Planet Formation Nebula

Author	Newanz
Date	Dec 30th, 2007
Status	Done [?]

In this tutorial I will explain how to make a nebula that contains a lot of planets (small ones and large ones). No result is ever the same!

Welcome to Uturn Zone's sixth Photoshop Tutorial.

This tutorial will be about making a Planet Formation Nebula.
In this tutorial everyone's result will be different. It just depends on how you locate somethings, like lens flares.
I only give one result, this doesn't mean you can't change some options at the end.
This just depends on how you want to customize it!

Now let's see the images of the result:


I also had different outcomes, (customized) these are it:
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
(showing you can always change it after you're done)

Now let's start with the tutorial. It's not a real long tutorial, but I hope you enjoy it.
There are 7 steps to follow, all located on this one page.

Step 1 - Making a new PSD file

Start with making a new PSD file by pressing: Ctrl + N and set the settings to this:
(using this kind of shortcuts will save time if you have less time than usual)

Step 2 - Making layer 1

Right click on the first layer in the layer palet and go to layer properties and change the name to: "Flares".

Now go to Filter » Render » Clouds and then go to Filter » Render » Different Clouds.
(Make sure your front color is black and the back color is White, to be sure press: Shift + D)

Now go to Filter » Render » Lens Flare.
You can choose between 4 lens flares, we will only use 2 of them: 50-300mm Zoom and 105mm Prime.
Now you can put the flares somewhere on the image, I will put them like this:

(I used two 50-300mm Zoom Flares and one 105mm Prime Flare. It's doesn't matter how much you use, but 3 flares is about the maximum.)

Now we're going to change 1 last thing on the Flares layer.
Go to []bFilter » Brush Strokes » Accented Edges[/b] and use the following settings:


This filter should change the edges of the flares like they are drawn and make them stand out in the image.
This has work on my image. Yours should look something like this:


Okay that's it, we are done with the Flares layer (layer one).
Now we will continue with the rest of the layers.

Step 3 - Making layer 2

Make a new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N) and name it, like we did in step 2, "Negative".

Now go to Filter » Render » Clouds and then go to Filter » Render » Different Clouds.
Then go to Filter » Render » Lens Flare and use the 105mm Prime. Put 1 or 2 flares spread out over the image.
Mine looks this:

Now we are going to invert the colors in the layer by pressing Ctrl + I.
My result:



Okay this means we are done with the Negative layer, I need to admnit that was quick.

Step 4 - Making layer 3

Make a new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N) and name it, like we did in step 2, "Stripes".

Now fill the layer with white (Shift + F5) and add noise to it (Filter » Noise » Add Noise). Use these setting for the noise:


Now we are going to add "stripes" to the layer.
Go to Filter » Sketch » Waterpaper and add these settings:


My result so far is:


Well that was layer 3, just like layer 2 this was fast.
Let's continue with layer 4 (the last layer).

Step 5 - Making layer 4

Make a new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N) and name it, like we did in step 2, "Radial".

Now again go to Filter » Render » Clouds and then go to Filter » Render » Different Clouds.
Then go to Filter » Blur » Radial Blur and add these settings:


What this does is disorting the layer to make it looks like you are in some sort of tunnel.
My result:


This was layer four.
So soon? yes so soon, BUT this wasn't all. We are now going to change layer options and add some color.

Step 6 - Customizing all the layers

Now all 4 layers are done let's change the layer types.
If you have followed the tutorial right you will have 4 layers, in this order:

Now we are going to change the box that says: "Normal"

Select the Radial layer and change it to overlay, like this:


Now select the layer "Stripes" and also change it to Overlay.
Also in the "Stripes" layer change the Opacity to 50%.

Then go to the "Negative"
layer and change it to "Difference".
Leave the "Flares"
layer in the normal option.

This is what I got:
Hue/Saturation.

We will begin with the layer: "Radial".
Press Ctrl + U and put these settings in:

[imgitem]15.png' rel="lightbox[newanz]" title='Image from: http://newanz.com/data/images/content/items/32/14.png[/zimgitem]

As you can see this is not what we want.
We still need to customize it a little.

Step 7 - More Customizing

In this step we will change the colors of the layers. We are going to do this by using this option: Hue/Saturation.

We will begin with the layer: "Radial".
Press Ctrl + U and put these settings in:

[imgitem]15.png'>Hue/Saturation.

We will begin with the layer: "Radial".
Press Ctrl + U and put these settings in:

[imgitem]15.png' alt='Image from: http://newanz.com/data/images/content/items/32/14.png[/zimgitem]

As you can see this is not what we want.
We still need to customize it a little.

Step 7 - More Customizing

In this step we will change the colors of the layers. We are going to do this by using this option: Hue/Saturation.

We will begin with the layer: "Radial".
Press Ctrl + U and put these settings in:

[imgitem]15.png' title='Image from: http://newanz.com/data/images/content/items/32/14.png[/zimgitem]

As you can see this is not what we want.
We still need to customize it a little.

Step 7 - More Customizing

In this step we will change the colors of the layers. We are going to do this by using this option: Hue/Saturation.

We will begin with the layer: "Radial".
Press Ctrl + U and put these settings in:

[imgitem]15.png' class='img_restrict'>

Now select the layer "Stripes", press Ctrl + U and add these settings:


And the last layer we need to customize "Negative", Press Ctrl + U and use these settings:


My result:

Now this looks a lot better then our previous result, no?

Finnish

Well done, you completed the tutorial about making a Planet Formation Nebula!
If you didn't do any optional effects your restult should look like this: Normal result
If you did do any optional effects it will look like this:

I hope you had fun using my tutorial, I sure had, got any comments?

Downloads

Result PSD

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