Step 9ĭuplicate the background layer again and move it to the top. A basic form of smoke effect should already be visible. Move to the lower copy, and go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Invert the selection with Control-Shift-I, and add a Layer Mask. Go to the upper copy, hold Control, and click the thumbnail of Mask 1 to select it. Step 7ĭuplicate the background layer by pressing Control-J twice. Go to the Actions panel and create a new action.

Paint black clouds of smoke going in the same direction as the previous wisps. Step 4Ĭreate a New Layer and name it Mask 4. Paint with black again, adding some background smoke. Step 3Ĭreate a New Layer and name it Mask 3. The problem with stamp brushes is that they can’t be rotated, but you can rotate the canvas instead-the effect will be the same! Use a soft eraser or a Layer Mask to blend the smoke with the background. Add smoke coming out of the man’s back, with all the wisps in roughly the same direction. Use the smoke brushes again, but this time paint with black. Step 2Ĭreate a New Layer and name it Mask 2. Feel free to experiment here-there’s no single correct way to do this. Use the collection of smoke brushes to paint white smoke on the man’s back, softly blending him into the background. Before we start recording the action, we need to prepare the masks. How to Create a Smoke Effect Photoshop Action Step 1

Here are the assets I'll be using in this tutorial: And, of course, you'll need a photo to work on. To create a convincing smoke effect, you'll need special smoke brushes. Looking to create a smoke effect in Photoshop but need it fast? Head on over to Envato Elements where you can get this and many smoke effect Photoshop actions. How to create a smoke effect using Photoshop Brushes.What you'll learn in this Photoshop Action tutorial: How to Create a Smoke Effect Photoshop Action | Photoshop Tutorial

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