Atmospheric Blur Effect - Photoshop CS2. Level: Intermediate

Before

After

The atmospheric blur effect is one I use in much of my work (warning - shameless self-promotion coming up!). To get an idea, you can view this here:

http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ArtID=68641&SGID=21776

For this tutorial, you will need knowledge of Layers, the Brush Tool and the Burn Tool.

Filter effects are also used, but instructions are given. 

You can download the "before" turorial image from my facebook album by choosing the "download" clickable link.  

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=103695276388647&set=a.103695239721984.7946.100002445250604&type=1&theater

After you've completed the tutorial, feel free to share or sell under the Creative Commons License. Attribution is required, so please link back to my blog.

So here we go!

1. Duplicate background layer 2 times so you have 3 layers, then hide background layer so you are working with just 2 layers

2. Click on your top layer (the top layer is the only one you will be editing), choose "Color Dodge" from the drop down box in the Layers Palate

3. Go to "Filter", "Blur", then "Gaussian Blur" from the top menu bar

4. Choose a Radius of around 40 from the slider bar, then click "ok"

5. Go to "Layer" in the top menu bar, then "Merge Visible"

6. Duplicate your Layer so you are always working with two Layers, keeping the background Layer unedited

7. Choose "Overlay" from the Layers Palate

8. Repeat stage 3, but with a Radius of around 50. Click "ok"

9. Reduce Opacity to 50%  using the slider bar in the layers palate

10. Repeat stages 5 & 6

11. Choose "Screen" from the Layers Palate

12. Repeat stage 3

13. Choose the full radius of 250, click "ok"

14. Reduce Opacity in the Layers Palate to 40%

15. Repeat stages 5 & 6

16. Choose "Multiply" from the Layers Palate

17. Repeat stage 3

18. Choose a radius of around 20, click "ok"

19. Reduce Opacity in the Layers Palate to 20%

20. Repeat stages 5 & 6

21. Go to the top menu bar, choose "Filter", "Texture", then "Grain"

22. For Grain Type, choose "Regular" from drop down box

23. Select 0 Intensity and 60 Contrast from the slider bars, click "ok"

24. Reduce Opacity to 80%

25. Repeat stages 5 & 6

26. Choose "Screen" from the Layers Palate

27. Repeat stage 3

28. Select a Radius of around 90, click "ok"

29. Reduce Opacity to 60%

30. Repeat stages 5& 6

I'm going to test this tutorial a little sooner than planned because Photoshop just crashed... Eek! It's probably a good time to mention how important it is to regularly save your work! I really should practice what I preach...

Anyway, all good so far! Just a few more finishing stages and we're done. Just before we move on though, here's an example of how your image should look so far:

31. Choose "Filter", "Render", then "Lighting Effects" from the top menu bar

32. From top to bottom, choose the following settings:

Style: Default, Light Type: Omni, "on box": ticked, Intensity: 42, Gloss: -55, Material: 100, Exposure: -22, Ambience -26, Texture Channel: "None"

In the preview box where you can see your image, click directly on one of the circle's little grey boxes (any one of the 4) and drag outwards, until the circle expands just outside the preview frame. Click "ok"

33. Reduce Opacity in the Layers Palate to 40%

34. Guess what? Repeat stages 5 & 6!

Now we're at the final stages - woo-hoo!!

35. Choose the "Burn Tool" from the left-hand side icon menu

36. Select a large brush size of 2033 from the top menu, then "Highlights" for the Range, and a 70% Exposure. Using only the outer edge of your large, round brush (keep your brush mainly outside the visible image area) begin carefully adding shadow to the edges of your image to create a vignette effect. Keep going until you're happy with the results

37. Reduce your brush size to 496, and again, using the outer edge of your brush, gently add further shadow to create a "frame effect" around your image

Finally, if you would like a more subtle blur effect, repeat stages 5 & 6, make your background layer visible, then reduce the opacity of the top layer until you like what you see. Also, if your image is a little dark, you can alter the contrast/brightness to lighten your image

And that's it!

I hope you've enjoyed creating this effect. Don't forget, the settings in this tutorial are specific to this image, so results will vary depending on what image you use. But once you've learned the technique, you can play around with the settings to suit your images, style and taste

Thanks for trying out my tutorial, if you liked it, you can share it if you want! And come join me on facebook! We can have a chat about the blur Effect... I'd love to know how you got on with it!

Facebook Wall Link:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002445250604&sk=wall