Artist Tutorial for Photoshop - Playing with Fire

I witnessed a conversation on a graphics bbs not long ago about how difficult it is in photoshop to make fire, given standard default psp tools. Of course, I saw this as a challenge and so played with it a bit and developed this - and now after a request from some nice people at Graphics.com created a Fire Tutorial.

Ready? This is as simple as I could keep it. Being under a pretty heavy time constraint I whipped this out in about 20 minutes. I want you to take your time and play with elements I have described here all you wish.
We aren't going to get technical with numbers, just approximate. Not only that, but try to improve on what you see in all of my tutes. That's realy the point to these anyway.

First step is to make a new image - any size image- and make the bottom layer Black.

Make a new Layer and chose the paint-brush, colors and approximate settings as you see in the image below. The brush I used was from the Default 'Assorted' brushes. I used some scattering, spacing and color dynamics to make COALS. One thing that often seems forgotten in Fire graphics.




I then duplicated this layer and used the 'Smudge' tool to 'swoop' up the new layer of coals- making a rather amorphous firey glow in the background. I used the brush as you see in the picture below, also from the 'assorted brushes' set that comes with Photoshop. You want the 'Strength' setting to be between 70% and 80%.




The next part is what I think of as the main 'trick' to this whole fire effect- that is in setting up and using a gradient developed from long periods of staring into various campfires over the years.

See the image below for the details.

I made an oval shape with the elipse mask tool on a new layer and filled it with a homemade gradient.

The Gradient begins with the sheerest sliver of white- goes to arctic blue- then violet and up through the yellows, oranges and then to burnt red.
Play around and make yourself a nice fire gradient.

I then duplicated this oval layer twice- and using the free transform tool I made each gradient oval smaller than the one below by about 1/3.

Now you should have three layers- each with a smaller, gradient filled oval as in the pic below.

Now get out your Smudge tool again, select the 'spongy' brush from the Assorted set. Make sure that on the settings the 'spacing' is set at 0 so that you have a smooth stroke. Set the strength somewhere between 70% and 80%. See the brush shape on the image below.

Select the bottom (largest gradient oval) layer, hide the top layers so they are invisible by clicking the 'eyes' on the layer boxes.

Now it is time to swoop some more with your 'Smudge' tool. Start dragging the colors upward, blending and curling. Practice pulling a few down as well to see the effect. Change the size of the brush on occasion to vary the flames.

Ok, once you are happy with the effect, lower the opacity of this layer to about 30%. Then open up your Lighting effects (filter, render, lighting effects) and do this:

Fire is always hottest and brightest at the bottom. So I have used an upward facing spotlight to realy heat up the base of this fire.

Now, select the next size oval on the next layer up.
Rinse and repeat the previous steps with each layer. Make each layer a bit more opaque - with the last layer at 75-80%. Vary the lighting effects to suit your taste.

Go back and dot in a few more coals on each layer, varying the strength and intensity and varying the colors from white to hot red/orange. Just use a light touch with these.

Now, go through each layer and play with the 'dodge' and 'burn' tools on the fire layers and also on your coals layer. Play with 'dodging' and 'burning' both highlights and midtones to realy bring out the depth of your fire effect.

Good luck and have fun. And if you make something realy cool, I would love to post it here. You can also find this tutorial and other great fire tutes on Graphics.com. Where we started a great little fire contest at my instigation :) They don't call me troublemaker for nothing.

Now.. take what you have learned and burn one for me- If you want a few hints, drop me a note, I will be glad to oblige.

If you would like to Grunge things up a bit- Don't miss the 'Guitarist Grunge' tutorial. Learn how to Stroke that Path, baby.

If you have any questions about any of our products or services, or questions about this tutorial - just Email us. Put 'tutorial' in the subject box if that is the reference.