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In this tutorial, I will show you how to create that effect we saw on the screen at the Macworld San Francisco. It’s basically some lighting effects with blurs and blend modes, but the effect is awesome.
Step 1
Create a new document. On the Background layer, double-click to open the Layer Style dialog box and apply the Gradient Overlay with black and green (#9dc5c7).
Step 2
Create a new layer. Set white for the foreground and black for the background color. After that, go to Filter>Render>Clouds. Rename the layer to “Clouds.”
Step 3
Change the Blend Mode of the clouds layer to Multiply 60%. Duplicate the layer and rename it to “radial blur.” After that, go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur.
Step 4
Duplicate the background layer and move it up in front of the other layers. Rename it to “Gradient Light” and go to the Layer Styles dialog box. Change the Fill Opacity to 0% under the Advanced Blending settings. After that in the Gradient Overlay settings, change the Blend Mode to Color Dodge and the scale to 70%.
Step 5
Place your logo in the center of the image and change the Layer Styles. First change the Color Overlay to black and then add a Bevel and Emboss as shown in the image below.
Step 6
Create a new Folder and call it “lights” and move it behind the logo layer. Inside that folder, select the Ellipse Tool (U) and create a circle that will be almost entirely behind the logo. Using the Pen Tool (P), create some shapes that will be the lights. Use the image below for reference. Make sure that all of these objects are inside the “lights” folder.
Step 7
If you are using the CS3 version of Photoshop, you can convert the layers to Smart Objects in order to use the non-destructive filters feature.
Apply a Gaussian Blur to the layers. Each one will have a different value because of their sizes.
Step 8
Select the lights folder and change the Blend Mode to Color Dodge. Duplicate the two bottom lights and move them to the center.
Step 9
Using the Ellipse Tool (U), again create a small circle but this time in front of the logo. This circle will be a reflection on the logo.
Conclusion
Now you can add some text—I’ve used Myriad Pro Light. Although this effect looks very cool and sort of complicated to achieve, it’s really easy and can be done pretty quickly. Using Render Clouds, blurs, and blend modes, we can create really amazing lighting effects.
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By Fabio
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I have the same problem as Phil above…when i select the lights folder and put it to color dodge, it looks nothing like yours. I also have CS2. It makes it look very choppy and bad.
Nice effect. Wow.
Thanks
A great guide.
but Im stuck at guide #7,
can I have the video of it ?
coool and more better !!!
Abduzeedo siempre crea los mejores diseño
Can anybody give me this lovely heart? A link or something else. Tks.
Sorry, I foun a better heart. When I try to make the lights I don’t succeed with pen tool. Can anybody give me some indications? Tks a lot.
This is a complete shit, did everything as said and it’s just a blue ring
Yeah I agree when it came to step 8 the blend mode was already on pass through not normal as indicated and the light rays ended up looking too bright.
And I thought tuts+ members were supposed to be able to download psds of the tutoria? Where is the tutorial on the tutsplus area it can;t be found?
Load of rubbish.
nice good
Ok, I agree too. Problems at step 8. It seems color dodge is not the right blend mode. I’ve experimented with others and using the “soft light” blend mode is working a thousand times better for me, and duplicating the layer can also help. Almost seems like he wrote the wrong blend mode on that step.
Awesome techniques, as always, Fabio. Love your tuts.
I’m having trouble duplicating the look you achieve in this one. In the screen shots you provide, I notice there’s a big difference in the appearance of the background “cloud” layers between Step 4 & Step 5. But there is no mention of anything being done to those layers.
Can anyone give me some guidance as to what was done in Step 5 to make the background clouds more vibrant?
hey man good tutorial
i need a bit of help though u said to make a new folder in part of it but i cant find the folder button anyware on photoshop can u help plz
thanks
so confusing. couldnt do it at all
this tutorial sux!!!
In step 8 You’ve got grat light effect, but I cant make in? How did you do it?
Fantastic
Are you in linkedin
I believe the step that is missing is he lower the normal opacity from 100 to a lower number for each pen drawn object. So after applying the color dodge then go back and try lowering the opacity of each light and see if that gives you better results.
Very nice. Thank you…