Abstract background in Photoshop

Abstract backgrounds are very useful for forum signatures, web banners and the like. Here's a quick method for creating an abstract background using only lens flares and layer modes

This is what the final result will look like

Step 1 - Creating a New Document and adding lens flares

Create a new document with the desired dimensions (640 x 480 in my case). Press 'D' on your keyboard to set the foreground to black and the background to white. Press 'Alt + Backspace' to fill the document with the foreground colour. This fills our document with a solid black colour. Now go to 'Filter > Render > Lens Flare' and apply a flare with the following settings:

We'll have to add many flares to get the required level of complexity in the background. Use the same filter again, only this time vary the position and the brightness of the flare slightly.

Here's what the document should look at this stage.

Keep adding flares and keep varying the brightness and the position of the flares until you get something that looks like this:

Step 2- Creating a layer from the background

Let's create a layer from the background so that we can edit it later if we need to. Right click the background layer in the layer palette and click 'Layer From background'. You'll get a layer named 'Layer 0'. Press 'Ctrl J' to duplicate this layer. The duplicated layer shows up as a layer with the same name with the suffix 'copy'. 'Layer 0' thus shows up as 'Layer 0 copy'

Step 3 - Appying the Twirl effect

Select the bottom layer (Layer 0) and go to Filter > Distort > Twirl. Apply a clockwise twirl with the following settings:

If you want to see the results of this effect, you'll have to hide the top layer (Layer 0 copy). Click the icon of the eye to the left of the layer to hide the top layer.

Here's what the twirl should look like:

Now unhide the top layer (Layer 0 copy) by clicking the icon of the eye again and apply a twirl in the other direction on this layer.

Step 4 - Changing the layer mode

Now select the top layer (Layer 0 copy) and change the blend mode to 'Color Burn'. This mode is usually used when you need to retouch photos and bring out contrasts between backgrounds and foregrounds.

And there you have it - a nice abstract background which can be cropped and used for forum sigs or banners.

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