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Creating an Abstract Background

Author: Force Author's URL: www.apdz.com More by this author

Ok this tut is a simple one. It will introduce you to the use of blend modes and filters.... so open up photoshop and get going.

1. Open a new canvas (ctrl+N). For this tut I am going to use width-400(px) and height-400(px) with resolution 72(pixels/inch). Make sure u set the mode to RGB Color. I am setting the contents to 'white'.

2. Make a new layer (shift+ctrl+N). Get the Paint Bucket Tool(G). Sometimes the gradient tool comes up so simply right click it and select the paint bucket tool.

image 1

Make your new layer black.

3. Go to Filter>Render>Lens Flare.

image 2

Make a flare anywhere on your canvas. Do this 3 more times. Make the flares anywhere on the canvas.(The flares and the black background should be on the same layer(layer 1)). Here's how mine looks-

image 3
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4. Go to Filter>Distort>Wave. Mess around with the settings till you get what something you like.Here are my settings-

image 4

5. Duplicate the layer (ctrl+J). Go to Filter>Distort>Wave. Mess around with the settings again. Use the randomize button to get different results. The more different this wave is from the last wave, the better.

image 5
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6. Change the blend mode. I put mine to Color dodge but you can put it to whatever mode you think looks best.

image 6
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7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6. Here's how mine looks-

image 7
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8. You can also Try out different filters. I duplicated one layer and did filter>brush strokes>sprayed strokes. I kept the layers blend mode color dodge. here's how mine looks-

image 8
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9. To add color go to layer>new adjustment layer>color balance, and mess around with the settings.

image 9

10. Now to add text. Select the text tool(T) and click anywhere on the canvas(this should make a new text layer).Type whatever you want. Here's how mine looks-

image 10
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11. Your basically done now. Just make sure you add a border to your piece. A border can be as complicated or as simple as you want. To make a simple border make a new layer(ctrl+J), Press ctrl+A (should select the outside edges of the canvas). Go to edit>stroke.Set the size to one pixel and the Location to 'inside'.

Here's my finished result-

image 11

Here's what I did earlier using the same method-

Abstract Background
Click to enlarge

Quick Summary

Duplicate Layer- ctrl+J
New canvas- ctrl+N
New layer- ctrl+shift+N
Paint bucket- G
Text tool- T
Select all- ctrl+A

Adding color layer- layer>new adjustment layer>color balance
Adding color to layer- ctrl U
Adding color to layer- ctrl+B