PSDFan Extra

Create a Fiery Face Explosion

Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Images Used

The following images were used in the making of this tutorial:

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/85994
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1189018
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1063678
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/930455
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1139999

Step 1

Go to http://www.sxc.hu/photo/85994 and save the image to your computer. Now open up it up in Photoshop.

Go to Image and then Image Size and enter 1400 in the Width box.

Step 2

Duplicate the original layer and go to Image, Adjustments, Hue/Saturation and enter these settings.

Step 3

Go to http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1189018 and copy and paste this image into your document and name this layer fire. You’ll notice that it’s a tiny bit too big for your image so just re-size it so it fits your page.

Set the Layer Style for this layer to Screen. Now press Ctrl/Apple and T and then rotate and move the image so it looks like this. Make sure the start of the flame looks like it is coming out the mouth.

There are a couple of imperfections on the fire image so select the Eraser and use a small, soft edged brush to get rid of these areas.

Before:

After:

Step 4

Grab the Lasso Tool and select this area of the flames.

Now go to Edit, Transform, Warp. Warp the flames so they are in line with the nostrils. Now you can erase part of the flame so it looks like they are coming out the nose.

You might find when you warped it ‘drags’ away some of the flame from the rest of the picture so just select the clone stamp tool to get rid of any small black areas.

Again go to Edit, Transform, Warp and warp it so the flame looks like it’s rising slightly instead of going in a straight line.

Step 5

Now go to http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1063678, copy and paste that image into your document and name the layer Smoke. Again re-size it so it fits your page. Set the Layer Style for this layer to Screen and turn the smoke layer 90 degrees counter clockwise. Now move the smoke so the sharp edge on the right is slightly past the mouth.

With a soft edged brush erase out the smoke that is past the mouth so it looks like the smoke is coming out the mouth.

For the final part of this step go to Image, Adjustments and Desaturate the Smoke layer.

Step 6

Download this image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/930455 and name this layer Smoke 2.

Desaturate this layer and then place this image so the smoke trail starts at the mouth.

Change the layer style to Screen.

Step 7

Next copy and paste this image into your document http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1139999 and name it Spray. Again re-size it so it fits your page and set the Layer Style to Screen. Now we want to erase the big water droplet and the smaller one on the right.


Grab a large soft edged brush and erase those parts out. Put this image into the middle of the picture so the spray is coming out the mouth. I then used the Clone Stamp tool quickly with a large, soft edged brush to add a bit more spray.

This is how your image should be looking like so far.

Step 8

Add a new layer, name it Light and fill the image with the colour black. Go to Filter, Render and Lens Flare and use these settings.

Now erase most of this layer with a large, soft edged brush leaving only the brightest part of the flare.

Move the flare so it is in the mouth. This is what your image should look like.

Set the Layer Style to Colour Dodge.

Step 9

This step will add a little bit more ‘pazzaz’ to the fire and smoke.

Add another new layer, press D on your keyboard to reset your colour palette and then go to Filter, Render, Clouds. Now set the Layer Style for this layer to Overlay and grab a large, soft edged eraser and erase over the face.

Step 10

Again add a new layer on top of everything and select a large, soft edged brush and brush over this area of the face in the colour black.

Before:

After:

Step 11

On your background copy layer select the Lasso Tool and select this area of the face. This selection does not have to be neat and tidy!

Now copy and paste this selection (Ctrl/Apple + C to copy and then press Ctrl/Apple + V to paste) so you have a new layer with what you selected. Name this layer Heat Simmer and then go to Filter, Distort, Ripple and enter 150 in the dialog box. This will create a nice heat simmer effect.

And We’re Done!

That’s the tutorial finished! I hope you’ve enjoyed it and learnt something useful from this.

If you want to view the full sized final image, then click here:

FULL SIZED FINAL IMAGE.

Download Source File for this Tutorial


About the Author:

is a talented graphic designer from the UK. Feel free to check out his DeviantArt portfolio

Leave a comment

42 Comments:

  1. Serkan says:

    Nice Tutorial. Thnx!

  2. Tom says:

    Thanks for commenting Serkan. And cheers for Simon for a great tutorial :)

  3. T-Law says:

    Nice tutorial Tom, thanks.

  4. agilius says:

    I like tutorials like this one! Nice job with it ;) This kind of effect will work great with posters but even with some websites. Thanks!

  5. NINJA_49 says:

    Good tut :) Im glad))))

  6. favSHARE says:

    This article has been shared on favSHARE.net.

  7. RUGRLN says:

    This is a wicked tutorial! Really nice efect…

  8. Alex says:

    Great tutorial because it explains everything in detail unlike some which just presume you know everything :)

  9. hari chura says:

    hi
    its very nice work
    good job
    i like its, great tutorial.

  10. DecArt says:

    Cool, man!! I like it! :)

  11. Rk Rajib says:

    you r very genius……………………

  12. PVRK Prasad says:

    An useful lession to the upcoming creators

  13. jo jo says:

    wow it’s so cool,

  14. Anders says:

    Nice. But the last picture is missing :(

  15. Very cool tutorial, thank you very much

  16. nerew says:

    wou.. that was nice.. thanks!!! i better check the other tricks…

  17. mr.lee says:

    very very !!! good^^!
    thank’s

  18. awesome effect using photoshop with helping techniques.

  19. Hypermanic says:

    This is an awesome tutorial. Thank you so much!
    My picture: http://hypermanic.deviantart.com/art/Breathing-Fire-160922317

  20. Abhilash says:

    nice work…………

  21. jun Adanza says:

    wou.. that was amazing design.. (+.+) congratz!!

  22. lev says:

    hello i need help. how to i make the images blend together? i decrease the opacity, but seems the the brightness diminishes, which i don’t want to happen. anyone pls? thank you!

  23. Kushkumarpuri says:

    It looks so real….

  24. lil prince says:

    I like this tutorial thanks for the info.

  25. Tamizh says:

    it’s very very nice………

  26. sidhu says:

    Good nice creativity

  27. Faisal says:

    Nice Tutorial

  28. carlos says:

    nice tut
    BUT in the last image link it says “ERROR!. NO SUCH PHOTO”
    thanx

  29. ram says:

    very nice..!! thanxx..

  30. mrgame says:

    Oh great, photoshop tips and your real or impressed me.

    I enjoyed your article,

    Thanks for sharing

  31. princeowais says:

    it’s as simple as…really enjoin..tutoriaL..? owi

  32. kyoril says:

    Last picture’s link isn’t working :( , hope it can be fixed

  33. Bowen Zheng says:

    Thanks man amazing tutorial :) however the link for http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1139999 isn’t working. Hopefully this can be fixed for future artists who wish to do this manipulation.

  34. Flora says:

    Great tutorial! Only I tried to download the water droplet photo and it came up as not existing….do you know any good alternatives?

  35. john thomas says:

    derp…. “Incomplete” and therefore should be “Deleted”

  36. Melanie87 says:

    Very cool dude! I’ve learnt many useful tricks. Do you know flame painter app? It’s a handy tool for a composition like this.

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