Hello! In this tutorial you will learn how to make a very simple explosion using Adobe Photoshop™.
To get started, open up Adobe Photoshop, and create a new document. I made mine 500 by 500 pixels, but it really can be any size you want.
After your new canvas opens, look at the toolbar on the left, and select the Lasso Tool (or you can just hit the L key, and the lasso will become selected).
After you have the Lasso Tool out, draw a very rough circle on the canvas, like this one.
Tip: Don't try to draw a perfect circle, it makes the explosion better when it has a rough base, it would look too perfect.
Next, go to Select, and then Feather (or just press Alt+Ctrl+D).
After you press Feather (or use the keyboard shortcut), a dialog box will pop up, asking for the Feather Radius. Type 80 in the textbox, and press OK.
Now, a more even circle should appear. Also, keep experimenting with different Radius', who knows, you might find out something cool.
Next, go to Filter, Render, Clouds.
You should see a big fluffy cloud appear in the middle of the canvas, where the circle was, like this.
Now go to Image, Mode, Indexed Color…
After you clicked Indexed Color, go to Image, Mode, Color Table.
After you click on Color table, click on the dropdown menu and select Black Body, then press OK. This changes all of the colors in the piece, and you are left with something that looks like this. You get something different every time! Experiment with different color tables, different Feather Radii, and different circular figures.
