Now let's take an explosion.

How is it? Looking impressive. Right?

Ok let's try to make this explosion in Our Photoshop, OK?

1. Open a 500 X 500 pixel document with white background
   
   



2. Now Go to Filter>>>>Render>>>>Clouds
   
   
   
   
3. Now Go to Filter>>>Render>>>Difference Cloud
   
   
   
   
4. Now Please Press Ctrl + F for 7 times for do the same procedure. Now it looks like
   
   
   
   
5. Then Go to Image>>>>Adjustments>>>>Gradient Map
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Set the Values
   
   
   
7. Hit Ok

Here is your Explosion. How is it?

First, make a new image. The size doesn't matter, but bigger the better so you can see more beautiful flames.

Next, fill the image with black.

Now heres the important part. Pick the gradient tool, and find a gradient similar to the gradients in real fire. In gimp, choose the incandescent gradient. Draw the gradient from about half way down the image, to the bottom. Try to make the line straight as possible.

This is the fun part. Now go to filters->distorts->IWarp.

First make sure the deform mode is on “move”, it should be as default. Move it like I did below to make a effect like so.

After that, set the deform mode to Swirl CCW and/or Swirl CW, and start playing around with it in the editor. For me, the way to achieve best effects, I moved it like this:

If you make a mistake, you can always click the Reset button, to start over. The white lines you see are guide lines for Swirl CCW. Move it the opposite way for Swirl CW. But the best way is to just try it yourself!

Click Ok and you have your fire!

1. First of all we make a new file of 600x400 pixels
   
   
2. Now you put in the foreground colour black and in the background colour white
   
   
3. Now you have to go to: Filter---->Render---->Clouds
   
   
4. Next thing to do, you go again to:Filter--->Render--->Difference Clouds
   
   
5. Press Ctrl+F fourteen times so that the image gets more mixed up
   
   
6. This time will go to: Filter--->Render--->Lighting Effects
   
   
7. Finally you mus complete thethings in the window that will appear like the following:
   
   

Well and that's all! Hope you liked it

Getting started.

I'll be using Photoshop CS2 for this, but it will work on later versions also. Most of the tools we will be using are almost identical.

1. Ok, now first off open a new image. Use similar settings to me. If your putting the flames over an existing image or signature image use a transparent background.

2. Now that you have a blank image open, choose a foreground and background colour. I used red and yellow, if your looking for a magic fire effect you could possibly use shades of blue and green.

3. Alright, once you've done that lets focus on the image again. Select the Rectangular Marquee tool, Now use it to select a small portion towards the bottom of the image as shown.

Now right click inside the selection and select fill from the menu that drops down from the cursor. Fill the selection with the lighter one of your two colours.

4. Move the selection up slightly and place above the lighter shade. Then repeat step 3 but this time fill it with your darker colour. Note: you can achieve this step using the Bucket tool also.

5. At last! The boring bit is over. Time to let your creative juices flow and sculpt some tongues of fire!

Select the smudge tool and a decent brush diameter. Proceed to smudge the lines upwards and I swishing pattern similar to fire, make sure u start smudging in the light colour then drag it through the darker colour. If you start smudging off the canvas you will have transparent or lines the same colour as your background inside the flames, and it will ruin the effect.

Depending how effective you manipulate the smudge tool. You should achieve an effect similar to that above. This effect can be used in a matter of instances including avatars and signatures. =] enjoy.

Here is an example of layering the flame layer on top of another image. Hope you find it useful.