at GoMedia. Back to the tutorial, open the vector pack and select a radial pattern to your liking. Create a new layer above the last one. Copy and paste the graphic into the Photoshop document and resize it to what you find suitable (NOTE: Try to limit the resizing to one attempt, any more and it will distort your piece). After you have the radial pattern all set you’ll want to adjust it as follows:
On the Layers Palette

Change the Fill to 0%
Choose Layer Effects (bottom of Layers Palette…looks like an fx)
- Color Overlay: #823A7F
- Blend Mode: Color Dodge
- Click OK
Change Layer Opacity to 35%

STEP FOUR - Graphic Element Number Two
This step is almost identical to step number three with just a little tweak on the settings, a different vector graphic and another interesting effect to set it off from the previous layer. Create a new layer and paste your graphic into this new layer. After you have your graphic all set add the following settings to that layer:

Change the Fill to 0%
Choose Layer Effects (bottom of Layers Palette…looks like an fx)
- Color Overlay: #00AEEF
- Blend Mode: Color Dodge
- Click OK
Change Layer Opacity to 25%

After you have the layer settings all done, click on the “Add Layer Mask” button on the layers palette (the Add Layer Mask is one to the right of Layer Effects. With the Layer Mask selected fill the entire thing with black (alt-delete), then change your fill color to white (x). Grab your gradient tool and select radial gradient with the color set to foreground to transparent. Now draw small radial gradients and they will begin to reveal the layer little by little. We don’t want the entire radial pattern to show, just bits of it.STEP FIVE - Now For The Crazy Stuff!
In this step we are going to use a little free spirit and create some bright blue gradient orbs. Change your foreground fill color to #823A7F and make sure the gradient tool is selected with foreground to transparent and radial selected. Create a new layer above the last layer from step four and start making some blue orbs of all sizes (small, medium and large). Once you have a few blue orbs (remember not too many) change the layer blend mode to Color Burn. Create a new layer above, reset your colors (d) and swap to white (x). Start making some white orbs now, and it’s okay to overlap the blue ones, it will give more depth. After you have a few (10 or so) change the layer blend mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 42%. You should now have something like the sample image.

STEP SIX - A Final Touch
This is the final step for the background and an important one. This step will give us a platform of sort to set our text on. Create a new layer above the last one and grab the rectangle marquee tool (m). Once you have the tool in hand draw out a selection about 500 pixels wide by 150 pixels high. Place the top of the selection below your horizontal guide and centered left to right. It’s easiest to start on the left side at 250 pixels drag to the right side 250 pixels and down 150. If I just confused the crap out of you I apologize. Once you have your selection in place reset your colors (d) and switch to the gradient tool (g). Make sure you’re set to foreground to transparent and linear gradient (not radial). Drag from the top of the selection down to the bottom. Once you have that change your layer opacity to 50% and you’re done with part one of the tutorial.

That’s all for part one of this tutorial. I hope you’re following along well and making progress. If you have any questions regarding the tutorial please shoot me an email and as always feedback is welcomed. If you would like to check out the Photoshop file with all of the elements for part one of the tutorial you can download it here:

Photoshop File (2.8MB): Killer Metallic Text_PT1.psd
Safari Download: Right-Click > Download Linked File

Stay tuned for PART TWO

This Tutorial is From GrandMasterB.com

Make a Dreamy Abstract Background

2008-08-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

This Tutorial is from 9Tutorials.com

I will show you how to make a dreamy abstract background, which you could use for your web background, or technology related design. In this tutorial, I will combine many built-in filters and blending mode techniques to achieve the final result.

Step 01

Create a new document. I made a 8 inches x 8 inches with white background. Then, fill the background layer with black color. Create a new layer, then also fill it with the black.

Step 02

Go to the menu Filter -> Render -> Lens Fare. You drag the cross icon, to make the circle like below, then press OK.

Then, you have

Step 03

In this step, still on the top layer, you use Free Transform (press Ctrl + T), to reduce the height to 28.3%.

Step 04

Next, you duplicate the current layer, then rotate it for 90 degree.

Then, you choose the blending mode for this layer is Lighten.

Step 05

The purpose of these steps is to create a lighting-flower. So, I continue to duplicate the layer 1, drag it to the top, rotate it about 45 degree, and applied the Lighten mode for Blending Options also.

Then, you duplicate the layer 1 again, drag it to the top, rotate it about -45 degree, then applied the Lighten for Blending Option. You will have the result like below.

Step 06

Double click on the background layer (the bottom layer), then press Ok to unlock it.
Then, go to the menu Layer -> Merge Visible.
And then, press Ctrl + T to go in Free Transform mode, and increase both height and width to 225%

Step 07

Go to the menu Filter -> Distort -> Wave, and applied the settings below.

Step 08

Duplicate the layer and then go to the menu Filter -> Distort -> Twirl, and applied the settings below.

You also applied Screen mode for Blending Options on this new layer.

Step 09

Now, you continue to duplicate the layer and rotate it again, and again to create some abstract graphics. In my works, I duplicated it about 4 times, and rotate it in each different ways to have this result.

Step 10

Then press the round button (half black, half white) at the bottom of the Layer panel and select Levels to open the Levels dialogue, then you could use my numbers below. or you could play around with others.

Step 11

In this step, you try with Hue/Saturation.

The final result will be like this:

(You could try to use Gaussian Blur filter to make it more mysterious if you like)

This Tutorial is from 9Tutorials.com

How to Make Great Fireworks in Photoshop

2008-07-31T04:46:00.000-07:00

This tutorial is from Tutorial9.net

This tutorial will show you how to make some really great fireworks using Photoshop. It’s a great technique to use on celebration cards and posters, as well as graphics pertaining to holidays such as New Years and Independence Day.

In this tutorial, I’ll be demonstrating how to create this effect.

Step 1 - Background:

Go ahead and create a new document, and select the Paint Bucket Tool.

Unless you plan on tweaking your fireworks color with Color Balance Layers (or by some other means) later on, the fireworks color will largely depend on what you choose your background color to be. We want a background color that is sort of dark, but also has some color value to it. I’ll be using a dark purple (#1c1727).

Fill your background layer with your chosen color.

Step 2 - The Burst (Stroke Paths):

If’ you’ve ever used Photoshop’s Stroke Path option before, this ought to be a cinch for you. For everyone else, we’ve got an easy guide to get you going.

Create a New Layer.

You’re going to need to select the Pen Tool from the tool bar, and in the options bar, you need to make sure that you’re working with Paths instead of Shape Layers.

On your document, left click somewhere near the center of the canvas to create a point with the pen tool.

Left click again up and to the right of this point to create a new point. This time, hold down the mouse button, and drag towards the bottom right to Curve your path.

This will become the path which we will use to streak a beam of light across to make the “Burst Effect”.

Select the Brush Tool. Select a Foreground Color of White. Set the Size of the brush to 3px (Hardness 100%).

Under Shape Dynamics for your brush, set up a fade of around 200px.

Go back to the Pen Tool. Right Click anywhere on the Canvas, and select Stroke Path. From the Box that pops up, make sure you select the Brush as the tool. This will tell Photoshop to use that brush you just set up to stroke the path you drew with the pen tool.

Once you have stroked your path, hit Esc Twice to make the Path line disappear.

Repeat this step several times until you have a few similar lines. Remember to always start your path from the outside going in, as the fade will begin from the first point.

Step 3 - Burst Blening Options:

We need to touch up our burst effect a bit by adding some blending options to our burst layer. Right Click the Layer, and select Blending Options. Add the following Drop Shadow, and Outer Glow.

This will add a slight glowing effect to your burst streaks.

Step 4 - Ambiance Effects:

Create a new Layer, and place it underneath your burst streaks layer.

Select the Brush Tool, select a default round brush (to override your earlier modifications to the brush tool), and then set the hardness to 0% and the size to somewhere around 200px. Set the Foreground Color to white. Click once to near the center of your streaks.

Set this layers Blending Mode to Overlay.

Create a new Layer above the streaks now. Using a smaller brush (50-100px, hardness still at 0%, or very soft), create a small circle at the center of the streaks again, where they all start to converge. Set this layers Blending Mode to Overlay. Repeat this a few times (you should end up with 3-4 layers).

Step 5 - Adding the Sparks:

Select the Brush Tool once more, and set it up as follows (We are setting up a “Glitter”, “Sparkle”, “Fairy Dust” brush, so you may already have the idea on how to set this up).

ow that you have your brush set up (which you may want to save for later use), Create a new Layer on top of all your previous layers, and brush in some sparks for your firework. Try to concentrate mostly around the center area, easing up on the sparks as you go outwards.

I usually like to add an Outer Glow at this point in the Blending options of this new layer. It lets me add some spark ambiance, as well as add some extra color to the firework.

Your firework should look pretty good by now!

Final Remarks:

The fireworks in this tutorial hardly aim to replicate the look of a real world firework, but from an illustration perspective, they capture the elements of fireworks in a fun, creative manner.

To go a step further, you may want to add some Color Balance layers to add some colorful effects to your fireworks. You could also play with depth of field effects to give more depth to larger scenes.

Feel free to download our Fireworks Example PSD to see how we went about doing things!

This tutorial is from Tutorial9.net

Shiny ball abstract wallpaper

2008-07-31T03:23:00.000-07:00

This tutorial is from 0tutorblog

In this adobe photoshop tutorial we will do some freestyle to make a funky wallpaper nice and easy.

First set the foreground and background color to a light and dark green, then go to filter -> render -> clouds

Select the background layer, then go to image -> adjustments -> levels and drag all three handles a bit to the right as I did below.

Go to filter -> filter gallery and locate the filter called Fresco and give it settings as I did below.

Then go to filter -> blur -> radial blur and blur it like below.

Again go to filter -> filters gallery -> locate the filter called Glowing edges and give it settings like below.

Final touch for the background is to go to filters -> render -> lightning effect and set it like below.

Now lets make the shiny ball, so first with the elliptical selection tool draw a circle and fill it with a default color (we will change it later).

Then find an abstract brush from the brush tool, and draw it in the same layer as the ellipse like I did below.

Double click the layer to get into the layers styles panel and give it settings like below.

Try to be creative with the gradient colors.

Now lets make those small glossy spots on the ball that makes the ball interesting..

So make a gradient going from white to transparent, with the gradient tool choose radial gradient mode and drag a small gradient out (just 1 or 2 pixels dragging).

Now make a elliptical selection like a did below, also fill this with the same gradient like the one we just did.

Then go to filters -> blur -> gaussian blur and blur it about 1 pixel.

Repeat this step for the top right corner glossy effect and you should end up with a glossy ball like the one below.

I got a bit creative with the colors and made a purple to red ball...

This tutorial is from 0tutorblog