PLUS members, get excited. We have an incredible tutorial for you today. It’s a new PLUS tutorial from the talented Fabio Sasso that will blow you away. The tutorial has step-by-step instruction on how to create an awesome atomic explosion from scratch in Photoshop. Jump over to your PLUS account and download it today.
Create an Atomic Explosion in Photoshop
The tutorial is available as a download package through your PSDTUTS Plus membership. The download includes the HTML tutorial files and the layered PSD as well. Below are two variations on the final image. Fabio did a spectacular job on this tutorial.
PSDTUTS Plus Membership
As you know, we run a premium membership system here called PSDTUTS Plus that costs $9 a month (or $22 for 3 months!) which gives members access to the PSD files for tutorials as well as periodic extra tutorials, like this one! If you’re a member you can log in and download the tutorial. If you’re not a member, you can of course join today!
And just in case anyone feels like discussing why we have a premium system, read this post! 
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By Sean Hodge
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FIRST! And awesome!!!!
Cool outcome. I always made the ring of smoke like this: create an oval shape with the circular selection tool and feather selection to about 10-15 px and use the clone brush to fill in the area with the clouds. Then add a little bit of zoom to it or warp it and make another selection inside of it and feather it for 20 px or more and erase that area.
Adjust the coloring and settings and you should get something like that.
Funny thing is, I was thinking of making a tutorial for this but set in space LOL.
oh comon the final result sucks,it looks soo fake and not even realistic a bit,
just my opinion,hope i didn’t offend anyone
its not a result, that i want to pay for… sry
why bother responding then?
Remember that it’s not just the end result, it’s more about the techniques you learn to get there that you can then apply to other projects.
I think it looks interesting
I NEED buy a PSDTUTS Plus membership! What a tutorial!
David Carreira
Hi!
First of all, GREAT SITE!
Second, I like the outcome… but the clouds in the sky should be liquified to match the ring… I mean, we all know this kinda shots from the movies, and they teach us that the clouds in the sky would be pushed away from the blast.
I think that would make the outcome more “realistic”, but anyway, I concur with Ben Griffiths, its no about the result, its about the techniques.
that’s just too good!!
This is a real great work Fabio.
I have done a explosion effect myself a long time ago but it was not that good as this one. Actually I am really embarrassed to show it right now =))
“oh comon the final result sucks,it looks soo fake and not even realistic a bit,
just my opinion,hope i didn’t offend anyone”
…If you didn’t want to offend anyone, why post this crap? It’s about learning techniques, not just the end result. If you think you can do better, why not submit a tutorial and put your money where your mouth is.
It looks like a fun tutorial, nothing that I would use personally, but the smoke technique looks cool. The other tutorials are useful, this one just looks entertaining, haha.
thaaaank you!! downloading!!!
i agree strongly with ben griffiths, it’s learning new shit is what’s awesome about all these tutorials and what not
I think that it is a really cool idea and final image, but in all honestly the atomic explosion doesn’t really look like an actual atomic reaction, the mushroom cloud isn’t replicated well,however as an explosive effect I think that it is awesome. More like a good typical bomb drop from a plane:)
well what do you want to learn from this?,nothing looks CLEAN! and cool in this final result. I personally really didn’t expect this from Fabio,Fabio is very talented i LOVE his works and tutorials but i just think that this is messed up!
wish i had a membership…
thx fabio ! really good work
Sorry Fabio, you’re an awesome graphic designer, but not so inspired this time.
take your time and take it easy
Hi, I’m a paying member, but I wasn’t tempted to download this one.
)
I think I will though, and take a look through the tutorial.
Anyway, give the man a little credit you guys, he`s worked hard I’m sure he did!
(I recon he got paid as well though
Hear mi now Fab u doing a good job, and some people keep forgeting its not all about the final output, its the technique you learn from the Tuts so you can approach designing in different angles and ways and come up with your own creative way (check Flickr and u see). So Fab great Work man and respect to all the comments from everyone Bigging up Fab and thanking him, and the ones that says that is suck, simple!! what many people been saying write a TUT of your professional work , really i like to learn from you people also. Greetings from the Caribbean!!.
Seriously though, this is a good tutorial. It shows some good techniques that most people don’t even use. Everyone complaining about the outcome of this tutorial should seriously go somewhere else, especially if you don’t even have a plus membership.
AMAZING! Thanks Fabio!
Great outcome, can’t wait to read it
The final effect may not be to everyones taste. As long as people are respectful, criticism is welcome. It’s actually a sign of a healthy community. Debate is good. Some people have shown some insight as to ways to make the effect even more realistic, which is great. Anyone that can find the time and improve upon the design, feel free to post it to the user group.
My personal opinion is that the tutorial is a cool effect. I would classify it as stylized realism. And there are some great techniques to learn from in the tutorial. The subject matter is fun. It makes me think of the show Jerico. The setting of the show is in Kansas. The picture of the field looks like it could be there. And the show deals with the aftermath of a nuclear attack. I watch to much TV by the way
Thanks.
very nice
I love PSD tuts. I check this website first thing every day. Is there anyone that could research and write an article on Maxamilism? Seeing the current style classified by a great writer would be a treat for designers. Keep ‘em coming.
NOOOOO i can’t believe it’s a Plus tut
((
I wish that im a psdplus!!! So now no tutorial for me???
@Sean I did that tutorial inspired by the Jerico show, when I saw those bombs exploding I thought, damn that will be cool to do in Photoshop….
Thank you all for the comments and criticism is always welcome… I respect that some didnt like the end result, and that could even be a good subject for a contest…. besides that, I have to say doing this tutorial I learned at least 2 new techniques that will be very useful to create fire and smoke
Can we please ban folks from posting who just insult and flame up the place?
Fabio has more than proven himself.
thanks
I agree with Sean – if anybody feels they can do better – they can always submit a tutorial and get the praise they deserve.
I reckon Fabio’s work is great – the community on PSDTuts is as important as the work that’s showcased and explained – we’re all learning, and criticism is welcome only if it’s put correctly.
What you should all know and remember from these tutorials is not only how to make for example here “an atomic bomb” but you must learn some very useful techniques. And also appreciate that you have been showed how to make this effect using just the clouds. I think it is a great technique and I am thankful to Fabio for writing it.
It’s awesome as it’s always from Fabio. I like the flame effect except the ring around the mushroom cloud at the top. You’d expect that ring to be at ground level but it’ll be hard to imagine it around the mushroom cloud in the real world.
I have a couple comments, firstly, the lighting effects look good, however, where the graphic breaks down is what looks like the use of render>clouds to create the texture for the mushroom cloud. I don’t have a membership, but i’m fairly certain. Also, the shockwave ring is almost there, but seems too uniform. As seen in this google picture of an atomic explosion, http://www.radgraphics.net/images/main/atomic%20explosion%20-%206%20-%20KingShot1952.jpg the color of the cloud is not random like rendering clouds generates.
AMAZING! Thanks Fabio!
Just what the world needs…
Great tutorial, always wanted to create some kind of explosion in photoshop
Wow great tut Fabio.
Isn’t you add revenue enough? I am a getting tired of all this nickel and dime monthly service fees all over the internet.
Wow, I did a similar one on my site!
Great minds…
Clouds look so fake…
This reminds me of Donnie and the “You suck at Photoshop” vid where he is denied vacation time
I’m betting that one of the reasons most people believe the final result looks fake is because the lighting on the explosion. The center of the explosion is going to have the most depth and would be hottest in temperature so it should be lighter. As the explosion spreads, it thins and becomes cooler so it should be darker. Also, instead of placing a circle of dust/cloud around the upper part of the explosion, it would be more fitting to create clouds of dust spreading on the ground. It looks much greater than most other attempts so great job!
Very cool
Another great tutorial!
The light on the clouds should be from the explosion not the sky above. There is some amazing work on the site but not enough to charge people.
Also there are a bit too many Fabio groupies on this site.
PSDTUTS Plus Membership . . . Hmmmmm first you tell me you need money and you will be giving away the PSD’s only to payed psdtuts plus memberships and I understood but now THIS, you can’t even give me the techniques used. If you keep this up you will surly loose some of your readers what kind of tutorial site are you if you cant give me any tutorials . . .
where is the tutorial ? you will surly loose some of your readers i’m the one
where is the sharing ?
This tutorial can’t be downloaded, even if one has a PSDTUTS Plus Membership! What a rip-off! I’m truly disappointed.