Water Spirit - drawing fire
This tutorial will show You how to place a fire on someone's hands.
First, we have to chose a photo for our future work. I've picked one from sxc.hu and You can download it from this url http://www.sxc.hu/photo/891765 (You have to register first - it's FREE and realy worth of it). When You open Your photo in Photoshop make first step: Image -> Adjustments -> Desaturate (Shift + Ctrl + U). That will be our base image (I'll resize it to 450x600 px for presentation - You may work with larger image if You want or just use this bellow if You don't want to register on sxc.hu).

Now we will add a Adjustment Layer called Levels. Hold Alt Key, and click on Adjustments Layer button on Layers Palette. Select Levels. Make Sure that Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask is sellected. Then just slide dark arrow a little right.

As You can see - image is a little darker now. Now we will draw some fire. Make New Layer, select soft brush of the size You will choise, and using dark orange colour (for example #993300) make a "dot". Next use a smaller size with lighter colour (like #ff9933) make another dot. Again, smaller size, lighter colour (for example #ffcc66), and last time, smaller size, lighter colour (#ffff66) and dot.
Now it's time for a little "magic". Use Smudge Tool (R). Pick small, soft size, and make "fire tongues". Just click somewhere inside our dot, click, hold and drag it up. After first move You will know what I'm meaning. Try untill You will be satisfied. Remember that You may change the Strenght parameter. You will use Alt + Ctrl + Z combination lot of times!

Now lets make this fire more realistic by adding some light on hands. Go to Quick Mask Mode (Q), select big, soft brush, and "draw" there, where You think that the light should appear.

Leave Quick Mask Mode (Q), You will see a sellection. We have to inverse it by Select -> Inverse (Shift + Ctrl + I). Select our Hands Layer, and holding the Alt key add another Adjustment Layer called Color Balance (Use Previous Layer... should be sellected)

Now select our Color Balance Adjustment Layer Mask, and using black soft brush "erase" some lights, and using white - add some lights until You will feel that it looks good.

Next thing will be smal sparks. We have to prepare brush for this operation.

With those settings draw some sparks over our fire (on New Layer). Lower the Opacity of this layer (in my case it is 64%). Use orange colour picked from our fireball (just improvise).

Change again to regular soft brush, use #ffffcc colour (or similar light yellow), select our fireball layer, and make a bright dot inside of it (just for better effect).
My final result:



Comments
Dyle
2007-11-05
WHATTT
lena
2007-11-05
awesome.. can u make it easier?
barat
2007-11-05
I don't think so that it can be easier. It's because all smudge tool operations are just improvisation - each time You will get difrent effect :)
yousif
2007-11-05
just one word .. awesome
Fizz.
2007-11-05
It is amazing...:O
czechoo
2007-11-05
nice
snakehead!
2007-11-06
it sucks!
ProSniper 117
2007-11-06
It's alright i could do better.
ProSniper 117
2007-11-06
And instead of making the hands black/white and the other part color, not good it looks like he's hands are like numb....should have made he's whole arm and hands color.
abduasid
2007-11-06
it shows heat there smart one, and the color contrast makes you concentrate on the fire. they did an amazing job. and you fail
barat
2007-11-06
I see that abduasid understand what is going on :)
jmma
2007-11-06
cool but i can make it better~~
Justin
2007-11-06
I liked how the hands were dripping while he controlls the fire
cassie
2007-11-06
it looks awesome!
anuj
2007-11-06
just a ralistic............
Moe
2007-11-06
Brilliant!
Ted Turner
2007-11-07
This is radical
Butaan
2007-11-07
Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! Is so fun
Waa!
2007-11-07
Damn it's so hard (it's me first time on adobe CS3 photoshop :P) so evrything is hard. MY question is i can't smudge..hotkey is R i know but if have change color to ff9933 (organge) there's comes notihng plzz someonh plzz help me
Waa!
2007-11-07
I srry that my englisch isn't good because im from holland :P
Beth
2007-11-07
Didn't get a good lighting result, but the fire itself looks neat. I will continue trying to get the lighting right.
ExXxtreme
2007-11-08
The idee is awesome, but the fire doesn't look really realistic.
Grumbkow
2007-11-08
If you fuckers can do it ebtter write your own tutorial then Fucking morron
Waa!
2007-11-08
Lol never mind... i have CS2 now much better then CS3 i think im gonna remove CS3 :D
pocklelord
2007-11-09
its easy if u under stand wat ur doing and actually it is neat to do i hope u get more like it
Habib
2007-11-12
Nice creativity
pocklelord
2007-11-12
can u make a fire like that with any color or does it have to be like that
pocklelord
2007-11-12
cause i was going to make one with black to blue
barat
2007-11-12
@pocklelord: Try and check Yourself :)
Mack
2007-11-12
this remind me alot of the Photoshop Top Secrets dvd where they learn you how to make orbs and fire
Nizar
2007-11-14
amazing!!! but i need more tutorial pics if it's possible..
thanks
pocklelord
2007-11-14
srry i was asking i cant get it to work right with other colors
karrar
2007-11-15
It is very nice
Nick
2007-11-15
Thanks - works really well. Only problem I am having, is making the fire tongues look as good as yours. With practice tho =] xx
theguy
2007-11-18
Great fire, it's beautiful.
@ Waa: You're foreign and swearing. Not a good start for you.
Supa Chiney...
2007-11-20
Why are you watching tutorials.. if you are so good at photoshop..
Faysal aMir
2007-11-21
just say its very coo0l :)
chals
2007-11-22
for me, i am not convinced by the fire. but somehow it looks good.
fan
2007-11-23
nice effect
fan
2007-11-23
axxo live
TVXQ_DUTCH
2007-11-25
Whooow it Lookes Great =] Maybe The fire doesn't Really Look Realistic but I Like The Light Around it =]
DusanDesing
2007-11-28
Looks Really fake,the flames are not scaterd wery well and
hands look weared
FeduP
2007-11-30
I just love the comments regarding its "realism". You potatoheads seem to forget, ITS A FLAME IN SOMEONE'S PALM!!!! IT'S NOT GOING TO BE REALISTIC.
ProWanker: "It's alright i could do better." Do you have anything more constructive than that to add?
Nestle
2007-11-30
Good job dude ! awesome
did you think about it by yourself ? if yep respect..
fan
2007-12-01
axxo live
aian
2007-12-03
wow daw true ba
damien
2007-12-04
this is so fuckin boring I hate you and you should die a horrible death
[name goes here]
2007-12-04
yeah just remember not everyone can make some good looking fire via smudge. you might wanna think about that
Sonya
2007-12-05
This was a really great tutorial..the fire was a bit basic, though, and using wind and gaussian blur and smudge tools would have really made the fire look wonderful. I did quite a bit of improvisation on it, and I'm relatively happy with the results. It's really not a bad tutorial! I also suggest that instead of using adjustment layers to make color, I'd suggest an easier approach, and that is to creat new layers and use and airbrush and set the blend mode to colour. That's all I have in terms of constructive criticism, and thank you!
Megha
2007-12-06
Nice but its not looking real
8 ball
2007-12-07
This sucks so bad it made me bleed from the ass and my dog committed suicide over the time it took me to understand the basic outlook you were giong for! I hope you can make a better one before you condemn us all to the torture of reading your nonsense bullshit babble.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!
para
2007-12-09
i liked the concept, hated the insulting comments.
David
2007-12-09
Well I thought it rocked. Ignore the jealous losers. Thanks for the great tutorial! :)
bhavesh
2007-12-10
It's ossome but can show us how can fire is replace by Ice
dokz05
2007-12-10
it's great!Thanks!
to all critics: why don't you mind your own business and post your own tutorial if you think you're great! you're all just jealous!
modye
2007-12-10
thanks so much
i LOVE you all
shole
2007-12-11
thank u so much my brother,
this make me motivation to work creative, i love art...
sixtra
2007-12-12
to create the flame.. it's so damn hard maann...hehehehe....
tehe..
2007-12-12
would be better with a bit more depth to it :)
Allan
2007-12-14
this is crap!!
will
2007-12-14
great tutorial man sorry about the idiots who dont appreciate your effort
some of us do
keep it up
Raj
2007-12-15
Excellent work man
zakolbazzer
2007-12-17
awesome work :)
U suck
2007-12-17
that is to cartoonish
Juan Cochina, La Paz, Mexico
2007-12-17
The Tut was fine, and thank you.
The unnecessary sour comments from the low IQ dingdongs and the 'I'm better' brags from ones who probably can't actually do anything but feel bad are the only serious drawbacks. There always have to be the jerks, eh?
I did find the fire a touch unrealistic and would prefer a bit more color in the arms, but to each artist is their own interpretation. Yours is fine, and the piece was well conceived.
I think the problem I see with the fire (using smudge) is that it must be perfectly placed to pick up both white (or lighter colors) and the orange to produce a realistic dual toned flame and a more realistic fire. The Pen tool used with a fade brush or pen pressure might give a more realistic fire. I have not tried it though. Setting the controls would cause a lot of CTRL-Z I'm sure.
satish
2007-12-30
so nice
john
2007-12-30
really its very nice
Ryan
2007-12-30
Ok, i really like the tutorail, but its not a tutorial unless you explain things. You've said "Next thing will be smal sparks. We have to prepare brush for this operation." and then included 2 screenshots, but you dont explain how you did this! Please explain things better for me and others who have having similar problems
dint like
2008-01-01
itwasnt gud ,, i dint like..
thepcdude
2008-01-02
Instead of using the smudge tool, I would use the liquify filter.
Lori
2008-01-07
The tutorial was fairly simple. I liked it for it's uniqueness and eccentricity. However, you should try to explain things a little clearer next time. great tutorial!
gza84
2008-01-10
Great tutorial, I could use this thanks.
A message to all you people who bad mouthed this tutorial, if you have anything bad to say KEEP IT TO YOURSELF nobody cares what you think. you should be thankful that he even bothered to post his tutorial.
Ajay
2008-01-10
Its Too Good
teresa
2008-01-12
nice!spiritual!
TAFFS
2008-01-14
LOOKS SEXY
HakkÄ?
2008-01-15
Ne diyonuz t??rkce yazsanÄ?za
waleed
2008-01-17
very nice
nidhi
2008-01-18
Great! U r really a creative one.
Jinu, Orissa, +919861211033
2008-01-19
Great ! ! ! Briliant tricks
Young Joo
2008-01-24
This is the awesomest thing I've sawn
Cheri
2008-01-24
this is very nice, i really enjoyed this one. i like how no matter what, it will always vary from yours. most tutorials lack that creative energy, because mine always looks exactly the same as the tutorial. thanks for the variation!!
Fiona
2008-01-24
I really liked the tut - liked how only the bits touched by the firelight were in colour and the effects using light - thanks :-)
lolachick
2008-01-25
was easy ans look ok i guess i could do better :S
Help...
2008-01-29
Where is quick mask mode... grrrrrrrrr
webd
2008-01-30
cool...but make sure next time you have a fully explainable one....cus some do not know photoshop fully...helpfull...u r giving this tutorial for like advanced level..think of beginner level la bodoh....
denuim
2008-01-30
nice, great job mate :)
denuim
2008-01-30
webd your right men!
densun
2008-01-31
its simple, yet is awsome
amigo
2008-01-31
im a bigginner learner photoshop will you please discuss further...plz....
SONI
2008-02-04
Realy good!
thanks
Lana
2008-02-06
This sucks. Fire looks totally fake, and it doesn't resemble the symbolism.
deneme
2008-02-07
difficult ---> using smudge tool and erase some light
herb
2008-02-12
Why does every body have to be so mean some of you people are just dumb ass fags who need to not post comments if you have nothing good to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!
zeemoo
2008-02-15
awesome ......
Rehan
2008-02-15
its superb
pedro
2008-02-15
i loved the light effect on the hands... that's prolly 50% the outcome for me
dy-erl
2008-02-18
u did a excellent job!!!That's a proof!!!
neogeo
2008-02-19
i nice, but there is a portion that is hard to do specially in putting light effect using the quick mask.
tasha
2008-02-19
thats awesome!! mines came out perfect!!
knight
2008-02-20
thats amazing.:-)
knight
2008-02-20
thats amazing.:-)
knight
2008-02-20
thats amazing.:-)
snowhore
2008-02-20
this is hot!! :P
eve
2008-02-22
Nice work, very easy and super!!
Stepherssss
2008-02-22
This is sweeeett! i just made it in my own hands lol
chotadon
2008-02-24
i think this is the best and short tut to make the real fire like this .......
redflame
2008-02-25
is there away to make the whole hand on fire?
POOoooOOoLLL
2008-02-29
very good joob wow
muco
2008-02-29
I hope, that s every one know s.
that is unreal, sorry but 1/5
LOL
2008-03-04
LOL
BROOKX
2008-03-05
NOT BAD IT MAKES FICTIONS REAL... I THINK IT HAS GIVEN ME SOME IDEA TODAY
r.
2008-03-05
cool it was amusing i learned a lot
dokdin
2008-03-07
thank you
SAM
2008-03-08
I am having trouble with the fire like i am using the exaple for the dots but its not comin out right
Umer
2008-03-24
Awesome! thanks! :D
Amanda <3
2008-03-29
awesome! Thansk alot! <3
Tammy
2008-03-31
ITS AMAZZING!
WOOT
WOOT
WOOT
Photoshop Star
2008-04-01
Hey Dont Be Meann i can kick anyone off this website and I mean anyone!
conrad
2008-04-07
yea this is sweet and photo shop star kick me off u a hole u really suck
Brain
2008-04-17
so cool~!
Tony
2008-04-27
great tutorial, appreciate it...
BehzadMono
2008-04-30
Very Very Nice
a
2008-04-30
a
Eric
2008-05-04
Thankyou so much, i had lots of fun learning it all. Thanks again, i really appreciate this.
Hmm
2008-05-08
sucks
Akki
2008-05-18
" it's very Good Picute "
David
2008-05-19
Thank you for posting this tutorial. I had a lot of fun, and it came out really good.
mo
2008-05-21
thank u for this tutorial
umar
2008-05-22
thatz what i am talkin about man... real dam hard work... keep it up guyz...
ayoub
2008-05-23
awesome ,great thanks
Abdelaziz
2008-06-05
thank u for this tutorial...goode
Carl
2008-06-08
I don't understand
b'coz I haven't read anything
hahahaha
ren
2008-06-11
i love this tutorial make more
sahil
2008-06-29
very nice create some new effect
Henrique
2008-06-30
ugly
rois
2008-07-07
peh kueren pool mas...matur suwun tutoriale...
salam saking indonesia
east java
ken
2008-07-07
yup its nice.fuck those fucker and why don't you make and post your ownself tutorial.You guys is just jealous
webpirs.com
2008-07-23
fuck tutorials
Jules Carney
2008-08-02
Its Just great!
tweety
2008-08-04
i love this tutorial make more
Acid
2008-08-12
Erm, you're not very clear sometimes with that exactly it is you want.
Andy McNab
2008-08-13
It was too Easy
Ahamed Bazullah
2008-08-25
Nice Tute.........
a
2008-08-25
OK it is
demian
2008-08-28
"potatoheads" JAR JAR JAR
love selva
2008-09-04
super and amazing thingking ya
Mac@
2008-09-07
Thanks ;)
komander kyle
2008-09-10
I like the efeefct but i agree the hands should be all color.
but it is still a way cool effect
veer
2008-09-16
good...u should have justified the color of hands as well as palm..but to other expect it might be showing that the fire is giving color to her body how much it can reach to.
self concies
2008-09-20
ummmm its too hard to understand
chris1A3
2008-09-23
ummmmmmmmh easyyyy haha
paddl
2008-10-02
servus
caro & kupa
2008-10-02
des isch suppo....
Beatriz
2008-10-06
Oh God, it's so cool! :*
shahzadrafiq
2008-10-11
i like your tips your are a best teacher
Ivan
2008-10-12
THHHHHHANKSSSSS>> IT HELPED A LOT LOT LOT LOT!!
kyle Xp
2008-10-21
If you know how to use layers this is so easy and cool! but if not well sucks to be you :p
Taff
2008-10-22
This was so Easy thanks so much but the sparks didn't look right to me and those of you who don't know what he is talking about i suggest you try a book that i learned alot it.....lots of hands on stuff Try Creative Photoshop digital Illustration and art techniques by Derek Lea...it includes a cd and has gelped me a whole lot ^_^ happy playing
arif
2008-11-04
very nice
IgnaciO
2008-11-10
Final result is really cool and appealing, and the tut itself is nicely explained. And what's most important, it's inspiring!! Keep it up!!
Bob
2008-11-12
This looks cheezey as, bro! Who ever made this sucks hairy balls
EF
2008-11-19
Love this tut!!! Love how EVERYTHING looks - fire, picture and colouring!!! And I must agree with Para: love your work, hate the insulting comments that says more about their IQ! Hehe... And I thought it was so well said about people who think they can do better: why are you watching tutorials?!? Couldn't agree more! Well done with supporting the artist and well done for you as an artist for making this great tutorial!!!
EF
2008-11-19
Love this tut!!! Love how EVERYTHING looks - fire, picture and colouring!!! And I must agree with Para: love your work, hate the insulting comments that says more about their IQ! Hehe... And I thought it was so well said about people who think they can do better: why are you watching tutorials?!? Couldn't agree more! Well done with supporting the artist and well done for you as an artist for making this great tutorial!!!
EF
2008-11-19
Sorry about the duplicate post... :-)
X-MAN
2008-11-25
Too diffficult
mike
2008-11-27
lupet
dhilip
2008-11-30
superb
InuYouko
2008-12-09
I really loved it it was so simple to understand ^_^ and i loved the finishing result.
Eryk
2008-12-12
THX, Its Awesome !!!
pie
2008-12-18
lets work!!!
jayvee
2008-12-28
can you make the picture in colour again? instead of black and white >.<
Prakash
2009-01-09
Ugly excellent
curios
2009-01-12
when i press Q (to enable the quick mask mode)and draw around the flame and then leave the quick mask mode (by pressing A again), i do not see any selection..can anyone help please?
Alexandre
2009-01-23
Very nice
SOaPp
2009-01-24
I love this :)its easy
and i love the black and white effect which makes you focus on the fire.
good job
and
thanks :)
LALIT
2009-01-29
Excellent trick....good work
jay
2009-02-01
thx, really nice!
erizwonka
2009-02-02
tutorials are for beginners, if youre really that good then you shouldnt visit this article.. anyway, for me its really helpful.. yeah!!!
anoop
2009-02-09
really fantastic ...........
x brown
2009-02-10
x brown...... good job.... and i think its not hard to make flame
Myahri B.
2009-02-17
pretty good ...it looks cool .. honestly.. i liked it ..good job !!!
Myahri B.
2009-02-17
Oh by the way ...are here any guys from turkmenistan ??
Ish
2009-02-20
this is stupid it's so hard
Ish
2009-02-20
he you stupid fag try to kick me off photoshop star you suck
Liquid
2009-02-22
Hmmm... I must agree that the flames aren't so real like... But I have no solution to make them look more real. I guess one could use a picture of actual fire and merge, but it would be just a guess. Good work though. The best part is where the hand itself had color added. A black and white picture with color added. I didn't even know this was possible. Then again, I don't know much about photoshop XD. Thumbs up to you. Have a nice day. ^_^
TuxXtreme
2009-03-01
Thanks a lot! Your tut is nice!
but some part I added to it so it was a tad better:
paint each dot on a seperate leve, set the three smallest ones to overlay and merge them.
Add some smoke, on low opacity, barely vezable, to make it look a tad more real
Again, thanks for your time and effort. And, btw, you stupid ten year olds who comment like crapholes, shut up. If you don't like it, say why, and how it could be better. Or, If you think It's so lame that it's not possible (false) post another one.
Sincerely, Tux
Merdin
2009-03-03
cool......!! It's a good photoshop tutorial...!!
so now I want to try this..!!!
Thanks.......
MissinGuy
2009-03-11
what about the brush preparing part? where do i find that? that's the only missing thing in this tutorial, the other stuff is cool nice one thanks
barat
2009-03-11
But there is no brush preparation ... just soft, standard brush and different sizes :)
Spelling?
2009-03-12
I like the tutorial. It produces a decent effect for a small amount of work. Some things could be made easier but in the end it's what's best for you. Ever notice that the people who like to bitch also can't spell worth a damn? lol
RandomArtStudent
2009-03-16
I love how the flames are made!
DS DARSHAN
2009-03-28
I LIKE THAT BUT YOU HAVE ADD SOME WATER DRPOES IN FIRE SHADE THANK YOU
blah
2009-04-02
ok it looks pretty gud but its confusing when making it... u shud talk more about layers and stuff like that :)
Becky
2009-04-03
OH MY GOD!!!!!! TOTALLY AWESOME!!! THANKS
sara
2009-04-08
this was dumb...whomever wrote the instructions need to learn how to spell select and needs to make instructions easier...
Roel
2009-04-08
so....hard.....
bonnie sio
2009-04-10
thanks for sharing
shanto
2009-04-13
Thanks a lot for nice work
Jaycee
2009-04-18
OMG i got it thanks
vijaya
2009-04-24
it's nice
say â??
2009-05-09
its really nice and very amzing...
tnx. and GoodLuck!
NoOne
2009-05-09
Wow nice tutorial it kinda hard in the smudge part...
Keira
2009-05-11
its raw foreal i think its really koo
Keira Heiskell
2009-05-11
Its hella raw foreal koo koo the 1 above ^ was me 2 lol
vidhi khandelwal
2009-05-13
realy so nice effect nd gorgious.......
vijay
2009-05-19
Great!!
shoukath
2009-05-25
very good. excellent
kavita
2009-06-02
beautiful
rocky
2009-06-15
nice
Nabil
2009-06-22
So this is the realistic fire!