Abstract Backgrounding

Yet another background effect that looks so much more realistic and 3d than the other ones!

1. Make a new image, ours is 600 x 600 - with a transparent

2. Grab your Gradient tool (G) and give it the following settings: (Black, white - mode: Difference - Opacity: 100%)

3. Now, drag your gradient from the top left, to the bottom right

4. Next, you need to drag your gradient about... 30 times or so all over your canvas. try not to make the points so close together when you are dragging each one - it will just leave a hard line

Click to enlarge

5. Now, click Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation. Click the colorize box, and whack the saturation upto 50! Choose whatever colour you like, but personally, blue works best.(215)

6. Now, click Layer > Duplicate layer - and hit ok. Next you need to set the blending options to softlight on the layers palate.

7. Duplicate this new layer, and click Filter > Sketch > Chrome - with the default settings. Finally, you will need to set the blending options to "Color Dodge" on the layers palate

Click to enlarge

Obviously you rn 't going to want to leave it boring like this, you might want... to make it into a splash page or a background for a header: