Photoshop: Draw abstract sun and burst rays

Posted at photoshopzilla.com in Photoshop
This tutorial teaches you how to create 3d sphere, Tentacles, Burst rays and stunning abstract background effects using photoshop filters.

Goto Filter > Pixelate > Mezzotint. Select Fine dots.

Goto Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Apply the settings as Amount: 90-100, Blur Method: Zoom and Quality: Best.

Next goto Filter > Stylize > Find edges. Press Ctrl + I.

Goto Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Apply the settings as Amount: 90-100, Blur Method: Zoom and Quality: Best.

Goto Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Apply the settings as Amount: 5-6, Blur Method: Spin and Quality: Best.

Next goto Filter > Stylize > Find edges. Press Ctrl + I.

Goto Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Apply the settings as Amount: 90-100, Blur Method: Zoom and Quality: Best.

Next goto Images > Adjustments > Levels, adjust your levels with these settings: 7, 2.00, 220.
Next we will create star burst. Set the foreground color to # ad3489. Create a new layer. Goto Filter > Render > Clouds.

Goto Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Apply the settings as Amount: 90-100, Blur Method: Zoom and Quality: Best.

Set the blend mode of the layer in the layers palette to Screen. Name the layer as Pink rays.
Change the foreground color to # 3e3ea4 and repeat the step 3. Select the Eraser Tool and erase some of the areas in the layer so that the inner layer is also visible.
Create a new layer. Press D and set the foreground color to # ad3489. Goto Filter > Render > Clouds. Press Ctrl + F 2-3 times.

Goto Filter > Render > Difference Clouds

Press Ctrl + I. Select the Burn Tool and run over the white areas and darken the layer.

Set the Blend mode of the layer to overlay.
We will now create a 3d sphere. Create a new document of size 100 x 100 px with black background. Go to Filter > Render > Lens Flare and choose Brightness: 105% Lens Type: 105mm prime. Adjust the position of your flare with your mouse as shown below.

Now go to Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates. Make sure you have chosen Polar to Rectangular. Click OK.

Now go to Image > Rotate Canvas > Flip Canvas Vertical.

Now go to Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates. Make sure you have chosen Rectangular to Polar. Click OK. As you see our Sphere can be seen already.

Choose the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M) to create a round selection around the sphere as shown below.

Choose Select > Inverse ( Ctrl + Shift + I) and hit delete button on your keyboard to delete the selected sides around the sphere.

Press Ctrl and click on the layer in the layers palette. Create a new layer below the current layer. Select the Gradient Tool from the tool bar and in the tools option select the orange-yellow gradient. Select Linear Gradient and drag from left to right. Press Ctrl + D and set the blend mode of the top layer to Overlay.

Now press shift and select both the layers in the layers palette, right click and select merge layers.

Double click on the layer to open the layer style window, select the Inner shadow option. Set the distance to 5px and size to 10px.

Name the layer as Ball and move the sphere to the centre of original document.
Next we will create the tentacles. Create a new layer and place it below the Ball layer. Select the Rectangular marquee tool and create a rectangular selection.

Set the foreground color to # fc966e and press Alt + backspace to fill the color to the new layer. Press Ctrl + D.

Goto Edit > Transform > Perspective. Hold with your mouse on one of the bottom edge and drag it inside. Press Enter twice.

Next goto Filter > Distort > Shear and adjust the points.

ALternately you can also use the Pen Tool to create the Tentacles.

Double click on the layer to open the layer style window. Select the Bevel and Emboss style. Set the style as Inner Bevel, Depth 101%, size 3px, soften 2px and gloss contour as sawtooth.

Next select the Texture option under the Bevel and Emboss style and set any pattern (I have used zebra stripes pattern). Set the depth to 195-200%.

Then select Drop Shadow. Set the shadow color to #f8917f, Opacity 100%, Distance and size 5px and spread 14%.

Next select Inner shadow and set the distance and size as 3px and contour as Log.

Finally select Outer Glow and set the spread and size as 6% and 29px respectively.

Right click on the layer in the layers palette and select Duplicate layer. Press Ctrl + T and in the tools option select the rotation angle as 24. Press enter twice.

Now place the image as shown in the image.

Repeat this until you place the tentacles in a full circle.

Press Shift and select all the duplicate layers except the original. Right click in the layers palette and select Merge Layers.

Name the Original layer as Tentacle-Original and the merged layers as Tentacle-L.

Right click on the Tentacle-Original layer and select Duplicate layer. Press Ctrl + T and in the tools option change the width and height to 40%.

Press enter twice and place the new layer as shown below.

Right click on the new layer and select Duplicate layer and place it next to the original layer. Press Ctrl and select both the original and the duplicate layers, right click and select Merge layers.

Next press Ctrl and select the Tentacle-L and the Tentacle-Original layers, right click and select Merge Layers. Then select the merged layer i.e. Tentacle-L, right click and select Duplicate layer. Press Ctrl + T in the tools option set the width and the height to 70%.

Rotate the new layer to position it as shown below and press enter twice.

Next duplicate this layer and goto Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontally. If needed rotate and position it as shown below.

Press Ctrl and select the Both the layers, right click and select Merge layers. Name the layer as Tentacle-M.

Next select the Smaller Tentacles layer (Tentacle-Original Copy), right click and select Duplicate layer. Press Ctrl + T, rotate the layer and press enter twice. Repeat this process and position the smaller tentacles as shown in the image below. Press Shift and select all the small tentacles layers (Original and the duplicate). Right click on the layers palette and select merge layers. Name the layer as Tentacle-S.
Next we will create some abstract lightening effect. Create a new layer. Press D and then X. Select the Brush Tool and from the tools option select the soft brush of 1px. Set the opacity to 40% and draw a curly stroke.

Double click on the layer in the layers palette and in the layers style window select the Outer Glow option. Set the glow color to #f046f2 and the spread and size to 8% and 8px respectively.

Set the blend mode for the layer to Screen and also set the opacity and the fill % to 40.
Repeat the step 7 to create few more abstract strokes as shown in the image below.
Finally we will type some text on the image. Select the Text tool , set the text color to White (#ffffff), set the font of your choice (I have used Delta of size 40pt) and type the text Astral Projection.

Double click on the Astral layer and in the layer style window select the Gradient Overlay and set the Gradient as shown in the image.

Set the opacity to 100% and scale to 58%.

Select the Drop shadow option. Set the Blend mode to Multiply, the shadow color to # 3c3c3f, spread 30% and distance and size as 6px.
10. The final image should look like the one below.