Beams

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In this very quick, easy and simple tutorial I will take you on a step by step guide to creating beams. This, I think, is a pretty powerful effect - it works very well with photo's.

To begin, find the image you'd like to add beams to. Don't just pick any image, pick a 'powerful' one. The image I'm using can be seen on my right.

Next, take () tool and match your settings to mine below:
Width: 1.00
Style: Solid
Segment Type: Point to point
Colour: White (Make sure the second colour pallet is x'ed out!)
Now, all you do it click where you want the beam to start, click where you want the first turn to be - and drag. That's all there is to it. Click where you want the turn to start, click where you want it to turn, and drag!



To some people who already know the above step, it may seem like the most simple thing ever, but I always found it hard to understand when people explained it. (Yeah ¬_¬.)

Once you've made your beams, right click the vector layer and convert it to a raster layer; then duplicate that raster layer 4 times. Merge all of the raster layers you've just duplicated down one by one, but miss out the first raster layer (the one we converted from a vector layer). Then take the rubber tool and a hardness of 0 and whilst on the top raster layer, rub out the corners. We do this so that the outsiders are thinner than the middle. Once you've done it, merge down the raster layer once more - so that your beam is now one layer on its own.

Next, copy this layer and paste it as a new image. Then create two new raster layers: the first layer we're going to fill black and drag to the bottom; the second layer we're going to fill with #80D3F6 and set to Overlay. Now, highlighting the middle layer, go to Effects > 3D effects > Drop Shadow, match your settings to mine below:
Colour: White
Horizontal and Vertical: 0
Opacity: 100
Blur: 4.33
Press OK and repeat this step once more. Merge all of your layers together.
Copy this image and paste it back to our original image of Michael Jackson as a new layer (CTRL+L) setting it to screen, move it using () tool to the place you want it to be.

Next, take () tool and match your settings to mine below:
Selection Type: Point to Point
Mode: Replace
Feather: 0
Smoothing: 0
Anti-Alias
Just imagine a string is being wrapped around the image: what parts would show? What parts would be hidden? Select over the parts that would be hidden and press delete.

Now to add some finishing touches. Duplicate the layer of beams and go to Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur: Blur it at and angle of 45, with a stregnth of 100 and press OK. Use () tool to adjust where it's placed, set that layer to Screen at 60%.

Finally, merge all of your layers together. Create a new raster layer. On this layer, simple take a sparkly brush (you can find some here), and place some sparkles around the beam. Merge all of your layers one last time and you're done!