Compiled by <<coldbing>> FIRE EFFECTS

Transcription

1 FIRE EFFECTS Compiled by <<coldbing>> Step 1 - New Document Make a new document. Fill it with black. Then make a new layer, and type out (or whatever) you want to set on fire in white. Step 2 - Windy Go to Image > Rotate Canvas > 90 CCW. Then go to Filter > Stylize > Wind. Keep the default settings, and repeat it two-three times, depending on what size it's on. (Ctrl+F) Step 3 - Keep Going If you use your imagination, it looks like fire... Just kidding. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter an amount until you can't see the pointy tips. I chose 2px.

2 Step 4 - Color Go to Layers > Flatten Layers. Now you should only have one layer. Then go to Image > Adjust > Hue/Saturation (Ctrl+U). Check the 'colorize' box. Set the saturation to 100, and hue slider to whatever color you want. For Orange, I chose 30. Step 5 - More Color Duplicate this layer. Then go back into the Hue/Saturation window. This time, we're going to choose the outer flame color. Once again, check 'colorize,' Set the saturation to 100, and the hue to whatever you want. For Red, I chose 0. Then set the layer blending mode to 'Color Dodge.' Step 6 - Keep Going... Okay, it's starting to look like fire... go to Layer > Flatten Image. Then, select your Smudge Tool. Smudge the fire starting with the color part, zigzag your way up to mimic the way fire rises. When you're happy, select a smaller brush and more pressure. Then drag the white part up too.

3 Step 7 - Almost Done Now, create a new layer ( ). Select your Type Tool and type out what you had earlier. Step 8 - A Bit More... Now, make a new layer ( ). Then Ctrl+Click the Type layer. Good. Now grab the Brush Tool. Press 'D' then 'X' to reset colors. Finally, set the opacity to about 50 percent. Brush a white highlight on the bottom of the text, to give it some appearance of being consumed by the fire, or being white-hot. ;) You're done! Remember that you can fool around with the colors to make some psychedelic fires.

4 OPTIONAL METHOD This simple tutorial that takes under 10 minutes to complete and can be applied to anything. And hey... the results look pretty darned realistic too! ;) Step 1: Open up a stock image in Photoshop of any size and/or format. In this example I have chosen a scene from the rather addictive physics-based mini-game, Truck Dismount. Step 2: Create a new layer on top of your background stock layer, make it active in the layers palette, rename it 'flames' and, using a soft appropriately-sized tip on the Brush Tool, and paint a solid white color over the general area that you want to be on fire. You don't need to spend too long at this stage, as you will be altering this layer greatly in the next step.

5 Step 3: Now to add some shape to our fire! Using your favorite smudge tool (mine is Oil Medium wet flow, as found near the bottom of the smudge brush tip list) smudge your fire up and give it a little squiggle as you go. Do this until you get the proper shape. Also, ensure that the smudge strength is set to 75 percent. Take your time at this stage and you should eventually end up with something that resembles my image below. Step 4: Time to add a little color! Select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance from the main menu and duplicate these settings in the dialog box: Press OK, and this window should pop up:

6 Select the Highlights radio button (its towards the bottom of the window, in the Tone Balance section) and, whilst it is selected, push the Red slider to it's highest setting, adding a little Yellow for better color balance. Repeat this procedure, but the Shadows radio button highlighted instead, and dragging the Yellow all the way to the left. With the midtones, just drag the Red all the way to the right and leave the Yellow alone. You should now have an image resembling my example below. Step 5: We don't, of course, want the whole picture to be red, so we can fix this by holding down CTRL on the keyboard and left-clicking the little thumbnail to the left of the flames layer with the mouse. This will select everything in the layer. After doing this, just reverse the selection with Select > Inverse from the main menu, select the adjustment layer in the layers palette, and Edit > Fill your selection with a solid black color. Lose your selection and Viola - You now have some awesome and easily created fire! Compiled by <<coldbing>>