Creating a Laser Car

Laserboy

The techniques used here can be implemented by beginners with little knowledge of Photoshop. Settings shown here can be varied according to different images & these should not be taken as fixed settings. Your are free to experiment. Image used for this tutorial can be downloaded.
Take a look at the image we'll be creating.
Version Used: Photoshop CS2




Getting Started
Step 1: Open Background Image
Open image background.jpg



Step 2: Opening Car Image
Open car image
Copy and paste car image above your background layer and name it car.
NOTE :- Always try to name your layers and settings



Step 3: Creating Outer Path of Car
The first step would be to create a path of Car's Outer Edges.
1. Select Pen tool by clicking on icon in tool palette or by pressing shortcut key (P).
2. Make sure that paths is selected in options palette.
3. Also make sure that add to path area is selected in options palette.
Create an outline arround your car by clicking, dragging and adjusting your path to fit as close as you can.



Step 4: Tracing Inner Details• Keep working on your path to get some detail.
• Add headlights, window, front shield, tyres outer etc. as you like to give detail to your car.



Step 5: Opening Brushes Palette
1. Select brush by clicking brush icon from tools palette or by pressing shortcut key (B).
2. Open brushes panel by clicking toggle brushes panel icon from option palette or by pressing shortcut (F5).



Step 6: Brush Settings
• Now we are going to make certain changes to our brush.
• These settings are image dependent and you should always try to experiment to get best results.
• Pick a basic brush tip.

1. Change the master diameter to 4 px.



• Select other dynamics.
2. Change flow jitter control to pen pressure



• Select dual brush and change the following settings.
3. Click on the option arrow in upper right corner and choose assorted brushes from list and click OK.
4. Choose the brush marked in image below, it is named texture 6.
5. make sure mode option is selected to Color burn.
6. Change diameter to 29 px.
7. Change count to 3.
8. Change the opacity in options palette to 70%.
• Spacing must be set to 25% if it is not make sure you change it.



Step 7: Creating A New Layer Group
• We are going to create a new group.
• Create a new group by clicking on folder icon in layers palette and name it effect.



Step 8: Creating A New Layer
• Create a new layer in effect group by clicking on new layer icon in layers palette.
• Name the new layer laser car.



Step 9: Applying Stroke to Path
• Before applying stroke we are going to hide the car layer as it is not required further.
• After hiding the car layer you must select your laser car layer



• Go to paths palette
1. Make sure that your foreground color is white before applying stroke because it will be applied as stroke.
2. Right click on your workpath and click on stroke. A new popup will come on screen.
3. Check simulate pressure. Select brush if not selected & then click OK.




Step 10: Adjusting Car Size
• Deselect workpath and go to layers palette.
• When you apply stroke you will have image resembling one below.




Adjust your laser car layer to match the image below.



Step 11: Creating Final Output
• To get the laser effect only one thing is left to be done.
• Select the effects group from layers palette and change its blending mode to Color Dodge.
• Now you see the laser effect similar to the image you can see below.



• To make the effect more dramatic we are going to duplicate the laser car layer & name it laser car 70%
• Change the opacity to 70%.
• Move the layer a bit to make a doubling effect, like one in image below.



• We are going to have one more copy of laser car & name it laser car 50%.
• Change the opacity to 50%.
• Move the layer a bit to make it look like image below.
• Wow thats a car created through laser in an empty alley.



Conclusion
The tutorial used basic photoshop techniques to create a laser effect. Working with only basic photoshop tools and playing with blending mode we can create stunning effects and bring our pictures to life. Always make sure that you input your own creativity and not follow everything as rule of thumb. Certain areas as brush settings & foreground color are image dependent, play with them to get best results. Hope you will enjoy this tutorial until next time KEEP CREATING!
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