Ice Beam (Abstract Brushing)

1. Create a new document. I will be using a document size of 300x500 for this tutorial. Fill it with a black to dull blue gradient:

2. Now, select a size 200-300 brush (round with 0% hardness), and create a new layer. Make a white dot at the bottom of the image:

3. Create a new color adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance):

4. In the Tone Balance, make sure that Highlights is selected. Then, set up the Color levels like this:

5. Click ok to apply this to your image. It should look something like this:

6. Create a new layer, and move it so that it is below your color balance layer, but above your layer with the large dot. Now, select a round brush with 0% hardness around 28 px and draw a line down the middle of your canvas like shown below.

7. Create a new layer, and select a large brush (300 px, round, 0% hardness) and make another dot over your first one:

8. Select your smudge tool from the tool bar. Set the pressure to 50%, and select one of the irregular shaped brushes from your brush tab. I will be using Oil Medium Wet Flow. Starting from the outside, drag inwards on your large dot from the top inwards. This will take lots of clicking and dragging:

9. Now start dragging in and out rapidly with the smudge tool:

10. Now, from the middle of the dot, start dragging upwards so it begins to merge with the beam:

11. Select the eraser tool from your tool bar. Set the opacity of your eraser to 10%, and select another irregular shaped brush from your brush tab. Increase the size of your brush to around 30-50, and start randomly clicking around the dot (more so on the outside than in). This will give it more of a nebulous/cloudy texture:

12. Create a new layer, and make some smaller dots right above your first one:

13. Using the techniques taught above, make these dots merge together with the smudge tool:

14. And now use the eraser tool. Try to make it appear as if thought they are fading away by using more eraser up top than down low:

15. Now, select a small brush (3-5px with 0% hardness, and set it up like this:

16. Now, create a new layer, and using your new brush, start dragging from the center of your dot towards the top. Be sure to curve your strokes though:

And that is it! If you want, keep adding to it since this is a very overused technique. Add some curves in the middle of it, or try making multiple beams!

Good Luck!