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Abstract Universe
33AbstractUniverse80x80 Learn to create an awesome universe by your hands! This tutorial will show you how to use some cool tools in Photoshop, step by step

Step 1: Create a new 800x800 pixels document. Press D and X to reset your foreground and background colors. We will create the universe first, so use the Gradient Tool (G) with Foreground to Background and Diamond Gradient settings

33AbstractUniverse1a

draw a line from the center to the corner like this

33AbstractUniverse1

 Step 2: Go to Filter > Distort > Twirl and twirl it with a big angle:

33AbstractUniverse2

Step 3: Duplicate the Background by pressing Ctrl-J. Now we are on the Layer 1. Go to Edit > Transform > Perspective and drag 2 points on the top down

33AbstractUniverse4

After finished, click on the Move Tool to leave the Perspective mode. A dialog box will appear, click Apply. Congratulations, you have just created the universe!

Step 4: Hide the Background layer by clicking on the Eye icon on the left.

Now we need some planets! We can create one with Photoshop but it will take a long time to do, so we use an available photo. Here is the one I recommend:

33AbstractUniverse4b

(if you want a bigger image then go to www.sxc.hu/photo/969403 to download one but you will need a free account)

Copy this image and paste it onto our current document and you have:

Abstract Universe 5

Step 5: Change the blend mode of the current layer to Screen to remove its black areas

Abstract Universe 6

If you still see its border then use the Eraser Tool (E) with a soft brush to delete it

Abstract Universe

After this step we will have:

33AbstractUniverse8

Step 6: Use the Marquee Tool (M) to select each planet and use the Move Tool (V) to move it to a more suitable place

33AbstractUniverse9

Repeat this step until we have a nice universe filled with nice planets ^_^

AbstractUniverse 10

Step 7: Press Ctrl-D to make sure we don't select anything. Now click on the Layer 1 in the Layers tab to select it (Layer 1 is the layer contains the universe). Press Ctrl-U to open up the Hue/Saturation dialog box, make sure to click on the Colorize checkbox and use these settings:

Abstract Universe 10b

See our universe changed to blue, right? Next we will decorate our universe a bit

Step 8: Choose the Brush Tool (B) and click on the Brushes icon on the right, click on the Brush Tip Shape and choose a star shape

33AbstractUniverse11a

Make sure to tick on the Shape Dynamics and Scattering checkboxes as well

Step 9: Create a new layer and use the Pen Tool (P) to make a rough "curve" with some clicks

Abstract Universe 11b

Right click and choose Stroke Path, a dialog box will appear. Make sure to tick on the Simulate Pressure checkbox

Abstract Universe 12

33AbstractUniverse13

Note: The Simulate Pressure effect will make our line thin at the two ends and thick at the middle

See something beautiful? Something like this:

33AbstractUniverse14

Repeat this step with other curves to make a wonderful universe. It doesn't take much time to get the result!

 33AbstractUniverse15

You can stop at this step. But we can make our universe more real by adding some stars with just a few simple steps. If you want to know how, continue reading...

Step 10: Create a new layer, notice that this is the top layer. Press Ctrl-Backspace to fill it with black because this is our background color

Step 11: Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use these settings:

Abstract Universe 17

Change its blending mode to Screen. Go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold and set a Threshold Level of 147 and ...finished! Here is the final result:

Abstract Universe 20

This tutorial requires pretty much work to achieve the final result but you should focus on the way how these tools are used, not the way how it is created

 



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Comments
spyros... 06-13-2008
awsome!!!really coll...ur the best m8...tnx
Jimbo 06-15-2008
When I select the pen tool (P) and draw the swirl, it fill in from the origional point to my last click with white, then when I right click, the 'Stroke Path' is greyed out. =S i followed the steps again, and i've done everything right, so i dont know whats happened. Can anyone help?
el brando 06-16-2008
very very nice tutorial :-)
Anonymous 06-17-2008
this is cool, but i can't figure out the star effect...
admin 06-17-2008
Make sure you selected star shape at step 8
anonymous 06-22-2008
Window>Paths>Create new Path

And then try using the pen tool.
The 06-22-2008
try adding a layer mask to the layer with the pen on it, that should make stroke path visible.
Anonymous 06-24-2008
cool tut.........buddy
jahan 06-24-2008
only one word can some this tutorial up, WOW.
Anonymous 06-25-2008
for some reasan...when i'm doing the star effect the star brush wont turn blue even though the saturation is right...the brush will paint black stars and not blue. Any ideas?
admin 06-25-2008
change your foreground color to white or blue before using the Brush tool
william 07-01-2008
yep im stuk on star efffect it just comes in a repeat of stars no spacing clearify all options to do with the stars print screen so we fill in what it is just in case a default value stops this
Anonymous 07-10-2008
On step 3 you can just press enter after you finish any type of transformation.
anonymus 07-12-2008
cool
bob 09-02-2008
really nice, but when you got rid of the background, what do u do with the blank space.
admin 09-03-2008
You can fill it with black. In fact, it's up to you
alaa 10-01-2008
you r awsome
this is really fabulous
hi 10-29-2008
i dont have the star effect do i have to get a more later version of photoshop? can anyone help
Ashish Sawant 11-08-2008
hey cool demo.
but pls help me in step 9. i did all thing perfectly as u said. but not able to get curve effect automatically. pls confirm your pen and brush setting. i am not able to finish step 9.
i am using photoshop 9.0 version
panos 11-09-2008
im stuck at step 3, the paste action is grey. please help
Anonymous 11-29-2008
Those are some big planets
Deepika 12-01-2008
nice tutorial
bri 12-02-2008
it wont let me do the stroke path ethier and i already used all the suggestions on here. none of them are working and if i try to do it manually then i get the stars so tight together its like a blur of wierd shapes and it looks very unprofessional.
any other suggestions?
tech cl* 01-16-2009
how come its just a huge smudge when i try to apply the stars??
Anon 02-20-2009
how come when i apply the star effect its just asmudge of black?
any advice?
Angus 03-10-2009
Easy stuff..
Dk 04-01-2009
On the last step when I go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold and set a Threshold Level of 147 click ok and it goes back uneffected
Kent 04-02-2009
Nice Turturial
richa 12-24-2009
hi i am stuck at pen tool, after creating curve shape when i click right "stroke path" i can't select it... and i do't have find star effect in the brushes plz help....
ankita 12-31-2009
very nice way to explain
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