A promise is a promise. In A Photoshop Shorcut: saving image quality blog post, I described how to save an image without losing the details and quality of an artwork. Today, I describe how to create the artwork featured.
To begin, create a new document in Photoshop. I usually pick the following dimensions:
With this open, I unlock the background layer by double clicking it in the layer column on the right.
Then, we change the background color to black or a dark blue. I prefer the dark blue. To do this, use the fill bucket option. Next you want to create at least three new layers. Found at the bottom right bar, under the layers column. Each of these three layers, fill in with white with paint bucket.
Dissolve these three layers. You can find this option above the layers column, from the drop down menu that says Normal.
Once you set these three white layers to Dissolve, set the opacity levels for each layer at 1-2%. These are our stars! For each of these layers, we will add a gradient overlay. You can do this by either double clicking on the layer and a box will open or right click on layer and select Blending Options. Do this for the three layers.
Next, double click on the bar that says Gradient Overlay under each of your layers. This will open a similar box, but it will allow us to change the gradient colors and style. You will see the gradient colors as black to white. Double click on this bar. A box will open with the gradient bar. You can add stops to this bar and change the colors. For now, click on the black stop and pick a blue color and the white stop to a teal color. You will see your stars change color. You can also change the gradient style: Linear, Radial, Diamond, etc. and you can change the angle degree you want the gradient to appear. I have kept it at linear and a degree of about 30. Do this to all the layers, varying the color. One layer could have a soft yellow to a greenish blue color. Keep it in this range of colors.
To add the effect of nebulae, create three more layers. First, click on your paint brush tool. At the very top click on the brush size option, a small box will appear. Click on the small pin wheel at the top right. This will give a list of brush sets. Click on the last set called Wet media brushes and select #28. Choosing a turquoise color, begin to paint on each layer. In one layer, paint a design in the top part of the composition. On a second layer paint a design in the middle and the third layer for the top part of the composition.
Next, for each of these layers we will repeat the gradient overlay process. Choose blue and teal colors.
Click on the eraser tool and choose #74 and size it to about 150. We want to smooth out edges of the painting we did and make it look more realistic. Do not click and drag, instead make continuous clicks so as not to create bald spots. You can add more paint designs and erase as much as needed to created desired effect.
When you reached your desired effect, change the opacity levels of the layers to below 50%. You want the top and bottom designs to be more transparent than the middle. Go to layers and add a new gradient fill layer. This time you want the gradient style to be radial and you want the middle to be teal and the edges dark blue. Repeat and add a second gradient fill of the same colors.
This is more or less what it should look like. You can play around with the opacity of the nebulae and stars to reach desired effect.
I recommend saving your project as a .psd, but to save the quality and details, see my A Photoshop Shorcut: saving image quality. Basically, take a screen shot!
Creating images like is really beneficial for actual photography projects such as this one:
Instead of taking one from the internet, you can create your own and add a personal and meaningful background to your actual photographs.
The Eyes of Horus 