Filter Signature

In this tutorial, I will teach you to make something like this:

Of course it isn't going to come out exactly like this, so let's begin.

I start all my filters the same way.

Filter> Render> Clouds.

Then, Filter>Render>Different clouds until you get an effect desired.

The duplicate the layers three times. for the first layer (from top down), make the blending mode "Overlay". Then on the second, make it "Linear Dodge", then on the third, make it "Hard Light". Keep the fourth layer at "Normal". then select all of them, and press "Ctrl+g" to group. then, open the group, and select the layer with the blending mode set to "Normal" and go to Filter>Sharpen>Sharpen. Do that 3 or 4 times. Be sure not to get it too grainy. this is my result:

Now duplicate the "Normal" layer and move it out of the group, and above the group. Now, go to Filter> Distort> Ripple.

Set it to "Medium" at about 700 or so.

Then set the layer's opacity to 50, so you can see the group before it.

Now, take your eraser tool, and give it a nice soft edge. make the size about 150 or so. then give your rippled layer a layer mask (to do that, on the layers palette, press the square thing with a white circle in it.), take your eraser, and just erase at parts where you don't want the ripple effect. now, make that layer 100% opacity again, and duplicate it 3 times. Set the first one to Hard Light, the second one to Linear Dodge, the third one to Soft Light. Keep the fourth at normal.

Now, make a new layer, and go Filter>Render>Clouds. Try get a different effect to the first one.

The do the same "Difference Clouds" until you get an effect you like

Then sharpen it 3 or 4 times. then duplicate it three times.

Set the first one to "hard light", the second to "Linear dodge", the third to "Soft Light", and the fourth at normal.

Now merge these four layers:

Now, duplicate it once, and set the duplicated layer to invisible (click the eye-thing next to the layer).

Go back to the original layer.

Go to Filter>Pinch. make it 100.

The go to Filter>Distort> Polar Co-ordinates and make it "Polar to Rectangular":

Now, take off the invisibility of the duplicated layer.

Make its opacity 50 or 40, and give it a layer mask. then, take your eraser tool, and on the mask, take off places you wouldn't like. Then go back to your layer with that was given the Polar Coordinates. make the layer "Overlay".

Make the opacity of the duplicated layer 100.

Now go to Filter>Distort>Spherize, and make it -100%

Now Filter>Sharpen>Sharpen that layer once. then duplicated it. set the duplicated layer to "Linear dodge" and the original layer to "Multiply". You should get something like this:

Now, if you want to add stock, You can. I'm only going to be interested in colouring. I'm going to use my own method.

Add some text, the way you like it, and voila:

Remember, you don't always have to stick to these exact methods. Always try different styles, and filters, and ways of blending. Never be afraid to be unique and keep thinking.