Groovy Background

In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to make a groovy background with multi-colours.

Final Results

Without optional coloring step:

Groovy Background Tutorial: Final Result

With colorizing step:

First start off with a new transparent any size. Make sure it is in RGB mode. I chose 380x140.

Press D to reset your colours to default, and then go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Then go to Filter > Pixelate > Crystallize and set the Cell Size to 84

You should now have something like this:

Now, go to Filter > Artistic > Plastic Wrap and use these settings:

Highlight Strength 18
Detail 10
Smoothness 7

Now colour it by pressing Ctrl+U. Tick the colourize box and use these settings:

Hue 200
Saturation 70
Lightness 0.

You should get something like this:

Now, go to Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates and use Polar to Rectangular.

Now, do the same filter, only this time use Rectangular to Polar

You should now have something like this:

There isn't that much difference at the moment, but carry on and it will change.

Now go to Image > Adjustments > Levels and use these input levels:

63 - 1.00 - 255

Now duplicate your layer and go to Filter > Distort > Twirl and make the angle at 170°.

You should then have something like this:

Now duplicate this layer, and go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur with a radius of 2.5

On the layers palette, set the blending mode of this layer (the top layer) to Overlay

Select "Layer 1" on the layers palette, and drag it to the top of all the other layers.

Your layer order should look like this:

Now go to Filter > Distort > Wave and click Randomize a few times until you get something that you like and then click OK.

Now check this layer to the blending mode Screen.

Here is my result:

Groovy Background Tutorial: Final Result

Optional Step

Now, to get an interesting multi-coloring effect like I did, get out your Gradient Tool and use these settings on the gradient toolbar at the top of the screen:

Click to enlarge

Now, on every layer you have, hold and drag the gradient a little bit in the corner and you will get a cool multi-colour effect on your background.

Here is what I got, with adding a vector render.