Tutorial: Abstract Wallpaper

[Reizenstein]

Well, this is my first tut ever, so i'll probaly make some misstakes and/or miss some step, but questions are appreciated, just as comments

Also, i'm running on the swedish version of photoshop, so there might be some misstakes in the translations of words

here we go:

Start by creating a new image, i use size 1024x768.

then, press D to reset the colors.

now, select the gradient tool, and set the mode to "difference," then start to drag around on the canvas until you get a nice effect.
duplicate this layer.

now, select the top layer and apply the following:
filter>render>difference clouds.
set the blending mode of this layer to overlay.
on the bottom layer, apply:
filter>scetch>chrome with smoothness 10 and sharpness 10.

(i accidentally managed to delete the images up to this steps, i'm so good )

now, adjust the opacity of the bottom layer to 0% and then select the top layer.

bring out the smudge tool, and take an irregular shape with strength 25, and start to smudge out the clouds until the picture is not as "cloudy" anymore, just be careful around the edges.



now, adjust the opacity of the bottom layer to 100% and the top layer to 0%

apply the same effect to the bottom image as you did with the top one using the smudge tool.



now, use the burn tool set to midtones 27% and the "lighting" tool (the counter to burn tool) at midtones 37% to create a bit more contrast to the bottom layer.

this is about how it should look when you display both the layers:



now merge these layer using ctrl + e. then duplicate it two times.

on one of the duplicates, go to filter>blur>radical blur and apply the following:
amount 20, zoom, highest. then drag the image in the box to the left until the "focus point is in the top centre of the image.
adjust this blnding mode to lighten.
do the same on the other duplicate only this time the focus point is at the lower center of the image.

add some color using layer>adjustmentlayer>color balance, with the highlights box checked.

this is the result i got:



The thing is that you can do lots of other stuff using this effect, and if you don't like the result, try some new stuff. this effect can also be used for sigs and other stuff, like banners and so on.

for example this is and image i got using parts of this method:




comments are much appriciated

hope you enjoyed it

[DEVs]

Great tutorial man !!!!!!

[Reizenstein]

hehe thanks mate

[Guest]

hello that rocks

[Nick]

Very, very nice effect, with simple steps! Wonderful! Thanks for the submission!

[Reizenstein]

hehe thanks all

[Jeff]

very cool! Thanks for posting this ReiZeN, keep them coming!!!

[Murdernickle]

I like the effect. I'll have to try it out later. Thanks for the tut!