Super Fast – Speed Lighting Effect
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Take an image of a fireworks display and turn it into an intense sensation of speed. Manipulate natural lighting to fill a motion filled scene. Use masks to blend the effect over a car image to make the car appear to be in motion. This tutorial shows you exactly what to do. Let’s get moving.
Final Image Preview
Before we get started, let’s take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Click the screenshot below to view the full-size image. As always, the full Photoshop file is available via our Psdtuts+ Plus membership.
Step 1
First, you’ll need two stock images for this tutorial, one of the car, and the other is of fireworks.
Start off by duplicating your background layer. Now desaturate this image to get rid of the annoying hue by pressing Ctrl+Shift+U. Next, we’ll add our own color modifications, which are more subtle, and cover the entire vehicle. Add a new adjustment color balance layer and fill in the values as shown in the screenshot. Next we place everything in a layer set called “edit”. The layer set is so that you can turn off all the visibility on all the work you did. This will allow you to see the difference between the original image and how far you are in the design.
Step 2
Using the Dodge and Burn Tools with soft round brushes around 150–200px in size, with the Dodge Tool set to Highlights, the Exposure at 45-50%, the Burn Tool set to Highlights, and with the Exposure set to about 85-90%, start dodging and burning certain parts of the image. For instance, you may want to dodge the front wheel arch, the lights, Mercedes logo, grill, and the mirror. You may want to burn the rear end, the bottom, the back door a tad, and the windows until they turn completely black.
You should decide what you find adequate. If you are using a mouse like me, simply tap, instead of constantly pressing, this way you have a lot more control. We are doing this to add contrast. The After image below shows the windows blackened, and other areas as well.
Step 3
Now open up the fireworks image. Go to image > rotate canvas > 90°CW. Next go to filter > blur > motion blur. Set the angle to 0° and the distance to 750px. Hit OK. Then cut and paste this picture onto our car. We won’t be using this entire image, the areas of interest have been marked in the image below. The area with the big red X over it is pretty much useless.
Step 4
Paste this “light” layer above the background copy layer and below the color adjustment layer. Set its blending mode to screen. This gets rid of the black background without hurting the other light values. Now rotate and position the spot marked with the green arrow in the previous screenshot above the right headlight, as shown below in the screenshot. You can stretch the image if you want; it’s blurred already so blurring it more won’t hurt.
Step 5
Duplicate the light layer and move the spot that was marked green in the previous screenshot to the left headlight. Hit Ctrl+T and size it down just a bit. Now add a layer mask to this layer. Then with a soft, black brush get rid of most of the surrounding light. Below is the image of the mask.
Step 6
Go back to your “light” layer. Select the Clone Stamp Tool (S). Set it to Linear Dodge (add) in the settings at the top of the window. Then get a decent sized brush, about 500–600px. With the settings below, start cloning different parts of the existing light onto the windows and the roof. Cloning is an easy task, you Alt-click to set a source. This is where the material will be cloned from. Then simply click on another spot on the canvas to clone a piece there. One word of caution, make sure that Sample is set to current layer!!
Step 7
Add a new layer below the “light” layer. Call it “flare”. Fill this layer with black and set it to screen. Next go to Filter > Render > Lens Flare. The 105mm prime at 110% brightness looks good, but perhaps you like something else. Put the flare a bit off-center, hit OK. Then position the flare over the left headlight. You might notice a white box appear when you move around the flare—that’s because the flare stretches beyond our canvas. Use a layer mask to get rid of this box.
Now make sure the “flare” layer is selected (and not the mask), hit Ctrl+U, or go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation. Then in the dialog box, tick Colorize. Then enter 60 for Saturation. Hit OK, duplicate this layer, make it a bit smaller, and place it over the other headlight.
Tip: if you don’t want to repeat the flare process again, but you do want a brighter flare, then you can duplicate the layer without moving it.
Step 8
I don’t like monotone images. This image is far too red. Let’s add a splash of color. Create a new Color Balance adjustment layer just above our first one. Then fill in the following values in the images below. This will give you more tones.
Step 9
Duplicate the “background copy” layer and go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur. Then set the angle to about 35° and the distance to 25px. This gives us a very blurred image. With a layer mask, mask out areas of focus, such as the headlights, the grill with the Mercedes logo, and the windows. Also, mask out the black background, this will focus the blur more. If the background were not black, but rather there was scenery there, then it would make far more sense to leave it blurred. Since it’s black, by masking it we will obtain a soft edge around the blur (since we are masking with a soft brush). Name this layer “motion blur”.
Step 10
This next step is to get a bit of detail back. Duplicate the “background copy” layer. Move it above the “motion blur” layer. Now hit Ctrl+L ,or go to Image > Adjustments > Levels. This will bring up the Levels dialog. Then take the white slider, located at the right, and move it towards the middle. Next add a Layer Mask, and mask out most of this layer, except for the front of the car. I called this layer “grill detail”.
Step 11
Let’s light up the window a bit. The next step is to create a layer above all other layers and call this “window light”. Take a low Opacity (15-20%), white, fuzzy brush, which is just big enough to cover a decent part of the window, and slightly tap a few times on the glass. This should add brightness to the light there. Last but not least, create another layer on top of all the other layers. Fill it with black. Then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Set the amount to 10%, Uniform distribution, and tick Monochromatic. Set the layer to screen, and drop the Opacity to around 40%. We’re done.
Conclusion
Starting with the natural lighting of a fireworks display image, we created a motion effect. You can apply this to many different objects—think sunglasses, and other reflective surfaces. It works great as a tool to enrich a scene, like a club scene where you might want some extra lights, or a whole design element for a poster. It’s a strong effect you can add to your Photoshop skill set.
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@metk5031: Yeah… That’s happened to me before too… And I wasn’t even using swearwords or flaming anyone…
Anyway… I can only agree with a lot of the comments on here – there are too many short run-of-the-mill tuts lately.
And where is all the great PLUS-content I’m paying for? I’ve been a plus-member for three months now, and all that’s been posted are three tutorials, and a few layerstyles… not worth 27 dollars, I think.
@ aGS
I plan to write more tutorials that are functional again.
As for the rest. thank you for your critique, please do understand that the tutorials I write are not there to be used on their own to provide a finished composition. A tutorial is meant to teach a certain technique which can be applied in combination with various other techniques to create a good looking image.
As far as the length of the tutorial is concerned. I generally try to write tutorials that span around 10 steps, unless I see that certain procedures are difficult and thus I break them up. Personally, I don’t like going through a 5 page or 30+ step tutorial, it just angers me.
Anyhow, I have understood that the general public prefers long written out tutorials, with both functionality and a good polish. Therefor it will be my goal to provide these.
Thanks Arik for the explination. I think maybe if you should the technique used in different examples too at the end of the tutorial. Might show people the relivence of it and give them some more inspiration in what kind of stuff it could be used for. I dont think the car was a good use for it tho, I could think of many different things it could of been used for.
I look forward to seeing more of your work! Keep it up dude! :)
;)
@Arik
Thanks for being such a comprehensible guy, I know that deal with critic it’s hard and in this misunderstood job “Graphic Design” is the daily basis.
I get you point about the steps, I rather prefer less steps than lots…
I’m looking forward to see your next contribution.
Once again, thank you.
This one was to 90′s for me, but it’s always good to refresh ‘old” techniques i guess.
@Arik
Thanks for pointing it out for us. I understand you, and I agree on short tutorials are alot better than those damn long ones.. At the time I saw the final result I was disapointed, but it is because I don’t see any relevans for me as a designer, but as Steve Forbes says, some examples on how to use this tutorial somewhere else.. I think it would open my eyes alot more.. :)
very good! ;)
meh
i take it back, less than meh.
Now that I read this again… I think it would have been better to show how to produce the image in Step 3, than the finished product.
I guess every website has their bad days…
The effect is nice. Very short and I thing it has a nice ending. Good work
@Arik
You are totally right!
Thank you very much for the inspiring tutorial (and all the others). This one showed me that you can also use ‘plain stock’ images to use for effects or whatsoever and how to use the color adjustment layer function!
C’mon guys; this is a legitimate and useful tutorial without a lot of un-needed steps.
Good tut; keep it up.
To those complaining: this was free. For all of the great tutorials we have received for nothing other than our attention, it is forgivable for one to come along every once in a while that might not knock your socks off, but could provide a few tips for people who are not as versed as you are.
Thom nothing to do with it being free, most comments are just expressing there right to give constructive criticism. i appreciate everything PSDtuts has , but if a tutorial looks off then why lie about it :)
Qbrushes: firstly, it is “expressing their right”, not “there”. Second, I fail to see how comments like, “Meh” and “silly…” contribute anything to the cause of “constructive criticism”.
Furthermore, are you implying that those who did find something of value in the tips in this tutorial are lying when they express their gratitude? Because the comments to the contrary have nothing to do with anything outside of their own station.
Constructive criticism is not needed when such a lackluster read can be summed up in the beautiful word of ” Meh “.
wery good :) beautiful handsome
WOW!! Super effect!! Can’t wait to try. Thanks a lot
Great! Thanks!
COOL!
Thanx! :D I like it a lot!
Geesh!! At least I know I am grateful for this tut even
if by “PSDtuts” Standards it doesn’t fly.
I know that when I get to know my way around
CS3 more comfortably, I won’t become such so winey as
some of these folks sound, I mean I’m humble and
living in a 3rd world country makes you a helluva better
person.
Cheers to Arik!
I find it hard to contemplate how simple and narrow minded some users are on this site. Please we all do respect but hope you do realize that most of you once were not so uber fully sick’ at photoshopping, amongst us are learners ie myself. Yes the overall finish wasn’t that great none the less it provides a great technique whom wish to build up some knowledge. Gotta work ya way up yeah?
Anyways thanks mate, i look forward to your next lesson :)
Thanks for Posting.
Excellent Tut.
not bad tuts….. ekek ^_^
this is really really bad… looks unfinished and rushed.
to all the whinging b@^%hes, shut up and say thanks.
Its a tutorial written to help, may not be perfect, but we get the general direction he is trying to take us in. I think in this day and age some tend to forget what the word help means. If your’e all so great then why don’t we see a lot of you writing tutorials for this site I wonder?
Thank you for your effort Arik, I liked it.
Good point, phyr3al. I totally agree with you.
Throughout our lives, we meet whiners and supporters, just don’t take whiners seriously.
This is what I did with the tutorial. http://bit.ly/1OTO3R
its really goo good i tried but i din’t get d effect
noob q :
i cant do step 6 where i find that tool?
Arik, good tutorial. This is what I did with this tutorial
http://bit.ly/1OTO3R
Thank you
I used the tutorial for a poster and i think the result was fine.
You can check it out at http://tenachico.blogspot.com and give me your opinion.
Thank you for the tutorial!!
Good job, thanks for the tutorial, it was easy to follow for me.
Great Tutorial, really good effect, thanks very useful!
It is quiet simple, indeed, but the outcome is beautiful and why not, usefull!