How to Paint Fire Effects
- 1
Tablet and stylusgraphics tablet image by Simon Bradley from Fotolia.com
Turn on the computer and upload your digital photograph on to the desktop. If your image is on paper, scan in the image at 300 DPI. Open your graphics software and load in your image. - 2). Select the "Layers" menu from the horizontal Menu bar. Choose "New Layer" from the pull-down options. Highlight the new layer in the "Layers Control" window. Choose "Screen" from the "Blending Options" pull-down window at the top of the "Layers Control" window.
- 3). Click on the "Brush" icon in the "Tools" window. Select "Airbrush" from the "Brushes" options window. Type "50" in the "Size" option window on the horizontal "Airbrush Controls" Menu bar. Type "50" in the "Opacity" or "Transparency" window on the "Airbrush Controls" Menu bar.
- 4). Click on the "Foreground Color" window box at the bottom of the "Tools" window. Choose bright yellow from the "Color Palette" or "Color Wheel" window. Click "OK" to exit the window.
- 5
Flame tipburning taper 1 image by DLeonis from Fotolia.com
Lightly brush with your stylus in the direction you want your flames to grow. Use a soft, undulating stroke. Taper the flame shape at the tips. Notice that you are painting a bright transparent glow over your background image - 6). Select "Layers" from the Menu bar. Choose "New Layer" from the sub menus. Another layer appears in your "Layers" control window. Select "Overlay" or "Gel" from the pull-down "Blending Options" menu window at the top of the "Layers Control" window.
- 7). Click on the "Foreground Color" window to open the "Color Palette" or "Color Wheel" window. Choose a saturated orange color. Brush inside your first glow area. Follow the general shape of the first area, but confine your painting to inside its borders. Start the second flame brushstrokes at the bottom of the first layer and brush upwards. Taper the orange flame element at its tip.
- 8
Yellow and orange flamesClose-up tongue of flame image by Pavel_A from Fotolia.com
Choose "New Layer" from the pull-down menu of the "Layer" menu bar. Choose "Gel" or "Overlay" from the "Blending Options" pull-down window at the top of the "Layers Control" window. Click on the "Foreground Color" box on the "Tools" window and choose a deep orange-red. - 9). Brush a smaller red flame within the orange flame. Notice that the red changes the orange background but does not obscure it. Choose "Filter" and "Blurs" and soften the flames' edges more if needed. Tweak the shape and edges of the flames until you are satisfied with the result.
- 10
Curling smokeAroma smoke on a dark background image by Kavita from Fotolia.com
Choose "Layers" and "New Layer" from the Menu bar and pull-down menus. Choose "Shadow Map" from the "Blending Options" pull-down window in the "Layers Control" window. Click on the "Foreground Color" box and Choose a blue-gray from your "Color Palette" or "Color Wheel" window. - 11
Brush vertical, slender, undulating lines from the base of the flame area, extending up. Choose "Effects" and "Quick Warp" or "Filter," "Distort" and "Wave." Adjust the options in the Menu windows until your lines look like curling smoke. Click "OK" to close the "Filter" menu. Select the "Eraser" tool and paint out unwanted artifacts. - 12
Save your image as a JPEG or TIFF file. Print out your work on photo-quality paper.
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