Energy Beam

Step 1 - Create Your Canvas

To start creating our energy beam, we first need to open up a brand new canvas. My canvas size is 150px X 400px. Once you have your canvas open, fill it with a black color (#000000). Now that you have your background setup,  create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and take out your brush tool. Set the brush diameter to 65px and set the hardness to about 10%. Draw a vertical line (Hold shift) down your canvas and you should end up with something looking similar to this.

Step 2 - Energy Beam Base

Now we are going to create the base of the energy beam. Select the brush tool again, but this time set your hardness to 0% and set the diameter to 200px. Once you have this larger brush selected, move it to the bottom of your image. Click twice and the base of your image to create a larger spread which will be the base of our energy beam.

Step 3 - Add Some Color

Now I am going to add some color to my energy beam. To do this, go to Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Color balance. I went for a nice yellow color and used the following setting:

Shadows: -20, -23, -34
Midtones: -31, +26, -11
Highlights: +50, +3, -44

Step 4 - Start Smudging

Now we are going to start smudging our image. Select the Smudge Tool, and use the 27px Splatter brush from your brush menu. Click and drag from the bottom up to smudge your energy beam to look as if it is giving off light. Mine looks like this now.

Step 5 - Side Flares

Create another new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and take out the 65px soft brush we used to create our vertical beam. On your new layer create three dots on the vertical part of your energy beam, one on the left and two on the right. Now take Smudge Tool and use the 27px splatter brush. Smudge these dots upwards as we did with the base of the energy beam. Your image should now look something like this.

Step 6 - Add Some Spray

Now we are going to create a sort of energy spray coming off of the energy beam. To start, press F5 to open your brush preset editor. Now select the 1px brush and apply the settings shown in this image. Once you have this new brush set up, take out the Smudge Tool and select the 1px brush we just made. Now smudge the dots and the base layers, and you should have something like this.

Step 7 - Create a New Brush

Now we are going to create a brush from scratch to use on our energy beam. Open a new canvas 1px in height and 6px in width. Zoom in and use the pencil tool to create a 1px dot at each end, as shown here.

Step 8 - Using Our New Brush

Now, to use our new brush, we need to define it. To do this, go to Edit -> Define Brush Preset and name it anything you would like. Now, go back to your original canvas with the energy beam on it. Go to your layer panel and merge all of the layers (except the color balance layer) together by pressing Ctrl+E. Now select the Pen tool, and use the settings shown here.

Step 9 - Adding Some Style

Now using the pen tool, click in the center of your energy beam's base, and then, while holding shift, click above the top of your energy beam. Now click in the middle of the line you just created and drag it to one side creating something like this.

Step 10 - Finishing Touch

Now right click on your image (you should still have your pen tool out) and select 'Stroke Path'. Make sure the smudge tool is selected and press ok. Then right click again on your image and click 'Make Selection', and click ok. Press Ctrl+D to de-select you selection, and you should now have your final image. If you wish, you can copy this vertical stripe over to the other side as I have done here, or add any other touches you like.