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[ 87 ]Step 16: Next, go to the Filter menu and choose Blur>Radial Blur. In the
dialog, start with these settings: Change the Blur Method from Spin to Zoom
and set the Amount to 55. Since we want the effect to blur upward into the
sky rather than boldly engaging in warp speed dead ahead, c lick-and-drag
within the Blur Center box until the center is near the top of the box. Click OK
to engage aurora borealis!Tip: Try different blurs for a more custom effect such as Path Blur within the
Blur Gallery, or even a simple vertical Motion Blur. The possibilities are as
endless as the actual auroras, so have fun experimenting with this part. Also,
for better depth, try separating out this effect on two layers, one for closer
auroras and one for more distanced ones. Apply a smaller blur Amount on
auroras further in the distance, and a higher blur Amount for auroras that are
closer to our vantage.
Step 17: Bring in some custom coloring by painting with purples. Specifically,
we want to paint onto the current aurora blur effect, changing some of the
greens to purples, nondestructively. Do this by first creating a new blank
layer named “Purple,” and place it directly above the Green layer. With
the Purple layer active, clip it to the Green layer with Command-Option-G
(PC: Ctrl-Alt-G).