Lighting effects

[Cuthbo360]

This is my first tutorial, please don't be to harsh as I myself am still learning how to use Photoshop.

Step 1. Create a new canvas 400 Width x 150 Height, or any resolution you see fit.


Step 2. Layer one will be your background Layer,
Foreground colour = White
Background colour = Black
Choose Radial gradiant (at top left) and Click where you want the main source of light and drag it out how I've done it.


Step 3. Create new layer, and on the new layer draw a straight line directly across the centre horizontally with a 1px pencil. (tip: hold shift while dragging across to make the line straight)


Step 4. Right click on Layer 2, and go to blending options.

In blending options Select the 'Outer Glow' option and Use the following settings.


Step 5. Filter>Distort>Wave

[Generators - 5] [Wavelenth - 225/299] [Amplitude - 5/35] [Scale - 18/100]. (experiement)
(tip: Increse the max wavelength first)

Step 6. Duplicate 'layer 2' up to 5 times (right-click on layer 2>Duplicate layer)

Step 7. you should now have a total of 6 layers with the same line. Make the top 4 invisible:

You can warp the first layer to move the lines where you want them.(select layer, Edit>Transform>Warp)
Use warp on both the first to layers and Move in different places. Mine:


Step 8. The bottom 3 Line layers Are the main 3, the top three are background effects and are put to 22% transparency or whichever Transparency you feel is best for the lighting effects.
My end result after lines.

You can use the erase tool to get the edges smoother, but I won't bother.

Step 9. Create a new layer (this is for your brush effects),
http://www.psdcentral.net/downloads.html (get a starry brush or GrungeBrushZero [Which I used]) Make the parts you want brighter, and create cool particle looking effects around the streams of light.


Step 10. You can add a C4d render Behind your name or any effects you wish. But the final steps are at hand! Create a new layer, Select it and Image>Apply Image.. Then hit OK. This pastes all your layers into 1 layer (a quick merge without merging them).

Step 11. This is the easy part, go to Image>Adjustments>
and you can tamper around with all them options to make your picture how you want it. Start with colour balance, then brightness/contrast, etc.

This is how your layer order should look:


Final Step. Add your Text(top layer), a border if you need one and add any effects or animations you wish. If you want to know how to do the reflecting fading text I can extend this tutorial a bit more later on.



That concludes my first tutorial, you can use little extras to finish off the pic like me, text effects, pattern fill (the lines going across the pic) again, if you want to learn how to do it I will update the tutorial to help you. Although this is more of a lighting effects tutorial not a sig exactly. Also finish your picture off with sharpen! I was using screen prints but the real quality of how it turns out is the same as in my signature.

Try different variations, I would love to see how it turned out for other people.

[Jeff]

Pretty good. The final result isn't amazing, but the techniques used were interesting. I wouldn't use the waves filter because it leaves minimal control for getting it exactly how you want it to look (I'd use free transform or pen tool). Still good though.

[Ben]

Its all pixelly??
And try to make your own stars instead of using others brushes.

OTherwise an okay tut

[Tayles]

to be honest, it wasnt good at all...couldnt follow it properly due to lack of detail, sorry

[E X H A L E]

yeh not enough detail, nice pics though

[Cheetochop420]

Good Tut.. I like it..

this is what i got!

[WTHAI]

That's a neat effect, and it could work really well in some vector-ish designs...

[Casino]

Nice tutorial, I like the outcome.

[crozer]

Casino, your sig looks good with the patterns

[wfcamb]

Nice tutorial.. Here's my result.. Keep in mind, this is actually the first time I've EVER used brushes..