How to Make a Smoke Effect in Photoshop

Photoshop can be used to add unusual and creative effects to images. These effects require some practice but once the basics are mastered the sky is the limit. The smoke effect in Photoshop is easy and can add a realistic effect to any image.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Open the image in which the smoke effect is to be applied. From the main menu click on "File" and choose "Open." Select the image to be enhanced.
2. Select the brush tool to be used. On the left menu panel choose the "Brush tool" option. Select the soft round brush for this effect. Make the color of the brush white by changing the color palette on the left menu panel to white. Choose the correct pixel size of the brush that fits the image to be altered.
3. Make a brush stroke on the image. With the proper brush tool right click and move the mouse over the area that the effect is to be applied.
4. Transform the image. Choose "Edit" from the main menu and then click on "Transform". In the transform menu choose "Skew" and move the corners until the desired motion is obtained.
5. Smudge the smoke on the image. Choose the smudge tool from the left side menu panel. The tool option might be set to the blur tool. If so right click over the blur tool and select the smudge tool option. Change the brush tool size and strength until the correct setting is found. This will take some trail and error to get the right look.
6. Duplicate the layer. From the main menu select "Layer" and click on "Duplicate layer." Filter this layer by choosing "Filter" from the main menu. Then select "Blur" from the filter menu. From the blur menu click on "Gaussian blur" and set the radius to 4 pixels. This is variable figure and the pixel number may need to be set differently. Change the opacity of the layer by selecting the layer tab in the lower right menu panel and moving the slide selector to 24 percent.
7. Choose the brush tool. Select the soft round brush tool and set the pixel setting to 1. Make sure the color is set to white. From the main menu select "Window" and then click on brushes. Check that the brush tool is still selected. Select the scattering option and set the percentage to 1000. Now click on the image and make a line that follows the flow of the smoke effect in Photoshop.
8. Repeat the process in Step 5 to select the smudge tool and smudge the line that was just created.
9. Select the eraser tool. Click on the eraser tool in the right side menu panel. Use the eraser to clean up the smoke effect in Photoshop. Now that the effect is finished select "File" from the main menu and choose "Save."

Who Can Help:

• Find Computer, Electrical and Telephone Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.
• Find Electrical Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.