Even Fairies Have to Rest - Glow and Lightning Tutorial

Step 1

First of all, we need an image which we can work with. I found one on sxc.hu. It's an image taken by rghitulesc, and You can get it from here. Ofcourse You can pick any other image, which You think will be OK. Because I have a concept to keep this photo darker, and make a "fairy tale" from it, I made some adjustments. First I resized it to 800x600 px (Image > Image Size or Alt + Ctrl + I), duplicated my background layer (Ctrl + J), and setted Blending Mode to Difference with 35% Opacity. Then I duplicated this layer again, but this time I used Multiply and 45% Opacity. I made duplication once more, this time using Overlay and 100% Opacity.

Tip: If You are using different image, try to experiment with layer blending modes, number of layers and with opacity. I always improvise with this and I never know what kind of effect I'll get. I stop when I feel that this is it (sometmes I start with dark effect in mind, but after few experiments I stay with light and bright result).

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Step 2

To add a little more "magic look" to my image I made two more things. First I duplicated background layer again, i placed this layer on the top and used Filter > Other > High Pass with 1,0 Radius. After that i used Overlay blending mode with 100% Opacity for this layer. This will make my image a little sharper. Next i made new layer and used Filter > Render > Clouds, and after that Filter > Render > Difference Clouds (make sure that You have white as Your foreground and black as Your background colour). Then I made Gradient Fill adjustment Layer (I used standard photoshop gradient called Spectrum) and holding Alt key i clicked between my clouds and gradient layers to link them. Now i just changed blending mode to Color Dodge for clouds layer.

Tip: You can use other methods for sharpening Your image, or even don't sharpen it. You can use diffrent gradient too (but keep it colorful).

Step 3

Now I took Pen Tool (P) and made a path which will be mine glow. You can create something similar. Feel free to improvise (You can save this patch if You want).

Step 4

Create new layer. Select soft round brush with small size (I used 3px) ad white color. Open Brush Presets and set Minimum Diameter to 15%. Go to Your path palete, click right mouse button and select Stroke Path. Make sure, that Simulate Pressure setting is sellected, and you are actualy on new, clean layer.

Step 5

Apply blending options for this stroked patch layer, and using Eraser Tool (E) erase some parts of this line, which You think, that it should be behind the tree.

Step 6

Now it's time for another brush. Just set it like on image bellow (Click to enlarge). After that set your foreground color to #ff0000 and background color to #0024ff. Create new layer and go to paths palete to stroke glow path again (we stroked it once in step 4).

Tip: You may experiment with other foreground/background colors as well.

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Step 7

Apply blending options for this layer like on image bellow. Again You are free to try other/different settings.

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Step 8

Now it's time to add a fairy. I used a brush from JLStock. Create new layer, and click there, where You want to place the fairy (ofcourse change brush size, bicause on dafault it's large - I've placed my fairy on the right side of the picture). After that apply blending options for fairy layer and decrease layer opacity to 94%.

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Step 9

It's almost OK, but I want to add some lightning to this image. Create new layer, set black as your foreground, white as your background color, and go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Again add gradient layer (we made this before on step 2) and use standard photoshop gradient called Transparent Rainbow. Add Layer mask to clouds layer, and fill this mask with black (clouds should disappear). Change clouds layer blending mode to Color Dodge. Now the fun begins - grab soft brush, and using white color paint there, where You think the lights should be. Free Your imagination and play with brush size and opacity.

Step 10

Create new layer, grab soft brush, and using red and yellow color paint there, where You think that more lightning is needed. After that change this layer blending mode to Soft Light and use Filter > Blur > Gausian Blur with Radius about 7,3 px.

Step 11

Create new layer under fairy layer, fill it with black and change blending mode to Lighten. Now go to Filter > Render > Lens Flare, and place this flare where You think the fairy is (you don't have to be super precise). Now using Move Tool (V) place this flare properly. Grab Eraser Tool (E) and with diffrent sizes and Opacity just erase some parts of this flare.

Final result

Glow and Lightning effects may be fun. You have to improvise, and experiment. Somethimes it will take hours until You will get what You want. You may se my finished work bellow.

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