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| Electrifying your designs like this poster I created for Florida International University's athletic department is easier than you think. Just follow this tutorial to learn how. |
Here's a way to add some spark to your designs using Photoshop. I learned this easy and effective technique years ago from an article by graphic designer Russ Taber.
Step 1. Open Photoshop and create a new RGB image 500 x 500 pixels (the size can vary depending on your design). Next we'll fill this image with 50% gray. This is key as the random pattern we will create reacts to gray levels. Select Edit/Fill from the menu bar. In the Fill dialog box select from the Use: pop up menu 50% gray and click OK.
Step 2. Press D to make sure the foreground and background colors are set to black and white. Select Filter/Render/Difference Clouds.
Step 3. Select Image/Adjustments/Levels/Auto. Select Image/Adjustments/Inverse. You should get this or a similar result:
Step 4. To refine the image, select Image/Adjustments/Levels. Move the gray gamma slider (the one in the middle) in the Levels Dialog bow to the right until you reach 0.10 (or just type in the value).
After adjusting the levels your image should now be electrified:
Step 5. Now lets add some drama by colorizing the image. Make sure your image is an RGB image and select Image/Adjustments/Hue/Saturation. Check the colorize box and set the Hue to, well, whatever you like. I set it to a purple-blue. Increase the intensity to your liking. Congratulations, you have created electricity!
This technique creates a random pattern of lightning bolts and every time you try it you will get a different result. Here's a way to get those electrons under control.
Step 6. Start with a new RGB 500 x 500 pixel image (again, you can vary this depending on your design). Select the gradient tool, set it for linear, and make sure the blending options are set to default and your foreground and background colors are set to black and white. Drag about one third of the way down from the top to about one third of the way from the bottom.
Step 7. Again, select Filter/Render/Difference Clouds. Select Image/Adjustments/Levels/Auto. Select Image/Adjustments/Inverse. Repeat the Image/Adjustment/Levels/Auto. Now you should have this:
Step 8. Lets colorize the image by choosing Image/Adjustments/Hue/Saturation. Go crazy adjusting the Hue and Saturation until you get something you like. I wound up with this:
Step 9. For added fun create a new layer and repeat steps 5 through 7 but instead of horizontal make your gradient vertical:
Step 10. And color it differently:
Step 11. Now set this top layer to screen mode:
That's it! Congrats and well done!
