Let’s represent the star now, select the Custom Shape Tool (U) in the Tools bar, in the Options bar click the Shape to open the selection menu. Find 5 Point Star at the bottom of the menu, and then double-click a shape thumbnail to select it.

Click and drag to draw the shape as shown. Using the Convert Point Tool, select the anchor points of the star. Then apply the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) click on Maintain Aspect Ratio and drag the anchor points to the central part of the star to change the shape form.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Stroke.

Apply Gradient Overlay:

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next result:

Now we have to draw the next element of the star. Choose the Pen Tool (P), set the drawing mode on Shape Layers in Options bar and draw the next shape as shown.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Gradient Overlay.

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next result:

Make four copies of the last made layer and apply the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to change the copies’ sizes, placing them the same way from below. We need also to change the gradient’s direction in the Gradient Overlay options to get the same effect as on the next picture it is shown:

We’ve got the next result:

Combine in a group all the layers composing the star (press CTRL button to select the necessary layers and hold on the left mouse’s button while dragging the selected layers on Create a new group icon from bottom part of the Layers panel).

Make several copies of the got group and choose the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to change the copies’ sizes, placing them as below:

Next we’ll draw the shining effect coming form the stars. This time create a new layer and use on it the Soft Round brush of the color #E2D400 (brush Opacity – 20%).

We’ve got the next result:

Set Fill to 50% for this layer and change the Blending mode to Pin Light.

Next step we’ll download set of brushes for Adobe Photoshop, named: Lens Flare . I would like to thank the author of these brushes, or if you prefer, you can substitute similar brushes of your own.

Copy the brushes file to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Brushes folder (Adobe Photoshop X been your version of Photoshop). Little tutorial to explain how to load new brushes here.

Create a new layer, go to Brush Tool (B) and load the downloaded brushes, select the next brush:

Use this brush to draw the luminescence on all the balls’ support elements.

Set Fill to 80% for this layer.

Create a new layer and apply the next brush from the downloaded set to represent the shining effect on the star on the top and left sides.

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Overlay.

Create a new layer and select the Hard Round brush of white color.

Use this brush with different Opacity value to draw many dots on the background.

Click Create new fill or adjustment layer from bottom part of the Layers panel and click to Curves to adjust the curve shape as shown to make a little color corrections.

We’ve got the next result:

Combine in a group all the layers (press CTRL button to select the necessary layers and hold on the left mouse’s button while dragging the selected layers on Create a new group icon from bottom part of the Layers panel).

Make a copy of the group and rasterize it, select the group firstly on Layers panel and then press CTRL+E to Merge Down.

On the rasterized layer we need to apply the next filter: Filter > Render > Lens Flare

Using the Lasso Tool (L) on the rasterized layer make the next selection, press Delete to erase the right half of the canvas diagonally.

Create a new layer and select the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to fill the layer with color #C89C06.

Set Fill to 9% for this layer and change the Blending mode to Divide.

Our Elegant Greeting Card with Stylish Christmas Ball hanging on Red Background is finished!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

View full size here.

Download free Layered PSD file.