How to make a fire effect in Photoshop

If you've ever wanted to add a tinge of fire to an image, Photoshop is a great tool for that. We will show you several ways to get the image you want. It's easy and fun to do.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: The Basics

Step 1. Open Adobe Photoshop CS6

Set the background color to black and the foreground color to orange.

Step 2. Create a new document

Set any size you want, and in the pop-up window Background Contents(Select background) select Background Color ('Background color). Click OK.

Step 3. Draw the clouds

From the Filters in the top bar, go down to Render and select Clouds (Clouds).

Step 4. Save your fire

This filter will show gaussian clouds with image color and background color. Using different colors can lead to some interesting Math Tools effects.

Are you ready for more? Check the "Advanced Method" below

Method 2 of 3: Adding fire to text

Step 1. Open a document with a text layer or create a new one

For this example, we have used a simple black background with the word "FIRE!" in Arial Black on the second layer. It is important that the text is on a different layer, not in the background.

If you are using an existing document, work with a copy of the original

Step 2. Duplicate the text

Drag the original text layer onto the new layer icon at the bottom of the Layers window.

Step 3. Add Outer Glow

After duplicating, from the Fx menu at the bottom of the Layers menu select Outer Glow. In the Layer Style window that appears, change the color of the glow from yellow to white and Opacity to 100%, as shown:

• Click OK. Your image should look like this:

  

  Step 4. Apply Gaussian Blur

  From the menu Filter (Filter) select Blur (Blur)> Gaussian Blur … (Gaussian blur). Photoshop will warn you that this action will rasterize the text layer, and that you won't be able to edit the text itself if you continue. Click OK and set the blur so it looks something like this:

  Note that if your text layer is larger or smaller than our example, the actual Radius setting will change. In the example, the type was set to 72 pt

  

  Step 5. Adjust the Smudge tool (Finger)

  Select the Smudge tool (below the Gradient tool), then click on the brush settings at the top of the window. In the resulting tool smear settings window, use these settings:

  With these settings, you will "paint" the fire. As with any brushwork in Photoshop or other graphics applications, the use of a tablet is recommended

  

  Step 6. Create a flame

  Using the Smudge Tool, smudge the letters from the inside to create the appearance of a flame. Short, quick strokes will give you the best results, and if using a brush, vary the thickness according to the pressure. Your fire should look like this:

  When done, duplicate the smeared layer

  

  Step 7. Apply Radial Blur (Radial blur)

  From the menu Filter (Filter) select Blur (Blur)> Radial Blur … (Radial Blur), and in the window that appears, do the following settings:

  Subtle blur will give the fire an extra burst of energy

  

  Step 8. Make your image in grayscale

  From the menu Image (Image) select Grayscale. Photoshop will again warn you that this action will rasterize the layer and that you will not be able to edit it if you continue. Click the button Flatten (Rasterize) to continue.

  

  Step 9. Converting to Indexed Color Mode

  From the menu Image (Image) select Mode (Mode)> Indexed Color (Indexed colors). After that, from the same menu, select Color Table(Color table).

  • From the menu at the top of the window Color Table(Color Chart) select Black Body

  

  Step 10. Congratulations, you've made the fire

  Your image should look something like this:

  Method 3 of 3: Liquid Fire

  

  Step 1. Open Adobe Photoshop

  Set the foreground color to white and the background color to black. A quick way to do this is to press the D key (for the default color), and the X key (change the text and background colors).

  

  Step 2. Create a new Photoshop image

  As in the above method, set in the popup window Background Contents(Select background) select Background Color ('Background color). Click OK..

  

  Step 3. Create a rounded rectangle by clicking on the shape tool in the taskbar on the left side

  Draw a square shape in the middle of the image.

  

  Step 4. Setting the attributes of the form

  At the top of the window, select Fill (Fill), choose white. Select an attribute Line (Line), and set it to none as shown.

  

  Step 5. Rasterize the layer

  Right-click on the name of the new shape layer "Rounded Rectangle 1, by default" and select Rasterize Layer (Rasterize Layer) from the context menu.

  

  Step 6. Add wind

  Make sure the shape layer is still selected. From the menu Filter (Filter) select Stylize (Stylize) and then Wind (Wind).

  

  Step 7. Adjust the wind parameters

  Select the following settings in the window Wind (Wind) and From the right (Right), then press the button OK.

  

  Step 8. Press Command + F (PC

  Ctrl + F) twice. This enhances the Wind effect. Your rectangle should look something like this:

  

  Step 9. Rotate the image

  Click on the menu Image (Image) then Image Rotation (Image rotation), by 90 ° CW.

  

  Step 10. From the filter menu, select Liquify

  A window will open. Set the brush size initially to around 25, then click and drag on the lines made by the wind to distort them to make them look like flames. Change the size of the brush for a more realistic looking flame. Once you have done this, click the OK button.

  

  Step 11. Blur the image

  Press Filter (Filter), Blur (Blur)> Gaussian Blur … (Gaussian Blur) and set the Radius to 1 pixel.

  • Duplicate the layer twice. You can do this either by dragging the first layer onto the new layer icon at the bottom of the Layers window or by pressing Command + J (PC: Ctrl + J) twice.
  • Make the top 2 layers invisible by clicking on the eye next to them.

  

  Step 12. Click on the original (bottom) rectangle layer

  From the Adjustments window, select the Hue / Saturation icon.

  

  Step 13 Make the Hue / Saturation layer a clipping layer

  Click on the layer clipping icon at the bottom of the Adjustments window. This will limit the effect of the Hue / Saturation layer to only the layer directly below it.

  

  Step 14. Set the Hue / Saturation levels as shown in the picture

  Be sure to check the Colorize box first. Set the Hue to 0, Saturation to 100, and Lightness to -50, which gives you a rich red. It should look like this:

  

  Step 15. Turn on the top layer

  Add another Hue / Saturation adjustment layer as before and set the clipping as you did with the bottom layer. Modify the properties of the top adjustment layer. Hue: 50, Saturation: 100, Lightness: -50. This will paint it yellow.

  

  Step 16. Select the remaining white shape (middle layer)

  From the menu Filter (Filter) select Blur (Blur)> Gaussian Blur … (Gaussian blur). Set the radius to 7 pixels. Your image should look something like this at this point:

  

  Step 17. Change the blending method

  Select the top layer and change the layer type by clicking in the dropdown menu, which is usually Normal (Normal), select Overlay (Overlay).

  

  Step 18. Congratulate yourself

  The job is done and your masterpiece is complete!

  Advice

  • For the "from scratch" method:
    • Good size for backgrounds 14cm x 14cm. Or 400 px by 400 px is also a good size.
    • This method can also be used for text