I'm going to show you guys how to make your own wallpapers. I guess some of you always fish for something unique, so this way you will be sure to have something that's only used by you.
And since I'm not a professional photoshop user, I am sure you will manage this one. (If I can do it, everyone can)
The only thing you need for this is photoshop, so don't think you can't do it without a tablet. Now, let's begin!
1. Desktop resolution
If you don't know what's the resolution you use, you can check it out with right clicking on the desktop, then choosing either:
screen resolution (if you have windows 7)
properties---> settings (If you have something older)
(I'm going to include some screenshots so you know what to do. Click them to see them in actual size)
2. New document
Now that you know what you have to work with, open up your PhotoShop, and go to File--> New (Or press Ctrl+N)
Once the new window pops up, type in the numbers you got from the resolution window (mine was 1680x1050), and set the resolution to 300. You could probably work with lesser resolution too, but this makes you be able to add some more details to your pic if you want to.
3. Background
First off select the black color, and using the Paint bucket tool (G) fill the page with black. After you are done, look at the right side of PhotoShop, and you'll see a little box, where you have your background image.
Now, press the little button I checked out with the red box for you in the screenshot. This will make a new layer. Name that layer stars, so at a later time you will know what's what. Layers are a way to make it easier for you to change things if for example you have to erase something. If you don't like something you made you can erase, delete, or change it only on that single layer without having to change the whole picture. This will save you some time and of course will make everything more easier in the future.
4. Stars
Now fill out your new layer with black color too. If you don't do this you won't be able to render some stars. Once you are done with this step, open up Filter--->Noise---> Add Noise.
A new window will pop up, where you have to specify how you actually want the "noise". (BTW, don't mind the little keyboard icon you see on my screenshots, that's just an option I have with my tablet to be able to write. It's not something that comes with PhotoShop)
I used 70% but you can use whatever amount of noise you want to have. Whatever you do, though, don't forget to check out the Gaussian and the Monochromatic boxes. Gaussian will make you have different size stars and monochromatic will make them all white.
Once you are done, go to Image ---> Adjustments--->Levels
Pull around the little arrows on the new window, until you're comfortable with the amount of stars you have.
Now Choose out the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) and select a part of your picture. Copy it with ctrl+C and paste it with ctrl+v.
Now you might think nothing changed, but if you look at the layer box again, you'll see there's another layer there for you.
Select this layer, and press ctrl+t to have the part you pasted there selected. Now stretch it out so it covers all of your canvas. This will make you have some other bigger stars, since I'm sure you know not all stars are the same size.
And now you'll probably say this is damn ugly, but let's continue. Look again at your layer box, and you'll see the words "normal" Click on that one, and choose "overlay" Now the stars all blend in. You can repeat this as much as you want, until you get the wanted image. (I only did it once)
Now, what you need to do, is to click on the new layer (Layer 1), then press ctrl+E. This will merge layer 1 with stars layer, so it becomes one. We are finished with this layer for now.
5. Clouds
Now make a new layer, and name it "clouds". We will start making the basics for the nebula.
On the new layer go to Filter--->Render--->Clouds. This will fill up your canvas with a smokey-cloudy pic.
Now, forget about this layer and make a new one, called "color". Go to your Paint Bucket tool, and select the gradient tool in it's place. We will make some
colors appear!
Now click on the top of the window on the gradient, which at the moment should be black-white. A new window will appear.
In this new window click on the little boxes under the arrows, than on the color boxes, so you can select new colors for each. If you want, you can add other boxes too, by clicking anywhere on the space under the gradient line. On the picture I selected the space where you can write color codes. This space will come in handy in the future, if you look at other tutorials. They will specify which color you have to use, so you will only have to write the code given by them in that box.
Now, select a bunch of colors. Whatever you want goes here. I used the following:
a80eef
0a8161
34b408
e26805
e20539
Now close the window, and you'll see the colors you specified are selected on the top of the screen. Point your mouse on the canvas, and drag a line in whatever direction you want your gradients to go in.
Now that you have the wanted colors, go to the "normal" box again, and select "overlay". Now your clouds will get some color!
If you like how this came out, merge the color and the cloud layers with ctrl+E again. We are done with this one!
6. Nebula!
Okay, so we are almost finished with the nebula. Now, you have 3 layers again. But before we go any further, select the colored cloud layer and use "overlay" mode again on it. This will make the clouds disappear, but if you look closely, your stars are all colored. Also, select your stars layer, and make a new layer above it.
Now, select your brush tool and switch your colors to have white as your main color. Change the opacity of your brush, and using different brush sizes paint in some shapes you want!
I used smaller opacity for the edge of where my nebula would be, and as I went in to the center I changed the size to be smaller and the opacity bigger and bigger. This will make it look like the center is full of light. If you are ready, press down on ctrl, and while holding it down select all of your layers. Go to Layers--->Merge Layers, and make them all in one single layer.
7. Planets
Now, this step is only if you want to go further. If you think what you have already is enough, you can save your pic and use it as a background as it is. It's pretty amazing with only this...
If you are ready to go further, though, you will need some new pictures. Go into google and search up some moss/rust/whatever else you think would be good as a planet. Save the pictures to your computer, than open them in Photoshop. You can use as many as you want. I'll use only one, to keep the tutorial as short as possible.
Once you have your pic open, select Elliptical Marquee Tool, and while pressing down on shift select a planet sized part of your picture. You are pressing down of shift so you will keep the measurements of your selection proportionate.
Now that you have the image selected, go to Filter--->Distort--->Spherize.
A new window will pop open, so what you have to do now, is to make your sphere planet-like. Make your first setting a round number of 100%.
Than open the same option window again, and this time make it only 50%. If you do it right, you should get a great little planet shape, like I have in my picture.
The next step is to select the Move Tool (V), and drag your planet over to your nebula picture. You're done with the texture picture, so you can close it. And of course, if you want more than one planet, repeat these steps as many times as you want.
We're not done yet!
Now it's time to make that planet a bit more realistic. First off place the shape wherever you think it's best, and of course you can change it's size too. Just remember to press down on shift, otherwise your planet will be distorted.
You probably noticed, that you have a new layer. This is not enough, though. So what you will have to do next, is to hold down ctrl, and select your planet layer. Once it's selected you will notice a line appearing around the planet. Now, click on a new layer. This way you will make a layer based on only your planet.
Now you can deselect the planet by pressing ctrl+D, but what you need to do is to select your bucket tool and the color black. On the second planet layer, we just made fill your planet with black. We will use this as a shadow.
The next step is to re-size your shadow. By pressing down on ctrl+T, you select it again, and while you press down on shift make it so only a little part of the layer under it shows. You can also drag it around to whichever part of the planet you want to see.
It's shaping up nicely, isn't it? Now you need to double click on the original planet layer, so a new window will appear. In this window we will give the planet a bit of a shine. It will make it way cooler.
In the next pictures you will see the options I used, so you can use them as well:
Okay, we are pretty much done with the planet. Now it's time to set the options for the shadow. Just as we did before, open up blending mode for the shadow layer. Here are the options I used:
Now that you are done with this, you have to go to Filter--->Blur----> Gaussian Blur
In the window that pops up you will have to give the right percentage of the blur your shadow needs to have. I used 18.6, but you guys can change this as much as you want to.
Of course, after you are done with this you might notice that the shadow is a little bit off, so you can still select it, and move it in the place you want it to be.
And this is pretty much it. I promise, that every single one you will make will look different, and it will take you guys only a few minutes to actually finish one once you get the hang of it.
Enjoy!
