The Nostalgia Effect

[graphixkid]

The Nostalgia Effect

Program: Photoshop 7.0

Difficulty: Beginner

This tutorial is about that halo effect that you find in so many anime shots and the like. It gives a warm, cheerful feel.

So, we start out with a new image. Make the background be white.
Create a new layer.



Go to the brush tool, right click on the screen, and find a brush you like.



The maple leaves work nicely for this tut, so if you can't find that brush, do this, and then find it.



Okay, draw something with your brush (make sure you're in your new layer).



Right click on the layer thumbnail and click Select Layer Transparency, as below.

[graphixkid]

Go to a selection tool, right click on the screen, and select Select Universe.



Copy the selection (Ctrl + C) and hit paste (Ctrl + V).
Move the new layer to the top.



With Layer 2 selected, go to FX and hit Outer Glow.



Move the size to something that looks good.

[graphixkid]

Now the leaves look like they're burning. Take the Glow opacity down to 50% or so.



And you're done! Here's the final image.



For the above, I had two glow layers. One was the normal glow, the other's blend mode was Overlay.
Play around with it to suit your situation.


Have fun!

[graphixkid]

P.S. The reason I didn't just do Inner Glow is because the effect is not the same, and you have much more control over the halo effect.

[graphixkid]

Tutorial Extension

You'll probably want to know how to do this effect in images, so here's how.

We start with this image.



Go to a selection tool and right click on the image. Select Color Range.



Choose a color that you want to eminate the halo effect from (in this case the sand). Take the fuzziness to a level where a good amount is selected, yet have plenty unselected, i.e. below.

[graphixkid]

Click Ok and copy the selection (Ctrl + C), then paste it (Ctrl + V).
Move your new layer to the top, and hide the picture layer.



The glow layer should now look like this.



Take the Erase tool and take out any unnessesary glow areas.



When you think you've done a good job on that, go to FX and add the Outer Glow effect.



Play with the Glow effect until it looks good, and hit Ok.

And you're done! Here is the final image.

[Ruchir]

cool stuff all right !!! great tutorial..

-ruchir

[Adam P.]

Just found this tut - it's awesome! Thanks!

[PictorieN]

Wow Nice tuts, personaly i like the second one more so.

Thanks Good Job!

you could allways try this:

you have the pic in one layer, you double that layer by draggine the layer to the new layer icon and then you will have 2 layers. then have your highest layer selected and go to gaussian blur, ( or something like that) blur it at 4.8 and then go to layer options and set it to screen! tadaa!

[graphixkid]

I thought of that recently, good idea. That probably works best for photos.

i use it all the times, mostly for lightening to dark pictures! i have that alot, when i'm working on history pictures or something, but graphixkid i'm glad you are doing tutorials here, if you would need my help for one, contact me, or if you need my help for anything! keep it up!

[graphixkid]

Thank you!