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This lesson demonstrates how to create an entwined light swirl. To work along, download the start image Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
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.
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Then minimise the start image, and open a New document with the following attributes.
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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.
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Now, press Ctrl then tap your Backspace key. This fills your transparent image with the Background colour. Create a new layer above the black filled layer by clicking the following Create a new layer icon. Then rename the new layer, Light. Layers Lesson.
 
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Then from the toolbar, activate the Brush Tool - and select a soft brush.
Brush Tool Lessons Here.
Now, press and hold your Shift key. Then paint a single line from the top of
document, to the bottom. (Pressing the Shift key constrains the line, ensuring it is straight).
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From the top menu, choose Filter then choose Distort then choose Shear. In the subsequent Shear dialogue box, click individual square points onto the vertical line.
Note
If you make an error, click Defaults - and start again.
Now, gently manoeuvre the points, to create the following zigzag effect.
After you have created the following zigzag path, click OK.
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Activate the Move Tool  .
Then drag your bolt image onto the swirl image, and rename the layer Bolt.
Your Layers palette will now display three separate layers. Ensure the Light layer is active, and to save PC resources, delete the original bolt image.
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Now, (working on the Light layer), press Ctrl then T to activate the Free Transform Command. A vector transformation box will surround the swirl. By manoeuvring the tiny vector boxes that are attached to the bounding box, you are able to reposition and rotate/tilt the swirl, so it corresponds with the bolt’s direction - as illustrated below.
After you have positioned the swirl, press your Enter/Return key to commit the
change.
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Then from within the Layers palette, drag the Light layer above the Bolt layer.
And your swirl will appear on top of the bolt.
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Activate the Eraser Tool. Eraser Tool Lesson.
And with a small, hard brush, carefully erase alternative swirl segments, subsequently creating an entwined effect.
Note
If necessary, reposition the swirl with the Move Tool.
Tip
Soften any harshness caused by the Eraser Tool, with the Blur Tool - and set it to a low Strength.
11/ Optional
For a brighter swirl, duplicate the Light Layer by right-clicking it and choosing Duplicate Layer. If this is too bright; lower the Opacity of the duplicated layer.
12/ Change Colour
To change your swirl’s colour. (If you have duplicated the Light layer, first press Ctrl, then left-click to highlight both Light layers - then right-click and choose Merge Layers from the drop-down list). Now, press, and hold your Ctlr key, and left-click the light swirl’s thumbnail. This isolates the swirl with a selection marquee.
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Now, from the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments then choose Channel Mixer. In the Channel Mixer’s dialogue box, play with different Channel sliders, and find an alternative colour you like.
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When you are completely happy with the colour, brightness and position of your light swirl, press Ctrl then D to remove the marquee, and your image is ready to save. Alternatively, it can be incorporated into your artwork.
Tip
Prior to flattening the layers, you can fade the swirl by applying a Gaussian Blur or Motion Blur filter.
15/ Optional
Finish by applying a star brush. My lesson Here demonstrates how to create star brushes.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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