Easy Lightning

This tutorial is designed to help the beginner/intermediate Adobe Photoshop 5.0 user with the task of creating the lightning effect. Unlike some of the other tutorials on the subject, there are no paths to wrestle with.

Start with a white image, RGB, Fill with black. Select the pencil tool from tools palette, and a small size tip, 4-6 pixels. Using white, draw the jagged line for the lightning bolt, For the smaller lightning branches, you can use a smaller brush if you choose. For this demonstration, I started at the upper left hand corner, and had the lightning end in the lower right hand.

Click on this white line with the magic wand tool, set to 0 tolerance. Fill this selection with black. You now have a selection the shape and size of the pencil line you have just drawn. Feather this selection SELECT> FEATHER 2 pixels.

Set your foreground and background colors to dark blues or purples, with the darker color as background. Select the linear gradient tool, set to %100 opacity, and "foreground to background" in the Linear Gradient Options. Click and drag across the image from the top left corner of the image to the bottom right.

Now change your foreground and background colors to white foreground, and a gray background, Select the linear gradient tool again, this time with %50 opacity. Click and drag across the image again from the top left to the bottom right, just as before. With the bolt still selected, go to IMAGE> ADJUST> HUE SATURATION and adjust untill you are satisfied with the color and look of the lightning. Deselect.

Next, select the smudge tool, with %95 pressure, and a small brush, and drag smaller offshoot trails and sparks from the ends of your lightning bolt, and from various points along the "branches".

For the final touch, select the Magic Wand tool, and click in the black area, away from the bolt. Invert this selection, SELECT> INVERT, then contract the selection, SELECT> MODIFY> CONTRACT by 2 pixels. With the Airbrush set to a very light pressure, %5-%8, gently brush up and down the selected area with a few strokes, using white. Deselect.