Easily Create a Beautiful, Unique Website Header
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how you can create a beautiful, unique, abstract website header in just a few easy steps. This abstract lighting technique is one you’ll “Wow” a lot of visitors with!
What We’re Making
This is a technique that I’ve recently used on personal projects of my own, and have impressed a lot of people with. It only made sense to me to share how to accomplish this look with our loyal viewers here at Tutorial9! Here’s a quick look at the effect we’re going to make in this tutorial:
I’ve never been a huge fan of the standard “Lens Flare” effects Adobe Photoshop had to offer, which is the main reason I came up with this effect.
Now, let’s begin!
Step 1: Setting Up
Create a new document in Photoshop, and use the Paint Bucket Tool to fill the Background layer with a dark color. In my document, I used #191919 — Something dark, but not completely black.
Step 2: Adding Some Light
This effect is ALL about experimenting with color, placement, and size. To create the unique lighting effect, we are going to use a Large, Soft Brush Tool. Select a standard round brush from the options bar or brushes palette, and increase the brush size to around 400px, and the Hardness to 0%.
Now select a bright, vibrant Foreground Color. For my first color, I’ll be using a nice sky blue, #61a6f4. Create a new Layer, and create a splash of color somewhere along the top edge of your banner. Set this layers blending mode to Linear Dodge (This will let it mix with other colors we use later on a bit nicer than the Normal Blending Mode).
Step 3: Additional Colors and Blending Modes
We’re going to introduce a few new colors into the fray to make things a little more interesting. One important thing to note here is that each new brush and color you use should be painted on separate layers. Doing so will really make it easy to experiment with blending modes and positioning later on!
Let’s throw a new color onto a new layer. I’m going to be using a bright, pale orange, like #fbb85a. I’m also going to adjust the size of my brush to something a bit smaller, like 300px. After painting, I’m going to change the blending mode for this layer to Overlay.
To brighten this area up a bit, I’m going to create a New Layer, and use a soft, White brush with the blending mode set to Overlay directly above the Orange I just created in the document.
Continue to add new colors using varying brush sizes, and different blending modes. After about 5 more layers, using Overlay, Lighten, Linear Dodge, & Hard Light with the 3 colors I’ve used, here is what I’ve got:
Step 4: Adding an Awesome Lens Flare
This is probably the most difficult part of the effect, but only because it requires a little creativity on the designers part. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m really not a fan of the Lens Flare Filter Photoshop has to offer — Which is why we are going to create our own, simpler flare.
On a new Layer, using the same colors we’ve been using so far (Only this time, with the blending mode set to Normal), use your creativity to put together a flare effect of your own. It’s really a lot easier than it sounds. Establish a direction for your flare in your mind, and then create a series of blotches that follow that direction. To make things easier, you can follow the stages I took in the diagram to create something similar to what I have.
Remember, this is all on the same layer to make things simpler for us. You’ll need to plan what order you paint your colors in though so they overlap correctly.
Here is our finished flare above our other layers:
Step 5: Blending the Flare
It’s obvious that the flare in it’s current state simply won’t do. Don’t worry, it’s an easy fix. Remember all those layers you created earlier with different blending modes? All you have to do is position your flare underneath some of those layers (You’ll have to experiment to see what looks best), and the blending modes will mix the colors and hopefully look very nice!
It’s just that Simple!
That’s really all there is to the effect. Not a bad look for something so easy to make.
If you want my opinion, I think this effect is a great touch for a minimalist layout that uses dark colors, as it’s soft, and not very distracting. Text can easily be read over the lighting (provided it’s not to bright or dark where you place your text).
For reference, you’re welcome to grab the PSD File we used in this tutorial!
120 Comments
Thanks so much for this tutorial. And you made the actual psd file downloadable which is really a bonus for me. I can’t wait for any other tips on doing photoshop work.
Flag as inappropriateThanks for the kind words! :)
Flag as inappropriatethanks for tutorial. Love it, simple and effective :D
Flag as inappropriateIt’s awesome that you can download a psd file. That helps a lot.
Flag as inappropriatethanks
I will give this a shot. It does look professional. Thanks for the step-by-step.
Flag as inappropriateMike @ Bowflex Revolution Video
i am naveed i make a website plz mujay website ka tariqa bata dain
Flag as inappropriateThak you for sharing this helpfull infomation!Keep up the awesome work!
Flag as inappropriateThis is one of the best tutorials on the web because it’s versitale and quick and 99% of the time it comes out looking absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
Flag as inappropriatecould you give me a flare color example if i use #c9e4d8 as my background color?
Flag as inappropriateGoooood ONe
Flag as inappropriateThanks so much for the tutorial. I love that you gave us some creative freedom so everyone won’t get the same result but will still get something beautiful.
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Flag as inappropriatebaidu
Flag as inappropriateLooks simply but nice. I’ll try.
Flag as inappropriatehttp://www.tutorial9.net is awesome
Flag as inappropriateWow that is easy and beautiful!!! thanks so much
Flag as inappropriateI really like this, thanks!
Flag as inappropriateThat is a very interesting effect that you’ve create there. I see Photoshop has a lot of great features to offer. Thanks for sharing!
Flag as inappropriateGreat work. Thank you!
Flag as inappropriateVery great Post! Thank you for your sharing.
Flag as inappropriateits fabulous plz reply me soon to encourage me
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial. Very easy to understand.
Flag as inappropriatewow Great article, thanks!167
Flag as inappropriatewow Great article, thanks!154
Flag as inappropriatewow Great article, thanks!149
Flag as inappropriateGreat reading! Thanks for sharing
Flag as inappropriateits very nice&interesting
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial. Very useful. I’ll use it in my works.
Flag as inappropriateThis is exactly what I have been looking for. I have been looking for some simple easy to follow steps in order to make headers for my websites. Thanks
Flag as inappropriateOne of those tutorials that anyone can use over and over again and it always be unique in some way.
Flag as inappropriateThanks, this is mine http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1256/flareq.jpg
Flag as inappropriateVery nice Post! Really love it your post! thank you very much for your Information
Flag as inappropriateThanks David, usefull work for me:)
Flag as inappropriatei am using photoshop for the first time and i am facing some problems.As i am beginner, i dnt know how to use brushes properly and how to change brush color.i have read other comments mentioned above but still i did not understand a thing.though u have explained everything nicely but there are some options which i can not find in photoshop.i hope you will soon help me out…
Thanks!!
Flag as inappropriateJust change the foreground color in the tools palette and then use the brush.
It will take surely take whatever color you keep for your foreground color.
I hope it will help you a bit.
Flag as inappropriateVery interesting… thanks.
Flag as inappropriateGreat header design and good art man!
Flag as inappropriateKudos to you David.
I stumbled across this wonderful site of yours not too long ago and I can tell you with honesty that it is my favorite place to go to for Photoshop tutorials. Ever since I was about 12 years old I’ve been messing around with photoshop, so it has become a sort of hobby to me. I played with whatever tools caught my interest until I ended up actually knowing what I was doing.
Now that I’m 21, and with my brother being the founder of a small graphic design company, I feel as though I need to help out. But before I do so, I’m going to have to learn Photoshop from someone who actually knows about it, rather than figuring it out on my own. Already I have learned some tricks I would have never thought of, and the style and layout of Tutorial9′s website is exactly what I’m looking to learn and master.
I will be going through each tutorial and eagerly waiting for the next one to arrive. Long live Tutorial9. :)
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial! :)
Flag as inappropriateThanks. great tips!
Flag as inappropriateReally nice tutorial. Even I could follow it. Thanks.
Flag as inappropriatethanks a lot, i´m trying to improve my PS techniques, to got more experience and make better works.
Greetings from Chile SouthAmerica
Flag as inappropriateHey, thanks, but I found one mistake in your tutorial. You wrote:
“Let’s throw a new color onto a new layer. I’m going to be using a bright, pale orange, like #fbb85a. I’m also going to adjust the size of my brush to something a bit smaller, like 300px. After painting, I’m going to change the blending mode for this layer to Overlay.”
But that is incorrect, you need to change blending mode for this layer to LINEAR DODGE! Overlay is coming in the next layer. I’m making my thing and I was like WTF where did my layer dissappeared after I made it Overlay.
Flag as inappropriateWow. Amazing tutorial
To many time I try this, but the results don´t satisfatory.
Helped me a lot.
Thanks for this.
Flag as inappropriateWhen I add the orange circle and set it to overlay it disappears, same with the white highlight, why does it not show up for me?
Flag as inappropriateamazing tut, and the result is bery q
Flag as inappropriateHi David,
Flag as inappropriateSimple but Simply Great, Thanks a lot
@Tom: No sweat mate. Glad you got it sorted out over there :)
Flag as inappropriate@Tom:
Ha, nevermind, it was my mistake. I had the wrong option selected.
Flag as inappropriateHey, great tutorial, but whenever I set the hardness to 0%, I still get a complete circle and not something that is pictured in your tutorial. Any thoughts?
Flag as inappropriateLovely! Beautiful outcome! Will try it very soon.
Flag as inappropriateGreat yet simple to build! Thanks for this nifty tutorial.
Flag as inappropriateThis is nice.
Flag as inappropriateAlways wanted to know how to get that lighting effect, seen it here and there on the web, looks awesome!
Flag as inappropriateU guys rock! U turn a simple thing into an incredible piece of art ;)
Flag as inappropriatevery nice and easy to follow tutorial!
the lens flare effect can make or break its look though, be careful when you’re doing that part.
Flag as inappropriatecool tutorial :)
Flag as inappropriatethanks!
You are god! :D
Flag as inappropriatesecond awesome tutorial in this night from this site,ive just visited :)
respect and thanks
Hello Melisa,
I use Adobe Creative Suite 2, which was the latest installment when I purchased it. I’d go give the latest Photoshop a try from adobe.com, and then consider purchasing anything from CS1 and up (or just a copy of Photoshop alone). To me, there isn’t too much difference between CS1-3 to justify spending the extra cash, unless there is really a feature you like about CS3.
Flag as inappropriateHi David,
This is awesome and quite informative. What Photoshop version did you use here? I’m tempted to have one. I used to study a little Photoshop, but it’s a lower version.
I’ll take note of your site. I’m still working on my little site. ;)
Thanks a lot for sharing this. ;)
Flag as inappropriateThanks Ouchast and Steven! I’ll try my best! Your continued support for T9 is greatly appreciated!
Flag as inappropriatehey there, ive always loved photoshop and im 17. And all these tutorials are making want more and more from photoshop and from this site. Thank you very much for the good explanations. keep it up David!
Flag as inappropriateI’m going to use this tutorial now. It looks awesome, keep up the good work :)
Flag as inappropriateHey, thanks meline! We’ll keep putting together some awesome tutorials here, but if you’re looking for something specific, I’d suggest you go check out our forums — More specifically, the Graphic Design Support Forums here at Tutorial9.
Hope you find what you need! Thanks again!
Flag as inappropriateHi i enjoyed this tutorial,it’s a grate one ,but can you help me make a precious stone do you have any tutorials ? i searched the web couldn’t fined any i use corel too thanks.
Flag as inappropriate