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This tutorial demonstrates how to create Aurora Borealis effects using the Paint Brush and Smudge Tool. You will find the start images Here. Unzip the file and open it onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Aurora Borealis is Latin for Northern Dawn, and is otherwise known as the Northern Lights. The phenomena is caused by electrons in the sky effecting the earth’s magnetic field, and the lights emanate from the Polar regions. The “dancing” auroras can be seen in the northern hemisphere between September/October and March/April 9 (around the equinox months). It’s southern counterpart, Aurora Australis, has similar properties - Australis being the Latin word for of the south.
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
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Open your start image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Note
If you prefer, open a black canvas and create star field with the Brush Tool, then paint your Aura Borealis effect onto it. After it is complete, drag your finished Aurora Borealis sky onto another image, then change the Aurora Borealis image’s Blend Mode from Normal to Screen.
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Click the Create a new layer icon, and name the layer Lights.
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Then set your Foreground and Background colours to the following. Lesson.
Foreground =  Background = 
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Then activate the Brush Tool.  Lesson.
And set the following (soft brush) attributes into its Options bar.
Now, click the Brushes tab at the top-right of Photoshop’s workspace, and click a dot into Shape Dynamics and Texture, as shown below.
Decide what shape you would like your Aurora to be - a good way of finding realistic Auroras is via Google. When you see an image you like, try to emulate its effect, as close as possible.
With the Paint Brush Tool, paint a wavy line in the direction illustrated below; ensuring the Foreground represents the colour you are applying.
Now, press your Keyboard’s X key to swap the Foreground and Background colours, and paint a second (green) line, parallel to the first. It does not need to be perfectly symmetrical.
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From the toolbar, activate the Smudge Tool.
And set the following (soft brush) attributes.
Now, hover your cursor over the left-side of your image, as indicated below, and left-click once.
Now, (for a straight smudge application), press and keep pressed your Shift key, then left-click once on the opposite side of the coloured lines - illustrated below.
Your line will subsequently warp towards the second click area, as demonstrated above. If you don’t want a straight smudge line, do not press the Shift key. Continue clicking along the two lines; applying your clicks and warping the coloured lines into a wispy Aurora Borealis effect. If a click produces an unsatisfactory warp; step backwards and reapply the Smudge Tool. After you have completed this, you are ready for the next step.
Note
This is a crucial step, therefore, take your time and create a shape you like.
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From the top menu, choose Filter then choose Blur then choose Motion Blur. In the subsequent Motion Blur dialogue box, set the Angle so it follows the direction of your Aurora Borealis - whether it is vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Set the Distance to produce a suitable (motion), blur, then click OK. I chose the following settings. Don’t worry if the Aurora transcends the black foreground, this can be removed later.
Tip
To produce a brighter result, right-click the Lights layer (in the Layers palette), and choose Duplicate Layer from the drop-down list. Additionally, you can reduce its opacity using the Opacity slider - also from the Layers palette.
Tip
Resize and reposition the Aurora using the Free Transform Tool, if you wish.
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If necessary, activate the Eraser Tool. 
And with a small hard brush, remove areas of the Aurora that transcend the black foreground.
Congratulations, you have created your Aurora Borealis effect. Aurora Borealis effects are unique, and they display in various shapes, and colours; colour examples include red, green, yellow, blue and purple - therefore experiment with different colours - taking your inspiration from photographs. Whilst the layers remain intact, try different positions, perhaps applying Distort effects to the Aurora layer. When you are completely happy with your result, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image, then save your work - or drag it onto a second image.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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