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This lesson demonstrates how to create fluid graphics - for personal results, experiment with different gradient positions, filter settings, colour fills and blend modes.
My extensive Utilising Layers tutorial can be found here!
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. 
1/
Open a New document and set the following attributes.
If you are not printing your work, a Resolution of 92 Pixels/Inch will be fine.
2/
Press your keyboard’s D key to set the default Black and White colour swatches. Then press the X key to swap the colours. Your Background will now be Black.
3/
Now, press Ctrl then tap your Backspace key. This fills your transparent image with the Background colour. (Expand the grey workspace by dragging a corner of your document).
4/
Then activate the Gradient Tool. Gradient Tool Lesson - Chapter 6.
And set the following (White to Black - Foreground to Background) attributes into its Options bar.
Now, stretch a small gradient onto your canvas, as illustrated below.
And continue to apply small gradient lines, in various directions, subsequently filling your canvas with various sized (and shaped), grey spheres.
 
Note
To create darker eye-type spheres, apply small gradient lines in the direction indicated below.
 
Experiment with different gradient line directions, aiming to create lots of contrasting orb shapes. When you have completed this, you are ready for the next step.
5/
Press Ctrl then J to duplicate Layer 1, and rename the duplicated layer Plastic Wrap.
6/
Working on the Plastic Wrap layer, from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Artistic then choose Plastic Wrap. In the subsequent dialogue box, set the following attributes, then click OK.
For personal results, experiment with the settings.
7/
Activate Layer 1, (the original layer), then press Ctrl and J to duplicate it - and rename the duplicated layer Chrome.
8/
Working on the Chrome layer, from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Sketch then choose Chrome. Set the following Chrome attributes (or experiment), then click OK.
9/
Drag the Chrome Layer to the top of the layers stack.
And your image will change to the following.
10/ Texture
Create a transparent layer by clicking the following Create a new layer icon, then drag the layer to the top of the layers stack, and rename it Clouds.
11/
Press your keyboard’s D key to set the default Black Foreground and White Background colours  .
12/
Then from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Render then choose Clouds.
13/ More Texture
Create a new (transparent layer) exactly as demonstrated in Chapter 10, and rename this layer Clouds Chrome. Then drag the Clouds Chrome layer to the top of the layers stack.
14/
Now, apply both the Clouds and Chrome filters respectively - retaining their previous settings, and your image will change to the following.
 
15/ Adding Colour
In the Layers palette, activate the layer immediately beneath the Plastic Wrap layer. Then click the tiny black triangle next to the following Create new fill or adjustment layer icon.
Then from the drop-down menu, click Solid Colour. In the subsequent Pick a solid colour dialogue box, set the colour to purple, (or a colour of your choice), and click
OK.
The Adjustment Layer will then be filled with solid purple - however, you won’t notice an immediate change to your image.
16/ Changing the Blend Modes
To finish, change the following layer Blend Modes. Chrome/Clouds to Overlay,
Clouds to Overlay, Chrome to Screen, Plastic Wrap to Linear Burn. Changing the Blend Modes completes the effect, and your work is ready to save. However, for personal fluid graphics - it is important to experiment with different settings, and orb positions.
Removing Colour
For my black and white and tinted versions, at the top of this lesson, I removed the colour by applying CS3’s Black and White filter; I then applied a sepia tint to the latter. My lesson Here demonstrates various ways of removing colour, and applying sepia tints.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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