macmonkey

I've been looking for some type of tut. or even whatever this is called.

I'm referring to the background "sunbeams" behind the figure in this img:

[img width=600 height=480]http://s88179003.onlinehome.us/faceless/robotS.jpg[/img]

Any direction would be appreciated. I've been just creating a series of thick lines then skewing them to get a similar effect but it's in no way accurate and it won't work for circles.

Welles

Hi macmonkey and welcome to the forums.

I'm going to describe one way of creating that sunbeam in text and if you don't follow I'll do a quick visual tutorial.

1. Use the Rectangle tool and draw a long, thin rectangle shape filled with the color you want.

2. Take your white arrow tool (Direct Selection tool) and click on the outline of the shape so the control points are made visible.

3. Using the Direct Selection tool, move the top two apart an equal amount so you have created a long, thin trapezoid.

4. Command(Control) J to duplicate the layer.

5. Command (Control) T to transform the newly created layer which you wish to rotate so many degrees. To do so, you must first move the little bull's-eye which marks the center of rotation to the bottom of your trapezoid for it will rotate around that point where ever you place it. Enter how many degrees you wish to have this second 'ray' rotate in the Tool options bar and hit Return (Enter) to complete the transformation.

6. Now its easy. Command J followed by Command Shift T will make a new layer and rotate it exactly as you did the first layer only you are copying the last layer which had been transformed. As a result you get your 'rays' progressing around in a circle.

7. Once the 'rays' are all formed. Highlight the top one in the layers palette and Shift click on the bottom one to highlight them all. Then Control Click (Right Click) and choose Merge Layers. All that's left is to fade the ends of the rays.

8. Add a Layer Mask by clicking on the button at the bottom of the layers palette. Now use a radial gradient of white to black with the white slider moved most of the way over toward the black so there is a fairly small bit of a white to black gradient at one end. Draw from the center to the outside edge of the rays and there you go!

Blinky2004

Easy peasy actually.

{EDIT} CRAP! Welles snuck in here while i was writing a tute for this. hehe Oh well now you have 2 options. Although in the tute i show how to taper the inside end of the shape to create a proper starburst effect. {/EDIT}

I've written this up as a mini-tute over in the "Photoshop Tutorials" board. Check it there.
The tute uses the Pen tool (very simply explained, don't worry ) to create a vector shape that you can save to your custom shape library.

The one thing i'll have to add here though is the edge fading effect. To create that just add a layer mask to the starburst shape layer and then create a circular selection around the outer edges of the shape. Inverse the selection (Ctrl+Shift+I) and Feather it by say, 20 pixels. Now, with the layer mask active, fill the selection with black repeatedly... like say 10 times; i.e. make black your Background colour and press Ctrl+Delete 10 times.

Over all, this info and the mini-tute should give you the effect you're after.

Welles

That's a nice visual on your tute, theKeeper. It didn't occur to me to add a GIF and I couldn't figure out how to do an adequate visual in one or two panels.

Blinky2004

Yeah actually i didn't think of it either til i thought about how to post 6 images to one thread. haha Being as they're very basic i could use a 16 colour palette whcih helped the file size for such a large image.

Joy Foraker

Really great methods gentlemen. I like your animated example Mark.

You know I'm into quickie stuff, and being simple of mind, here's how I would approach making starbursts. Use custom shapes, select one of the arrows. On the path screen use fill for color. Return to layers, I'd use the gradient brush and eraser on the tips to make the shape. Copy the shape into as many starbursts as you want and arrange them in suitable design.

Blinky2004

Creative approach Joy, that's using the ol' noodle. [righton]

ronmatt

as is everything with photoshop, there are as many solutions as there are problems

Joy Foraker

Thanks Mark

Ronmatt:? You've got it down to two steps -- we'll have to refer to you as "speedy pixels"!

MacMonkey Hi welcome to Gurus -- Luck is with you today, you are getting a fabulous variety of tactics -- have fun and post your results!