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Seriously Cool Photoshop Explosion Effect [PICS]

psdtuts.com — Explosions are cool. Seriously cool. So when I received some emails asking about how to create a break apart, explosion effect, I knew it'd be worth making a tutorial on. Read on to find out how to break apart a body, then add some awesome lighting and glow, nopattern style, to finish the image off.

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  • itstomreally, on 03/04/2008, -14/+31Why is her knee exploding?
    • jemka, on 03/04/2008, -8/+13So someone like you would miss the point and ask a stupid question.
      • lordthor, on 03/04/2008, -3/+18no, I think he had it right, this is just pointless.
    • RobLiefeld, on 03/04/2008, -10/+2Meh, I can draw it better in my sleep. Buried as lame
    • Premier, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2She spent too much time on them
  • flashden, on 03/04/2008, -5/+45Those Anti-Landmine commercials have really gone to a whole new level
  • mayan, on 03/04/2008, -3/+90It's somewhat cool. Not SERIOUSLY cool - just somewhat.
    • ErikHK, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4But I'm super cereal!
    • perot9296, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1That means bury it. If its mediocre, bury it, Digg is about excellent stuff, not half ass stuff.
  • FameMoney, on 03/04/2008, -14/+2This one really deserves a Digg.
  • DiggLive, on 03/04/2008, -14/+1Damn, she's fine!
  • theeddyadams, on 03/04/2008, -2/+125Not quite an explosion...more of an "I've just opened two wormholes and am being indecisive."
    • dubbs688, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3I was thinking something along the same lines, looks more like a dissolved effect to me.
  • DeviantDragon, on 03/04/2008, -5/+17Yeah, but is your name Donny?
  • willjeffery, on 03/04/2008, -10/+3Filter>Render Clouds. Win.
  • digitalpencil, on 03/04/2008, -8/+1Of all the crappy pshop tuts on digg, this one's not actually that bad.
  • ElBeh, on 03/04/2008, -8/+2An exploding chick?

    Awesome.
  • tkltangent, on 03/04/2008, -11/+6Looks a bit like terri shiavo.
  • sourceholder, on 03/04/2008, -7/+2WOW, the explosion even put the server on its knees.
  • platypibri, on 03/04/2008, -4/+6I think it's against GAAP (generally accepted art principals) to refer to your own tutorial as "seriously cool". It's definately a Sci-fi explosion, not a good ole' hollywood "gas ball" explosion. Still if you need that "Daleks just blasted me to smithereens" look, the effect is reasonably cool.
    • concretemech, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2Dugg for Dr. Who reference.
    • Dracusis, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1OMG! How did you know I was thinking about how I could make my Darleks blast stuff?

      Seriously, dude, GTFO of my head!
  • Braingoo, on 03/04/2008, -1/+10its cement floor cool not liquid nitrogen cool
  • Armor1901, on 03/04/2008, -4/+6Google cache got it
    http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:luyQtL5U4sMJ: ...
    It takes a few seconds though
  • KenCW, on 03/04/2008, -1/+18Someone tricked her into saying her name backwards!
  • baybeewabbit, on 03/04/2008, -6/+0Cool. But will it blend?
  • lintmonkey, on 03/04/2008, -1/+7dugg for teste.psd
  • eltomate, on 03/04/2008, -3/+1We do people still use the lasso tool to cut things out? Ever heard of the Extract feature?
    • fwertz, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3Pound for pound I hate the lasso tool. With extract, quick mask, selective color and quick selection, there just isn't any room for it.
      • TheKingInYellow, on 03/04/2008, -1/+6and when you cut things out in photoshop does it look like sh!t?

        that's the problem with you youngins today. you're always looking for the easy way out with your magic wands and quick masks. slow down and take the time to do something with some precision and pride. honestly, i can do everything using photoshop 7 just as good if not better than someone using cs3. there's too much clutter and useless stuff in cs2 and cs3 that's useless and wasted. there's no room for the lasso (in your opinion) because adobe keeps making up new ways to cut corners and filling up the palettes and toolbar with useless tools and features.
        • fwertz, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4That's the problem with you old folks - your statements beg the question because all you're doing is illustrating a stuck-in-my-ways mindset thusly validating the extent of your stagnancy in a dynamic industry. Thanks for putting down my opinions on the internet though. I'm sure the lasso tool couldn't ask for a better companion.

          Edit: In photoshop, there are nine ways to skin a cat.
        • daskatzsocrates, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2"Edit: In photoshop, there are nine ways to skin a cat."

          and three times that many ways to cut something out..
        • noisician, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1fwertz: that was coherent (not) ... also, you may want to look into the meaning of "beg the question"
          • fwertz, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1I was sketchy on the precise definition. Works well in this context. It's mis fortunate that you didn't comprehend it.
    • wild, on 03/04/2008, -2/+7I do. Maybe its because I have 10 years of experience with the program and just refuse to change. Or maybe because the lasso tool with a 2 px feather (depending on need) and smart use of the "option" key makes for a far more accurate extraction. The computer eye will never be better than the human one when it comes to art.
      • TheKingInYellow, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2i hear ya. i've been using photoshop for about 10 years and primarily use the lasso to cut things out. although i leave feathering at 0 and then manually blur parts of the mask if necessary. alternatively if the items that need to be cut out are on simple clean backgrounds i will copy and paste the image into the mask and adjust levels to create a clean matte.

        there are a million ways to do something in photoshop and the lasso is the right one.
    • Llanowar, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3Both lasso and extract aren't that great. The pen tool is the best tool to cut out a picture. In my opinion.

      But to each his own, if any other tool can get the job done that's fine.
    • wild, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2You know you can convert your lasso mask into an outline right? The pen to is great for sweeping curves and has its purpose. But the the lasso is a better tool overall, imo.
  • kaaate, on 03/04/2008, -3/+24my friends birthday is tomorrow and i didnt know what to get her because im too broke to buy her an real present. this just solved my problem. ill make and frame a pic of her exploding. and she'll think im a photochop genius. i win! thanksssssssss.
    • MrTito, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1"she'll think im a photochop genius."

      And a bit creepy.
  • phantom_mullet, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2Laser Pirate
  • TheKingInYellow, on 03/04/2008, -10/+5photoshop brushes are for losers.
    • Klarth, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3This man speaks the truth. Abstract/grunge/tech/***** brushes are for kiddies with no technical knowhow.
      • TheKingInYellow, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3thank you.

        there's nothing more rewarding than spending the day outside taking photos and doing charcoal rubbing and creating your own textures for masks and effects. there's nothing more rewarding than knowing that the graphics that you're creating are being created with your own textures and graphics.

        several years ago i went to home depot and bought an 8x10 sheet of glass and duct taped it to a ladder (makeshift easel). then taped a sheet of white paper to the other side. i spent hours using spray paint and thinner just experimenting. i ended up with a really cool video that i used as a lower third animation and with the leftover garbage from the experiment i scanned it in and created the most awesome collection of spray paint and grungy textures that i still use today.

        brushes are for lazy people. have you ever tried to stamp a brush at 1300 size onto a billboard? looks like ass.
  • cmoreland, on 03/04/2008, -2/+13meh
  • nexus37, on 03/04/2008, -3/+1I thought it was great. I wish I could do that.
  • Quote737, on 03/04/2008, -11/+1Armor1901 just rickrolled you all here's the actual google cache
    http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:qquJ7ZJJ0l4J: ...
    • kiddirt, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3you suck
    • hartley, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4next time, make sure you don't google cache a site called yougotrickrolled.com.
      fyi, people can see what address they are linking to when you hover over the link!
      practice, and come back in about 5 years when no one will care anymore.
  • hartley, on 03/04/2008, -1/+20Seriously, just stop after Step 9. There is no reason to go on further.
    • adooga, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4Yeah it got really cheesy really fast, didn't it?
      • TheKingInYellow, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2you apparently haven't ever looked at psdtuts before today. most of them get pretty cheesy towards the end.
  • hockey, on 03/04/2008, -1/+4I look at that and I think that the girl should be yelling something really loud in Japanese that loosely translates into "rising lighting strike" or something.
  • xburgermoo, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4few other cool effect in Photoshop: http://yuxt.com/surfer/You_suck_at_Photoshop
  • zongamin, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3Make your own Heather Mills? No thanks.
  • Grimdotdotdot, on 03/04/2008, -1/+6It could have done without the added paths in Illustrator, IMO.
  • bluerei, on 03/04/2008, -4/+2Next they should photoshop that treacherous liar ring off her deceitful meat-stick.
  • mcphatty, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2meh, brush work ftl
  • sharkd, on 03/04/2008, -3/+2Buried for advocating using the lasso to silhouette a figure, rather than the path tool.
  • Cabose, on 03/04/2008, -2/+8Shopped.
  • blackdude, on 03/04/2008, -1/+13Being a designer, I didn't find this tutorial very good. It was like massively bad abuse of about 3 trends all in one.
  • jsindal, on 03/04/2008, -3/+0There's nothing wrong with the lasso for a quick cut, but the pen tool is the way to go for accuracy...I've never been a fan of the 'extract' feature at all.
  • askthequestion, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1good effect.
    i might use it one day.

  • gene1102, on 03/04/2008, -0/+7Looks dated. This stuff went out with club flyers in the 90s.
  • Zoshchenko, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1This will come in handy one day...uh, well, maybe not too soon, but, oh never mind.
  • matriculated, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1Use masks to close cut objects for goodness sake!
  • DeFex, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3I have never seen "lame" spelled "seriously cool" before.
  • ConceptJunkie, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5Anyone else click on this expecting, I dunno, an _explosion_?
  • hansondr, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3Light effect brushes: http://r0man.de/kostenlose_brushes_photoshop.htm
    Owner of the r0man site moved all his brushes over to deviantart to save on the bandwidth.
  • DiggzDE, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1I don't usually use tutorials. But this looks rather interesting. I will definitely have to try this out.
  • guillebravo6, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1This is not an explosion, but it is a nice effect...Stop hating on this guy because he has talent!
  • waalter, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5Complete the look with some -=*lens flares*=~
  • GrandmasterB, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2The best part of the tutorial are the links to the brushes. Always good to add more brushes to the ever expanding library.

    The only thing that even resembles an explosion are the bits and pieces of the leg and arm. The lighting effects look like she's got glow sticks attached to her limbs. As stated earlier...it looks like something from the early 90's.
  • djphilos, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0Would have looked cooler without the white lines. The rest of it is really original.
    • TheKingInYellow, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1about as original as waking up in the morning.
      • djphilos, on 03/06/2008, -0/+0I dont really think its original, but Im leaving sugar coated comments to see if morons on the site digg my comments.
  • DrHyde, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2Someone does not suck at Photoshop ..
  • artfiend77, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1This is cool..nothing "explosion like" about this at all though. Definately not worth 1600+ diggs. The guy obviously knows his Photoshop, chooses to waste his talent on this. Call me when someone decided to awe me with traditional artistic talent ( paints, pastels, pencils) rather than cheap Photoshop parlour tricks.
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