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Star Explosion

We have a planet, but we must introduce also the asteroids which may be found in Internet too. Find something looking like the next picture:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Cut out the element and insert it on the future scenery:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Make the new element look black and white too. Apply the same Blending Options adjustments we’ve selected for the planet. Create after that a new layer and paste it together with the asteroid’s layer. Next try to dark out a little some parts of the asteroid for it to look exactly like on the next picture:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Make copies of the layer and place the asteroid’s fragments and several planets more the way it is indicated below:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Represent a highlight on a planet now with the Brush Tool (B), which Hardness is situated on 0% and the Opacity on 5%. Insert several rays on the picture with the Smudge Tool (R) with the Strength on 40%.

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Insert a highlight behind the big planet. In this case we have to select the Brush Tool (B) with the color #C9F5F5 and the Hardness on 0%, Opacity on 6%, painting the highlight along the contour.

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Using the same instrument, but a different color – #58ABD7, it’s possible to represent a light background behind the planet and the asteroids the way it is indicated below:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Download from Internet the Fractal Brushes, choosing a brush on your wish, but let it be nicer one. Use it when picturing behind our elements a blue background. Fractal Brushes are a set of brushes that are used usually to picture the patterns situated in squares that is why we have to use an eraser for cleaning out the corners. The colors we should use are those from the blue – green gamma to get the same result from the next picture. We may mix several brushes just to get a better result.

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3 

We have got nice cosmic scenery. Getting more beautiful scenery is possible by creating a big explosion on the big planet. Create a new layer above the planet and picture a red oval firstly and then a smaller one of yellow color. Use in this case the Brush Tool (B) and the Hardness on 100% and the Opacity on 100%. The red oval has this color’s code #E71808 and the yellow one – #FFFB1A.

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Select next the Smudge Tool (R) with Strength on 80% and the brush size set on 6 px to stretch out the rays the same way demonstrated below:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Select the Blending Mode – Color dodge option instead of Normal one on the layers’ adjustments:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Make double the layer containing the explosion and select the Blending Mode – Normal option instead of Color Dodge. Select the Eraser of 20% to clean out the middle part of the explosion to get the same result shown below:

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

Insert a flare coming from the explosion on the two closest asteroids. It’s necessary in this case to represent an empty layer above the asteroid’s layer and press the Alt button when making a click between the layers. Mark out the new upper layer and try to represent on it the explosion’s reflection with red color.

Create Star Explosion in Photoshop CS3

The lesson came to end. Good luck with the inspiration!

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