Do you want to create a glow around a specific item to give it a light source effect but don’t know where to start?
Luckily, you can get this done using different methods in Photoshop. Below, we’ll discuss each and provide steps for the simplest one. We’ll also share some tips to follow and common pitfalls to avoid.
Table of Contents
Methods to Create a Glow Around a Specific Item
In Photoshop, you can add a dreamy glow to bring focus to an object in two different ways.
Method 1: Brush Tool
The Brush Tool creates a soft, natural glow around your object. However, it can take some time to tweak the effect afterward since you’re essentially painting in by hand.
Method 2: Layer Styles
Layer Styles are built-in effects in Photoshop that let you apply Outer or Inner Glow to your object. But there is a bad side, though. It doesn’t always look as natural, and you don’t get much control over the shape and direction of the glow.
Method 3: Gaussian Blur
In the Gaussian Blur method, you have to duplicate your object layer multiple times, apply a Gaussian Blur filter, and then adjust the blend mode. It creates a soft, diffused glow that can look really realistic, especially for light sources. But it might be tricky to get the blur amount just right.
Steps to Add Different Color Glow to an Object in Photoshop
For this tutorial, we’re going with the Brush Tool to create a glow around a specific object. It’s easy to follow, and you can add any color you want!
Step 1: Upload Your Object Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop and click “Open” to import the picture.
Open up the “Layers” panel (that’s over there on your right), and you’ll notice a “Lock”?icon next to the background layer. Click on it to unlock it so you can work on?the layer. But if you want to be safe about it, just hit “CTRL/CMD+J”?to duplicate.
Step 2: Add a Solid Color
Look for a half-filled circle icon (that’s the Fill/Adjustment layer) in the “Layers” panel, click it, and pick “Solid Color.”
Choose a bold color from the color picker pop-up and click “OK.” Go with something like bright red, neon blue, electric green, or whatever works.
If you’re making a light bulb glow, maybe go with a warm yellow or orange. For a neon effect, try electric green, purple, or blue!
Once you’ve picked your color, don’t freak out when your entire image turns that color. You’ll fix it in the next step!
Step 3: Paint in the Glow with a Soft Brush
With the “Solid Color” layer selected, change the “Blending Mode” to “Linear Dodge (Add).”
Click the white thumbnail next to the “Solid Color” layer and press “CTRL+I” on your Windows or “CMD+I” on your Mac PC to invert the mask and turn it black.
Select the “Brush Tool” and pick a soft, round brush. Make it a little bigger than the object you want to make glow. Set the “Flow” between 2% and 6%.
Next, make sure that the foreground color is white and paint over the object?to create the glow. Brush?outward, starting near the edges. If you want a?stronger glow nearer the object, paint in that area with more paint, or resize your brush to be smaller.
Step 4: Export Your Image
Head up to “File” in the top left, then go to “Export,” and pick “Export As.”
Choose what kind of file you want. You can set PNG for high-resolution and JPG for low-quality images. Hit “Export” one last time to save the picture to your desktop.
Tips and Tricks
Group Your Glow Layers
If you have multiple glow layers, press “Shift” and select them, and then?use Ctrl/Cmd+G to group them. This keeps everything organized and lets you move them together if needed.
Layer Multiple Colors for Realism
Real light sources rarely glow in just one solid color. So, duplicate the “Solid Color” layer and use 2-3 different shades, with the brightest/lightest colors closest to your object and deeper tones forming the outer glow.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using 100% Brush Flow
When you use a brush with high flow, it makes the glow too strong, which ends up looking like a blob instead of a smooth light. So, always set the value to around 2% to 6%.
Forgetting to Invert the Mask
Make sure?your layer mask is black before you paint the glow. If you don’t do?this, the effect will appear everywhere on your image and not just around the object.
FAQs
How Do I Make My Glow Change Colors?
To make your glow gradually change color as it moves away from the object, create multiple Solid Color layers, each with a different color. Apply the Linear Dodge (Add) blend mode to all of them, then paint on their masks to add other colors in specific areas.
How Can I Erase Part of the Glow?
To erase part of the glow, switch the foreground color of the brush to “Black” and paint on the mask. This hides the light so you can fix areas you overpainted.
Conclusion
As we wrap up, you’ve learned how to create a glow around a specific item using the Brush Tool in Photoshop. We’ve also provided some handy tips and tricks to make the effect look awesome.
The key is to go easy on the brush flow and work in multiple layers to keep things soft and natural.
