Create a Lightning Effect With Photoshop

It's relatively easy to create lightning using Adobe Photoshop. In the example, we use a less realistic more saturated version, but you can adjust these instructions to make a more realistic lightning effect.

Steps

  1. Open the image you're editing or make a new file. The example shown here uses an RGB 300 x 100 with a black background.
  2. Draw the lines in the position you want the lightning to be. Use a 1px paintbrush.
  3. Use the 'Wind' filter. Filter > Stylize > Wind. Select the method as 'Wind' and the direction 'From the left'. Now repeat except change the direction to 'From the right'
  4. Rotate the image 90 degrees. Click Image > Rotate > 90 degrees right. Repeat the previous step and rotate it 90 left.
  5. Move to Filter > Distort > Ripple, set the amount to 100%, and hit "OK".
  6. Go to "Enhance > Adjust Color > Hue/Saturation". At the bottom right corner, hit "Colorize". Now adjust the "Hue" bar and the "Saturation" bar until you get a color you like.
  7. If you'd like, hold down Ctrl, then select both the background layer and the first layer, and press Ctrl + E in order to merge the two layers.
  8. Finished.

Tips

  • You might want to adjust the contrast
  • An alternative way is to apply a gradient, go to Filter->Render->Difference Clouds, Press CTRL(COMMAND)+I (which should invert the lightning), go to Image->Adjust->Levels, and finally CTRL(COMMAND)+U to add color by checking the colorize box on the bottom and pulling the sliders around. This method is harder to control but can also create a neat effect.
  • Please note that this is possible with other photo editing software. Just use the equivalent functions.
  • You can add lightning to an original photo by creating a new layer on it and then following the above steps
  • If doing this multiple times, it might be helpful to create an "action."

Warnings

  • If you make a mistake, hit Ctrl + Alt + Z (Ctrl + Z for older versions of Photoshop)
  • If you make a mistake on Macintosh, you hold down the command/apple key and press Z

Related Articles

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Create_a_Lightning_Effect_With_Photoshop&oldid=300162"