this tutorial your going to need a good stock photo lined up. Something with action…and preferably dark (this effect works much better in a dark setting)
Open the mulan photo, then go to the paths tab and click create new path.
Press “P” on the keyboard to select the pen tool, Get a basic idea of where the fire is going. Keep in mind dimension and action. Swirls do wonders!
A. Click to start your path
B. Click your next point, hold and drag to create a bezier spline path, which is necessary to create flowing lines
C. Continue doing this, following the idea of where you want the fire to go.
Dont worry about getting it right the first time as you can change the spline at any time…another little tip – if you press and hold ctrl while using thepen tool you can temporarily access the direct selection tool which will allow you to edit the spline (a big time saver)
B. Click your next point, hold and drag to create a bezier spline path, which is necessary to create flowing lines
C. Continue doing this, following the idea of where you want the fire to go.
Dont worry about getting it right the first time as you can change the spline at any time…another little tip – if you press and hold ctrl while using thepen tool you can temporarily access the direct selection tool which will allow you to edit the spline (a big time saver)
A. Now you want to select a soft round brush (i used a 5 pixel brush here) and pick an orange color.
B. Make a new layer and name it Fire.
C. Go back to the paths tab and select stroke path with brush.
B. Make a new layer and name it Fire.
C. Go back to the paths tab and select stroke path with brush.
Erase the parts of the path that are behind the legs/arms or whatever it is your paths follows.
Right click on the Fire layer and select blending options, and use these options/values.
Duplicate the Fire layer, and set the layer mode to OVERLAY
Click the eye next to inner shadow and inner glow on the duplicate layer to deactivate them.
Duplicate the FIRE layer again, and filter>distort>wave.
Play with the opacity levels, and play with the blending modes – particularly OVERLAY.
Good luck!
