Graphics Zone - Starburst

CE CASH 3.0

Starburst Highlights using EyeCandy 3 in Photoshop

by BarryHilton, Adult NetSurprise

First, open a new image (File > New) 200 pixels heigh by 300 pixels wide. Select the Paint Bucket Tool from the main tool menu, then click the tiny black and white boxes at the bottom of the Main Tool Bar to reset your colors to Black Foreground and White Background. Click inside your new image to paint the background layer black.

Go to the Layers Menu at the top of the screen and select 'New', then 'Layer' to add a new layer for your starburst. Now, go to the Filters Menu at the top of the screen and select Eye Candy 3, then Star. Make your first 'Star' using the values set below, make sure you remember to change both the Inner and Outer colors to white (click on the color box to change).

Now, we'll add our second star, this time a little smaller to make the diagonal points in our starburst... Go to the Filters Menu at the top of the screen and select Eye Candy 3, followed by Star again. Again, use the values below to make your new star. If you don't alter the X Shift and Y Shift values your star will appear right over the center of your first star. We need to alter the Orientation to 45', to make our 8 pointed star.

Now, we'll add our 'burst fade' in the middle of our star. First, we need to make another new layer... go to the Layers Menu at the top of the screen and select New, then Layer.

Next, we need to make a circle marquee for our fill guide... Go to the Main Tool Bar, and select the Elliptical Marquee Tool, if you can't see it click and hold on the Marquee Tool (Top left corner) to bring up the menu. On the Options Menu (Window > Show Options), alter the 'Style' to "Fixed' and enter 40 pixels for height and width.

Click in the center of your Star to place your marquee. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to fine adjust its placement. If you zoom in to 300% or 400%, it'll be easier to place... To zoom in Press crtl + on your keyboard, when your finished zoom back down to 100% by pressing crtl - on your keyboard (Each time you press the keys you zoom in or out by 100%... for example, if you press crtl + onze your zoom will be 200%).

Now, select the Gradient Tool on the Main Tool menu, click and hold on the Paint Bucket Tool to bring up the selector. Now, go to the Options Menu (Window > Options) and click the little down arrow next to the gradient showing box, this will bring up the gradient selection menu... Now, select the second fill in, which should be showing black fading to transparent. Then click the 'Radial Gradient' button (the row of buttons to the right of the gradient box, it's second one in from the left.

Then click in the center of your star and drag the fill line to the edge of your marquee to make a 'round fade'. Deselect the marquee and you should have something like this...

The next thing to do is go to the Layers Menu (with all the layers listed) (Window > Show Layers if you can't see it)... click on the little empty box, to the left of your star layer and a little chain link will appear. You should have a paint brush showing next to your gradient fill layer, a link showing next to your star layer and a blank box showing next to your black fill layer.

Now, press ctrl e, to merge your two linked layers into your starburst layer. Now you have your basic starburst!

If you go to the edit menu at the top of the screen and select Transform, then Scale... you can alter the height and width of your starburst to make your highlights... Because the starburst is on a transparent background you can add it to any graphic ou like :o)

In our example I've added starbursts to our Chrome/Metallic Lettering Tutorial...