This tutorial was originally posted on loreleiweb.com but due to technical reasons moved to pswish.com. The tutorial remains a copyright property of Lorelei (me!)
The requests for Fantasy Art tutorials are enormous, I still get emails and Pms from people asking to do more Fantasy Art tuts, so here is one more, called “Plasma” (Star, not the TV!) which I hope you’d enjoy.
1. Make a new canvas, we used 600*480 px here, but the size is of course optional.
2. Select the Gradient Tool, using two shades of blue (see below), fill your canvas, so that the darker colour will be on top.
3. Take a photo of a girl. Traditionally I am using Becca’s photo from her Deviant Art account, but you can replace her with any semi-sitting figure of your choice. Crop the figure and paste her unto your canvas. In needed, resize her so that she will fit in.
4. To get rid of the visible crappy cropping, and to give the girl more emphasis, add blueish glow to her by going to Layer >> Layer Styles >> Outer Glow and applying the following settings:
This is what you would get:
5. Make a new Layer. Make sure your primarily and secondary colours are black and white. Go to Filter >> Render >> Clouds
And, if needed apply the clouds effect a several times to achieve the desired randomly “clouded” effect.
6. Reduce the opacity of the layer to semi-visible.
7. Press Ctrl+T for free transform, and then right mouse click and “Scew”. Drag the left corner of the clouds layer, as shown on the illustration below:
Press “Enter” when you are done, then Ctrl + D to deselect the layer.
8. Duplicate the clouds layer. Select the upper layer and go to Edit >> Transform >> Flip Horizontal.
9. Select the girl’s layer from layers panel and drag it to the top, so that it would be your utmost upper layer.
Remember to remove the parts where layers turn to be on top of one another.
10. Take a photo of a lake with water circles. We used this one from Digital Free Photo, but again – this is optional.
Paste the layer unto your composition, so that the circles in the water will be “around” the girls or your main figure.
11. Using the Eraser Tool, remove the lower part of the girl’s layer, so create the illusion as if she is really sitting inside the water and the water circles are “from” her.
12. Set lake’s layer blending options to Luminosity.
13. Drag the Layers of the clouds on top of the water later and using eraser tool with soft edge (100px) remove the sharp parts, so that only the “steaming” clouds will remain, no edges.
14. Now to the hard bit – creating the plasma cycles.
Make a new layer (this is important) and place it on top of all the others.
15 Using the Elliptical Marquee tool, draw and ellipse. While the ellipse on the new layer is selected, Right-mouse-click and choose “stroke”. Apply the settlings below for the stroke effect:
16. Press Ctrl + T to free transform, and then right-mouse-click >> Prospective. Try to distort the round layer you have to it would look like the line is surrounding or flowing around the girl.
17. Using the Eraser tool with big soft edge, remove the “farther” part of the round, behind her head, like this:
18. While this layer is selected, go to Layer >> Layer styles >> Outter glow and apply the following glow settlings:
19. Duplicate the layer a several times and each time transform the round using the prospective settlings, so that the circles chaotically surround the main figure’s body.
20. Remember to leave the “front” part of the circle visible and erase the “back” part of it. This is more or less what you should have by now:
21. Flatten the Layer.
22. Go to Image >> Adjustments >> Levels and apply the following settlings to give the image an overall bluish hue:
23. Duplicate the layer.
24. While the upper layer is selected (and your background colour in the palette is set to white), go to Filter >> Distort >> Diffuse Glow and apply these glow settings.
25. Reduce the opacity of the “glowing layer” to 20% (or less, depends on your image).
26. Flatten the layer again to merge both layers into one.
27. Using some star brushes (download free on deviant Art resources page), apply the stars chaotically around and allover the glowing cycles.
28. Select the background layer (the artwork, not the stars) and to to Renters >> Lightening effect, apply the following spot light effect twice.
29. Get back to Stars layer, and go to Layer >> Layer Styles >> Outer Glow, and add the following glow using white #ffffff colour.
30. Duplicate the stars layer.
31. Go to Filter >> Blur >> Radial Blur and apply these settings.
You may choose to reduce the opacity of this layer if you feel the rounded blurred effect is too strong. That’s it, your artwork is ready:
Download my poorly cropped Render:
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Original Art Painting On a Digital Canvas – Photoshop Tutorial
January 11, 2009
Wow..this is great…methinks this will inspire me to get my creative head back on as I have not done anything for some time now…AND it was one of your Tuts that got me started in the first place. I just love the peacefulness about this picture, yet it is vibrant. Thanks for sharing it with us.
January 11, 2009
i love it, really cool tut liza
January 11, 2009
Great job Liza! I really like this one too! The rings around the girl are really vibrant and fun! I can’t wait to try it sometime.
January 11, 2009
I really wish I could design
Great job as always Lorelei.
January 11, 2009
great tut ,still got a long way to go before I could start doing these great fantasy art worx. heheeehee
January 11, 2009
Hmm, thanks for this, Lor! I think I might use the idea for the ‘magic circles’.
January 11, 2009
Wow, thanks for the feedback guys, I am really happy to hear you liked it, I was not sure if the tutorial is actually any good when I posted it, well, hopefully it will get accepted on Good-tutorials
January 11, 2009
I absolutely love this tut!!i’m definetly trying this one!!i’ll post my results once i’m finished!!thanks a lot Liza!!!
January 11, 2009
I would have seen more blending on the girl and a darker background, but I think it’s very helpful to some people!
January 11, 2009
Ok so I had time today to do this one at work. I really liked it. I want to maybe use this same image to do something with wings or add a bit more.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d30/Gethsemaney/plasma2.jpg
January 11, 2009
Ravenwolf, your stars and cycles look far better than mine, they have more of a natural flow and I really love it. i think u could have blended the girl in a bit more, the image is very colorful and stands out, BUT – overall i think you have made an awesome job!
January 11, 2009
Nice result guys! I need to get me some sparkle brushes those look so fun! ^_^
January 11, 2009
@ Lorelei, Hehe, it’s funny to hear you say “the girl” because that is me..lol.
Anyway yeah I was thinking it seemed like it may be too bright, but I forgot to fix that, your image was originally with dark clothing, so it didn’t look so out of place. I will have to change that sometime.
@ Dreleen, yeah they are fun! I have some planet-y ones with stars and moons etc. and thanks!
January 11, 2009
Nice! can i get those brushes?
January 11, 2009
@ Nike; you can find those brushes at Deviantart in the download sector.
@ Lorelei; this is definately one of you best tutorials Lorelei. There are some good effects used in this fantasy art which will become helpfull among the most of us in making other designs. Actually no remark on this tutorial. Great job
@ Ravenwolf. I also like your creation alot. Maybe you should have used a bigger landscape so the composition would be a bit nicer. But overall also a great job.
January 11, 2009
This site is fantastic. Here’s mine:
http://xs117.xs.to/xs117/07284/mystic.png
January 11, 2009
Thanks tammsyshere for your comment about our site and for sharing your result. it looks stunning, i really love the colours you added, looks more vivid. the stars looks more like snowflakes to me, but it is really really beautiful!
January 11, 2009
Thank you! You deserve a lot of credit though, for sharing your creativity and making things so easy to understand. Much appreciated.
January 11, 2009
Nice work there indeed tammsyshere. You’ve used a nice model for this tutorial. Hands for example want to touch the water etc…
Maybe those stars are like Lorelei said, not really stars, and some of them are too bright. But that’s nothing compared with the whole art.
Hope to see more of your work soon
January 11, 2009
Thnx for the good Tutorial. i usually dont try the more advanced tutorials but on this one i whanted to make a try. I ended up a bit offroad, but this is the image i created whit inspiration from your tut..
January 11, 2009
hi, The tutorial is lovely, Props due,
I had a little go myself and wanted to change it to make it different, it goes a little something like this,
Oops just realised I have untidy edges, must work on the cutting from background thing!
January 11, 2009
i found this tut on good-tutorials and i havent wanted to make a graphic in a while and this made me really want back in the swing of things. the lighting sucks i know but otherwise i think it came out alright, im glad i made it take a look
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/6415/lightfromseaun4.jpg
January 12, 2009
wahhh that coool i will try it later thanks dear for your hard working ^^
January 12, 2009
I just love this tutorial ^___^ Really easy to understand even for a newbie like me and awesome results. Thx Lorelei I’ve tried it out and this is what I came up with…
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5241/forestfantasysb0.jpg
January 12, 2009
hello again. here is mine, i know i have to make many adjustments but thanks for the great tutorial
January 12, 2009
Great tutorial.
I used it to create this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/fblue/heroes.jpg
January 12, 2009
Does anyone know how to get in contact with Lorelei ?
I need to see if she can work on a project I need done asap!!!
Please tell her to hit me up at : mylifeinfiction@gmail.com
Please forward this to her Thank You!
ej*
January 12, 2009
LORELEI!!! This might be your best tutorial yet!!
I am going to try this one today here in Mexico and see how it comes out. But its absolutly awesome and well detailed.
January 12, 2009
Great tut. However, I am still unable to reproduce the glow effect behind the girl. I feel some steps are either assumed or I am just too daft to follow the steps. In step 9, I don’t know how to remove the overlapping layers of the clouds as suggested. In step 22, I was unable to get the levels instruction to do anything to my image (no change with the settings made). If only someone can advise on how to get the great glow behind the image, that would be sufficient for this novice. All I keep getting from the lighting effect is a spotlight on the image (from the front). I got other steps (the glow rings, stars, etc). Thx for your help.
January 12, 2009
What I do for glows sometimes is dupe in a new the layer, shrink the image a tad so it sits behind the original, go into the layer options put an outer glow on and adjust the color and other settings like size and opacity.
BTW its always good to post a pic of your project and its issues so we can see what you are talking about.
January 12, 2009
Thx. I will try that trick. I am not sure where or how I missed that step in the original tut.
January 12, 2009
Umm I’m new here ^^ but here’s my outcome ^^’: http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/1377/plasmaelfox8.jpg
January 12, 2009
Nice result but the strong lite doesn’t really do with the dark muted back ground. Id tint her down a bit and blend her in a little more. Love the render btw
January 12, 2009
Thanks for the comment ^^, the render is from Planet Renders.
January 12, 2009
Well this was my first attempt at this one. I still have much work on cutting out hair to make it more realistic but overall I am happy with it. I wasn’t sure which brush set to use and grabbed one that wasn’t too bad and I need to work more on the perspective of the rings to create a more realistic effect but here it is …
January 12, 2009
I could not do the plasma circles! I was doing so well until it came down to the plasma circles!!!!
January 12, 2009
hey man i like what u did , but make it more faded so i blends in a little , but sweet effects !
January 12, 2009
Pretty much followed the tut down to the letter, I can tell because I have more white near the center of the light source and stuff that it causes over exposure, so if your not using black like the tut has you may want to correct for that.
For the stars I found that just setting a size jitter, a opacity jitter, and scatter was a quick way to get it done, so hope nobody actually sat there and plotted them one at a time .
Here is what I came up with.
http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/2405plasma.jpg
January 12, 2009
obisi, if your layer is cropped and has a shape, just make sure this layer is selected, go to Layer >> Layer styles >>Outter Blog and apply even the default settings by just checking the box near “outter glow” and pressing okay. i love your result, its quite original and well done!
Dark Chibi, welcome to the forum I think the glow circles are maybe not glowing enough but i really love ur result, it’s glorious!
January 12, 2009
and my 2nd try using a character from that new movie… stardust I think its called.
http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/2405plasma2.jpg
January 12, 2009
I like the second one how she is coming out of the water…
and yeah i did “plot” the stars..but I am meticulous like that have to get everything where I want it.
January 12, 2009
hy lorelei.i’m realy happy that you apreciate my work…..thast’s a picture of mee & my husbant on our wedding day…..i think i’ll thry some more of your tutorials…i reall love the fantasy tutorials …thank’s for them…bye
January 12, 2009
This is my effort.
I didn’t get the stars right.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m134/cfc7cfc/mylene.jpg
January 12, 2009
hi, great tutorial but i was get stuck at flatten the image..what does it mean “flatten the image” and how to do it..
January 12, 2009
This is what I came up with. I didn’t use all technics Lorelei has put in her tutorial and added some by myself.
http://users.telenet.be/W2H-clan/Just%20another%20fairy%20tale%20+%20smallest.jpg
January 12, 2009
I enjoyed doing that one. I had a bit of trouble with the lighting as my colours are lighter it looked burnt out. It would have been better if I had centred it better as well.
http://www.jaynee.co.uk/images/lorelei/dylanofthedeep.jpg
January 12, 2009
I was messing around with this Tutorial A+++ Love it!!!
I noticed the smudges on there faces, and I thought it was when I did the circle blur. However it isn’t, I made multiple saves so I could go back and correct it, but I was just messing around… Thanks!!
http://mheinjr.googlepages.com/Liss-Hearts.jpg
January 12, 2009
Well, this *is* the first time I’ve made a fantasy art graphic– but it turned out much better than I’d expected. Though it isn’t as good as yours, Lorelei. -_-
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb239/ginryuu_kurochan/Animegurl90.jpg
January 12, 2009
I think I used lighter shades of blue… and the fact that the girl is initially colored in a shade of violet played quite a lot of havoc with the outcome. It doesn’t go well with the lovely atmosphere around. -meh- Still, I love the way it seems as if she’s emerging out of the water, and is suddenly surrounded by sparkling bands. ( woot for my imagination, lol~! )
January 12, 2009
Jade, it looks really great for your first time, in fact it would have been an awesome outcome even for 10th time i think the circles should have been slightly brighter (or higher contrasted) but other than that looks superb! thanks for sharing your work with us!
January 12, 2009
Heyy! Amazing tutorial Took me a while to figure out how to transform the cirlces so they look fuller ( and still didnt grasp it)
This is my outcome:
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8625/girlcopybj6.png
January 12, 2009
the biggest problem for me is the rings. just to make it more colored and more neon-like i suppose lol
thanks for the GREAT tutorial lorelei, this is my FAVORITE i have learned so far in photoshop
January 12, 2009
This is what I have I throw. This is my work.
I ask pardon if I have lacked a lot to it paginates. I have been very busy.
January 12, 2009
Lorelie I first saw this tut in August and thought WOW.. you have some extremely interesting photo tuts, ideas, suggestions etc.. I can go on and on…
I have my hands in so many different things, however, I am back to learn what I should have months ago…
Keep up the good work, you and your team!!!
January 12, 2009
well liza i finally followed the tut
January 12, 2009
woah wow thats so darn awesome y hvnt u added the sparkles??
January 12, 2009
Totally WOW SandeRRednas – very nice, I like
Here is my final version after a few tries… I did not get the glow I wanted but I think everything else turned out pretty ok
http://i21.tinypic.com/8wxgdu.jpg
January 12, 2009
Hi
I`m kinda new to this too
Liked this tut a lot, tnx Lorelei
Well anyway, her`s may outcome…
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/Edzha87/Projekti/Liiva3.jpg
January 12, 2009
Congratulations, I really like the design that has done so. ^__^ I liked also that of Hayden Panetierre. And others, thanks.
My like More tutos Fantastics news, thanks.
January 12, 2009
can u please send me the psd file for this grt work. i am a beginner in photoshop please help me.. i tried this one bt could nt manage to get even the half of it. please pleas please send it to me(tubuhereatgmaildotcom)
January 12, 2009
Here is what I got, tell me guys what you think!!
http://imagenerd.com/uploads/photo2N8jF.gif
January 12, 2009
*dies*
i lov the glow effect and blue is my fav color.Good job.
January 12, 2009
Just came across your blog today, which subsequently led me to this page. I absolutely love this tutorial and I’ll be sure to try it out
Also, glad you allow others to post it as long as a link is included, i’ll be sure to add it onto GirlGamers It’s awesome. Think I’m gonna have fun
January 12, 2009
Your tutorials are awesomeness…cant wait to try them!!!
January 12, 2009
Once again thanks for the tut, I started it out ok, then somehow I went in forty other directions on it. I had problems with a few things but it was because I am still learning the tools and options. But I wanted to post the image I made but I have yet enough post to do so. So I will have to make a photobucket account for it.
Untill then you can see it at my website…http://www.club-warzs.com
January 12, 2009
Nice…
January 19, 2009
Simply put…THANKS!
You’ve given me food for thought and opened my creative horizons.
January 26, 2009
Great tutorial !! easy to use and very practical
thanks.. check out my pics on my website !
January 29, 2009
GREAT JOB MAN
U ROCK
EASY O US N UNDERSTAND
AND THANKS ALOT
February 4, 2009
it is great
February 4, 2009
I have some trouble with the rings, when I transform and add perspective I got 2 rings the one before transformation and the one I transformed?!? I did it like it says in tut, I tried to restart photoshop even restarted pc but every time when I try to add a percpective I end with two rings, and the first one I can’t erase. Can anyone explain why this is happening? Pleeeeeeeseee
February 10, 2009
9.Remember to remove the parts where layers turn to be on top of one another.
how do you do that?
March 3, 2009
Gut!
March 3, 2009
Gute Arbeit hier! Gute Inhalte.
March 10, 2009
Hi. thanks for this
March 13, 2009
HI… I got lost with the star brushes step… im fresh new and i dont know how to get them… i download a star brushes set but i dont know what else to do.. i tried to open the zip file but i really dont know how to use it… i was so happy doing the others steps of the tutorial..lol
Please help me… i really want to finish it!!!
March 18, 2009
great work guys how amazing the image as well as your brain also man.but how can i down load vedio tutorials please tell me i want to grow in my work
March 26, 2009
I’m brand new to photoshop. Was following along until step 9, “Remember to remove the parts where layers turn to be on top of one another.” How do you do this?
I’m stuck at this: http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5662/22538357.jpg with my cloud layers crisscrossing.
March 26, 2009
Comrie19, just select one of the layers that crisscrossing now, and using a big eraser tool brush with soft edge, remove the bits that lay on top of the other layer. it does not have to be all that neat since there will be background that will also help to “swallow” the mishaps. Also, you might want to add stronger glow effect to your girl, because you didn’t crop it very good, but adding stronger glow will help to fix this problem because them you won’t see the edges so clearly. Hope this helps, you are doing a great job so far!
March 27, 2009
A really nice creative result in this tutorial. As aretouch artist I love coming to these tutorials asI learn so many useful and interesting tips and techniques!
April 7, 2009
Hi.. A great tutorial. but, I’m stucked @ almost last but the hard part.
@ Step 17, I created the ring, adjusted the ring, but now when I use eraser tool for removing farther part behind the girl. It starts to fill up that ellipse?? I’m using Photoshop CS3. Can pls someone help?
April 12, 2009
Could you fix some of the broken image links please? finding out how you did everything myself makes everything so much harder
April 29, 2009
hi, can you help me for step 10 or 11. because i can’t do step 10 or 11 can you give me detail step.
thanks.
May 14, 2009
Very nice creative works, great tutorial..
Thank you for sharing
May 20, 2009
????
May 27, 2009
Amazing work with the strokes.. KIU!
June 1, 2009
thank you for sharing i am from myanmar
i like your tutorial.thank you very much
please contact me.i want friend to you
June 6, 2009
Thank U for publishing the tutorial it;s use for meny photoshop learner’s
June 6, 2009
it is wonderfull
June 10, 2009
I had a lot of fun with this tutorial! It covered basic things i didn’t know and then it showed me some tougher techniques that i’m still tweaking.
thanks for your time to do this!
June 13, 2009
very nice this one and
very nice use of photoshop.
June 20, 2009
Thanx, i worked it out on myself and its looking really fantastic.
June 20, 2009
lovely effects of photoshop
thakns
June 22, 2009
Muito legal esse tutorial ! Parabéns ao autor ! Usei com meus alunos e foi um sucesso ! Abraço. Prof. João Marcelo – RJ/Brasil
June 30, 2009
Fun and pretty tutorial. It was amazingly easy to reproduce and alter, thanks!
July 8, 2009
Thankyou so much for that .. I made one from this and it was almost same Thanks
July 15, 2009
Hi! I love this tutorial but I have a problem, when I have the circle I use the eraser but the line move where I move the tool. HELP ME What I can’t do?
sorry for the words I can’t talk english good, thank you
July 16, 2009
estubo fabuloso gracias por subir este tipo de material
July 22, 2009
great job.
July 22, 2009
Loved so much when see the expression on canvas very good job well done
August 1, 2009
Great tuorial, thank you so much!
http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs46/f/2009/213/5/5/Water_Priestess_by_nat_rat.jpg
September 20, 2009
Thank you! I would now go on this blog every day!
Thanks
September 22, 2009
Interesting, I`ll quote it on my site later.
Zoran
September 24, 2009
Thx! This blog really helps me get improve of Photoshop! thx..
September 28, 2009
cool- i love this- its so helpful and cool looking
October 3, 2009
WOW…..THATS A NICE TUTORIAL I REALLY LOVED IT.AND IT HELP ME FROM EDITING SOME COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL ELLIPSE THANKS!!!!!!.
October 8, 2009
Good tuts.
October 8, 2009
great tutorial..thaks so much..
October 18, 2009
Interesting tutorial. I always accept this type of job. Thanks to u. please send this type of tutorial. thanks
October 19, 2009
Greatings, Where are you from? Is it a secret?
Rufor
October 21, 2009
I had gone through your tutorials. It was fantastic a have no words to describe it.Thanks very much for the this tutorials page.I think people who cannot afford to to join classes can do so in this tutorial.
October 22, 2009
great, thats a nice tutorial, and i’m waitng more your editing. thank u …
November 3, 2009
Great tutorial
Thank you for sharing
November 7, 2009
beautiful effect, thanks Lorelei
November 10, 2009
hmmm…Great tut thnx 4 this ……….
November 15, 2009
woooooooow…..really nice tutorial.
Can I take it and post it in another forum pleaseee??