Photoshop Tutorials - Create a Vortex Effect


Learn how to create an abstract Vortex effect that looks great as a banner, or signature background. This effect is completely filter based, so no matter what your photoshop user level is you can learn something form this tutorial. Great for beginners!


Step # 1
Create a of any size, l'm using 400x400 for this example.

Now press "D" on your keyboard to reset the foreground and background colors to black and white respectively




Step # 2
Go to "Filter->Distort->Diffuse Glow" and apply the following settings:
graininess: 10
glow amount: 20
clear amount: 20.

and click ok



Step # 3
Go to "Filter->Blur->Radial Blur and apply the following settings:
amount: 10
blur method - spin
quality - good.

and click ok





Step # 4
Go to "Filter->Stylize->Glowing Edges and apply the following settings:
edge width: 1
edge brightness: 20
smoothness: 1.

and click ok



Step # 5
Go to "Filter->Distort->ZigZag and apply the following settings:
amount: 33
and click ok



Step # 6
Press CTRL + J on your keyboard to duplicate this layer.
Change the blending mode of this layer to "screen":




Step # 7
Go to "Filter->Artistic->Plastic Wrap and apply the following settings:
highlight strength: 20
detail: 15
smoothness: 3




Step # 8
Apply select Background copy layer and press CNTRL+U and use these color

Next click on the bottom most layer (the background layer) and press CTRL + U on your keyboard to bring up the Hue/Saturation tool. We will use this tool to quickly add color to our piece. Apply the following settings:
Make sure "colorize" box is checked


Next click the top most layer (our duplicate layer), press CTRL + U on your keyboard and apply the following settings:
Make sure "colorize" box is checked


Try testing different settings in literally any of the steps in this tutorial to get a completely different look or effect. Have fun and experiment!
Here's how mine example turned out:


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