CREATIVE EFFECTS
2
Create the clouds
Press D to reset the colours to black and white,
then Cmd/Ctrl+Backspace to fill the layer. Go to
Filter>Render>Clouds, then Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Set
Radius 100px. In the Layers panel, change the blending mode
to Screen, then lower the layer opacity to about 30
.1
Tone the colours
Open the starting image. Go to the Layers panel
(Window>Layers). Click the Create adjustment layer
icon and choose Hue/Saturation. Set Saturation -25, then set
Channel: Blue, Saturation -80, Cyan -80, Greens -40, Yellows
-60. Click the Create new layer icon in the Layers panel.4
Mask and repeat
Click the Add layer mask icon. Grab the Brush tool.
Pick a soft-edged tip and set the colour to black. Paint
to hide the hard edges and add mist. Press Cmd/Ctrl+J, then
Cmd/Ctrl+T. Squeeze the layer to make it thinner so that the
mist looks thicker in the distance, then mask it again.3
Copy and transform
Press Cmd/Ctrl+J to copy the layer. Set the layer
opacity to 100
then press Cmd/Ctrl+T to transform.
Drag the top-middle point of the bounding box down to just
above the water, then hold Cmd/Ctrl and drag the bottom left
and right points outwards to add perspective to the mist.6
Build it up
Build up the swirls by duplicating the layer. Use layer
masks to hide unwanted parts and lower the layer
opacity to blend them. Duplicate the background layer and
use the Burn tool to darken areas. Add a Solid Color layer,
pick pale blue, then set the blending mode to Soft Light.5
Use Smudge for swirls
Make a new layer, then grab the Brush tool. Set the
colour to white and click Brush Settings in the Tool
Options. Set Scatter 50
, Hardness 0
. Paint along the
water’s edge to make scattered dots. Grab the Smudge tool.
Drag over the dots to smudge them into swirling trails.