Final Image Preview

Let’s take a look at the image we’ll be creating in Part II of this series. Want access to the
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for just $19/month. You can view the final image preview below or view a larger version
here.

Introduction and Preparation

Welcome to Part II of this tutorial series. As I mentioned before it’s kind of a continuation
of the tutorial Super Malleable Lines, there are some similar effects shown, but from a very
different angle. In Part Two of this tutorial, we will focus on great glowing effects, some
messy brushing and gloss effects.
We will begin with creating text reflection in our splatter, so you need to download the
demo version of Xara3D 6. You may use Adobe Illustrator as well, but I strongly
recommend to get Xara for this piece.

Images to use:

 abstract lights from 123rf.com

 bubbles from 123rf.com
 metal texture from cgtextures.com
 another metal texture from cgtextures.com
 papertexture from cgtextures.com
 ice crack from sxc.hu
 ink brushes from brusheezy.com
 watercolor brushes from brusheezy.com

Step 1 – Let’s Continue: Adding Text Reflection to Splatter

Just to remind you what we did in the previous image looks like when we ended, the first
image below is the final one from Add Fantastic Color to 3D Text – Part I.

And as I said we will now move forward by creating text reflection. To do this you need to
open Xara3D 6 and again create the same text with the Agenda font. Same size but a
different view (second image below). Why are we doing this? Well, this is the time when
you need to close your eyes and try to imagine how would the reflection look. Look again
at the second image below. If you imagine this text flipped vertically, you will get a mirror
reflection of our original text.

The colors of this text reflection aren’t that important as in Part I. This text will be barely
visible so we will darken it anyway and erase half of it. But the main thing to remember, is
that the text needs to be pink (as our original text).

If you already got this text generated, save it (Export) as shown in the third image below.
Step 2 – Creating Reflection: Adjusting

Bring the reflection text to our main project, name it "reflection" and put it somewhere
below the main text (and below the shadow of this text) in the Layers Palette. Then hit
Command + T (Free Transform) flip it vertically and then use Warp to adjust the reflection
to the main text (second image below).

OK, now if your text is as bright as mine, grab the Burn Tool (O) set the Range to Midtones
and darken it a little (third image below). It looks good but it’s still a little too colorful. I
decided to decrease the saturation a little (Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation, and add
a value of -22 to the Saturation).
Step 3 – Correcting Reflection and Adding Splatter Shine

This reflection still needs some touch-ups. So go to Layers Palette and select the
"reflection" layer, then add a Layer Mask to it. Now grab the Gradient Tool (G), change its
color to black and (while having the Layer Mask selected) drag a gradient from the bottom
to the top of the reflection text (first image below).

Next Command-click on the "reflection" layer’s thumbnail to call the selection of this layer.
Create a new layer above it, name it "reflection touch up" and change the layer’s Blending
Mode to Multiply. Pick a dark pink color (#853b6d) from the colors palette, then grab the
Brush Tool (B). Make the brush very soft and start painting inside the selection (second
image below).

Now, make sure you still have your Brush Tool (B) selected, and also make sure it’s set to
0% Hardness and around 5-10% Flow. Pick a white color, go to the Layers Palette, move
somewhere above our splatter layers and create a new layer there. Name it "splatter shine"
and change it’s Blending Mode to Overlay. Now use a brush and start painting on splatter
to create a nice shine (3rd, 4th, and 5th images below).
Step 4 – Adding Messy Splash Brushes

First important note before you start doing anything is to create a new layer group below
the shadow splatter. Then open one of the downloaded brush packs and select a big messy
brush (brush in first image below). Create a new layer, name it "Brush." Use #cceeff color
and set it throughout the whole splatter. Then go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, set
the Amount to around 80-90% (first image below).

Once you do this, recall the selection of the splatter, and hit Delete on the keyboard while
still having selected the "Brush" layer (second image below). Now press Command + D to
deselect the selection, next turn the Opacity of the "Brush" layer to 30% and set its
Blending Mode to Overlay (you should get something similar to the third image below).
Step 5 – More Splashy Brushing

Basically there are two ways of adding these brushes. The first one is shown in the previous
step, and the second in the pictures below. You need to recall the selection of splatter, then
go to Select > Inverse. Create a new layer, set its Blending Mode to Overlay. Grab the
Brush Tool (B), pick a nice splash/splatter brush and add them on the left and right side
beyond the splatter (like you see in the first image below). Play around with layer opacity,
the higher opacity the harder the color.

Keep adding brushes the way you’re comfortable with. Work dynamically with the brush
size and help yourself with Eraser Tool (E). Sometimes, you just need to get rid of
unwanted splatter brush part.
Step 6 – Enhancing Splatter Shadow

Now let’s get back to the splatter shadow. As we made the shadow tiny before, now with
the new surface we need to enhance it. Refer to adding shadow in tutorial Part I. So grab
the Brush Tool (B). Set the color to dark blue (something like #125361), make your brush
soft as before and add a little bit more shadow. Do it pretty much the same way as in
tutorial Part I, just add a little bit more shadow and this time without having any selection.
Step 7 – Creating Brush Splatter

OK, now find some free space on your background. To do this pick only splatters that
spread their parts widely. Create each brush on a new layer. I prepared a small guide below,
what to do, and how to set these brushes and layers:

1. #a5efff, Brush Opacity 60%, Flow 60%

2. #a5efff, Brush Opacity 80%, Flow 90%
3. #c4f2ff, same opacity/flow
4. #e1f7ff, same opacity/flow
5. #e1f7ff, same opacity/flow
6. #e1f7ff, Layer Blending Mode: Overlay, Layer Opacity: 73%
7. white color (here use a regular rounded, soft brush and enhance the center of this
splatter)
8. #d5f4ff, Layer Blending Mode: Overlay (here use a regular rounded, soft brush, in
the center of splatter to create glow)
9. #97f2ff, Layer Blending Mode: Overlay (here use a regular rounded, soft brush,
around the splatter to create more glow)

When you’re done, go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set the Amount to around
60%. Apply this to each brush layer.

Note: If somewhere lacks information about Opacity or anything, it means it should be set
by default to 100%.
Step 8 – Adding Lights

Select all the light layers and group them. Next, grab this group and drag it into the New
Layer icon around 7-8 times to create many lights (fist image below). Place them where the
natural light hits letters (but behind the text).

Now change your brush to a regular rounded shape (big diameter). Set the Hardness to 0%,
Opacity to 100%, and Flow to 15%. Pick a dark blue color like #1c364d. In the Layers
Palette create two new layers, one above the lights, and one below them.

Now refer to the third and forth images below, and start adding a darker color to the
background between the lights. This will enhance the lights, making them more readable
(you may even change the Blending Mode of this layer to Hard Light to make this effect
even more visible).

Then copy the group with lights two times and add more lights. One to the shine inside the
splatter and another one behind the text.

Step 9 – Texture effects

Open a cool ice crack image. Go to the Channels Palette and drag the Red Channel into the
New Layer icon. You should get now something similar to the second image below. Now
select the "Red copy" channel, select the black dropper (I believe it’s correctly called Black
Point Dropper). Then click on a gray spot, and you should get something similar to the
third image below.

When you’re done, Command-click on the "Red copy" channel’s thumbnail to load the
selection of the white texture that remains. Now select the RGB channel and switch to the
Layers Palette (fourth image below). Select the layer and use Command + C (copy). Then
go to our main project document and hit Command + V (paste) – fifth image below.
Step 10 – Creating Texture

Now go to the Layers Palette into the texture blending layer options. Select Color Overlay
and set the color to #94e3ed (first image below). Then create a new empty layer and merge
the texture with this empty layer using Command + E (second image below). Now set this
layer Blending Option to Overlay. Make several copies of this layer and use Command + T
to rotate this layer.
Step 11 – Manipulating Textures

Now grab the Lasso Tool (L) and draw a path around any interesting you part (I selected
here a really messy and detailed spot). Hit Command + I to inverse the selection and press
Delete on your keyboard to remove unwanted parts (second image below).

Next select a spatter brush 39px, add a Layer Mask to this ice crack layer, select a black
color and remove some texture (third image below).
Step 12 – Messy Texturing

Once you get this done, go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask and increase the Radius a
little. Repeat the whole process and create a few effects like this. The best solution is to put
each one on light spots.
Step 13 – Color Spheres

Now, create a new layer group and make new a layer inside it. Name it "orange ball." Pick
#ffc000 for the color. Select the Ellipse Tool (U) (make sure you have the option Shape
Layers selected) and create a circle. All needed settings you have are shown here in the
second and third images below.

Next you need to create a new shape layer (on new layer) and set the color to white. Then
create a new Layer Mask over there and paint with black on this mask to get rid of the
middle and bottom parts (7th image below). Now this looks like a gloss or a light, so move
this on our sphere and match it.
Step 14 – Creating Spheres, Continuation

For each sphere pick another color. Each process looks the same, only colors change. Work
a lot with proper colors, they must fit your illustration. Try to find a good tone in between
too bright or too dark.
Step 15 – Touching-Up Sphere Shadows

I don’t want to bore you showing the settings of each sphere that I created. I showed you
how it works, so you should be able to pick some colors by yourself. Anyway create many
spheres in different sizes and each one in a different color.

Now take a look at the first two spheres from the bottom – the green and red one. I like to
see some realism in my work so I always try to put some stuff on the ground. I mean, we
will just add some shadows to these front spheres (it’s not like you must do this, as this
looks OK for now, but I think it gives a great overall touch).

So Command-click on the red sphere’s layer thumbnail to call the selection. Hit Command
+ Shift + C (Copy Merged) and paste (Command + V) this sphere. Now select this copy,
drag it below the original red sphere, hit Command + T (Free Transform), and select Flip
Vertical. Grab the Eraser Tool (E) with soft settings, then erase the bottom of this flipped
sphere (third image below) to create the reflection.

Now refer to the fourth image below, select the Brush Tool (B), and pick #1a525f color.
Make your brush very soft (by me soft always means like 0% Hardness and 10-20% Flow).
Set your diameter to 2-3px and create a new layer below the original red sphere, but above
the red sphere reflection. Then first paint exactly below the original sphere, along its
bottom line to create a tiny hard shadow.
Step 16 – Flying Sphere Shadow

Now, let’s take care of the green sphere shadow. It looks to me like it was more in the air
than on the ground so I decided to create an illusion with shadow that this sphere is really
flying.

So take a look at first image below. I drew some arrows to show you how you should add
this shadow. Because we are in 3D space, and there is some perspective, we need to make
some depth with this shadow. As previously grab the Brush Tool (B) with the same
settings, but change your diameter to a bigger one and create a soft shadow. Try to get a
soft ellipse with a little harder center.
Step 17 – Malleable Lines

You probably should remember the Super Malleable Lines tutorial where I showed you a
great technique of simulating shape layers. Well it’s the same thing now. If you like you
can refer to the Malleable Lines tutorial as well. But in this one, I made it more custom.
Grab the Line Tool (U), drag three lines in one column (first image below). Then apply
some layer styles (second image below) to give this piece a color variety. Then use
Command + T and select Warp. Bend this shape layer as many times as you need, and try
to achieve a nice, thin, curvy lines.
Step 18 – Selecting Proper Parts
These shape layers are never perfectly shaped after bending. So in the first picture below I
selected the parts that we’re interested in. In the second image below I selected the parts
that you need to get rid of. And in the last picture below they are simply erased using Layer
Masks with a hard black brush.

Note: It’s a great thing that you actually can use layer masks on shape layers, you simply
loose nothing, you can recreate the layer when you want.

Step 19 – Constructing Lines

Something like this is very hard to achieve using only the Pen Tool with path stroke, so I
construct lines with small pieces (and it’s great because they are still shape layers).

As you have prepared a few shape layers (curvy lines), use them, copy them and rotate
them to create one curly line going around the orange sphere. You just need to set lines
properly and they will do everything for you.

Note: Remember to blend the connections between lines nicely. Use layer mask to do the
blending part.

Once you achieve a cool curly line, select all these shape layers and merge them into one
(Command + E) (but always save some extra copies of your shape layers that you don’t
need to recreate them). Next, you probably should get something similar to the third image
below, and you need to decide which line to erase from the sphere because now it’s not
looking right.

Refer to the forth image below.

Add a Layer Mask to our
merged layer, call the selection
of orange sphere, grab the
Brush Tool (B), pick a black
color and erase one of these
two lines that cover the sphere.
Step 20 – Enhancing Malleable Lines

Before we do anything further, you need to change your brush settings. Go to the Brush
Palette and apply the settings shown below. Change the brush Opacity to around 15% and
the Flow to something like 50%. Pick a bright blue color (like #baf3ff).

Create a new layer, change its Blending Mode to Overlay and start painting on the
malleable line. This will make the line thicker, and this brush the way we made should
easily allow you to paint with the mouse. You need to set many small marks to get this line
more visible, and this covers some imperfections.
Step 21 – Creating Glow

Now this is my favorite part. I believe the photo of abstract lights was taken on slow
shutter, looks like a painted glowing light, and it’s great. Open it in Photoshop, pick the
Lasso Tool (L) and select a piece of this glow. Drag this to our main project.
Use Command + Shift + U to desaturate this it. Then grab the Eraser Tool (E), make the
settings very soft and erase the hard edges of this piece. Then hit Command + T (Free
Transform) to match it to our malleable line. Select Warp (Command +T to get the option
bar) and adjust it to the line shape. Help yourself with a soft eraser if something doesn’t fit.
Step 22 – Creating Glow, Continued

Select a very light blue color (like #8cfbff). Reset your brush settings, and set the Hardness
to 0% and Flow to 5%. Then create new layers above the previous ones (and above the
malleable line). Set this layer’s Blending Mode to Hard Light and add some more glow to
shining parts of the sphere and the line. Don’t overdo this, we’re looking only for a touch of
glow.
Step 23 – Malleable Line, and Glow Process Repeat

As the title says, yes this will go the same way again and again. Apply these effects to each
sphere that you have created. And remember that everything needs to be set up as in this
tutorial. You simply cannot create these glowing effects in blue color if your illustration has
pink or orange background, this also needs to be blue. And most important information:
glow effects work the best when they are applied to the dark background. Below is a small
case study for blue sphere treatment.
Step 25 – Background Textures

Now open some dirty image (I picked the one below, as it has mass details). Hit Command
+ Shift + U to Desaturate (second image below). Next hit Command + L (Levels) and
adjust it to get a visible difference between black and whites. Next go to Filter > Sharpen >
Unsharp Mask and sharpen this texture a little.
Step 26 – Applying Textures
When the texture is ready, drag it to our main project document. Set its layer Blending
Mode to Screen. Grab the Eraser Tool (E), set it to Hardness 0%, Flow 10% and blend the
texture with the background. Repeat this process to fill some empty space in the
background.

This may be hard to see, but the texture is there. This gives a little noise to the background
and makes it irregular. I like it this way.
Step 27 – Paper Texture Effect

Open the paper texture image. Unlock this layer by left-clicking two times on it. Then use
Command + J (duplicate). Once you get the duplicate, set its Blending mode to Overlay and
go to Filter > Other > Highpass, and set the Radius to around 40% to get some depth in the
darker spots. Then drag both these layers to our main project. Grab the Eraser Tool (E), set
it to Hardness 0%, Flow 10% and blend both textures with the background. Use this
technique to sightly fill the whole canvas.
.
Step 28 – Final Adjustments
The final adjustments are very important as they give a unique look to your work. Go to the
top of the Layers Palette and add several adjustment layers as you see in below. Add them
one by one and work with their opacities and on the layer masks.

Example: When I added Levels (first image below) the shadow below letters seemed too
dark, but the adjustment layer fit the whole illustration well. So I selected the Layer Mask
of the Levels layer and erased the black shadow from below the letters using a soft, black
brush. And so on with more adjustment layers, if something doesn’t look right at some
spots, help yourself using layer mask and a black brush.

The gradient maps in the third and fourth images below are from Black color to Gray and
from Black to White (I guess there was no need to write this down, but if you need to know
here it is).
Conclusion

In the end you can sharpen this image a little using highpass or unsharp mask. This will
give it some more quality. But anyway, it’s the end, I’m glad you could reach it to this
point, as this was a tough piece. Have fun with your own works. May the color be with
you!

You can view the final image below or view a larger version here.