Photoshop Tutorial: Create Your Own Galaxy

by brantwilson

on July 26, 2010

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There are galaxies of various forms, sizes and colors, and we’ll create our own, the one we like.

Let’s begin with creating a new document 1920×1200, and fill it with black color (#000000).

Then we create a new layer above the black one and fill it with pure white color (#ffffff).

Thus we have two layers: the black one and the white above it. For the layer with white color we change the Layer Blending Mode to Dissolve, layer opacity 1% (no more than this amount) and get something resembling space.

Now we select the Brush Tool, with a soft-edged brush, opacity 100%, 125 pixels in diameter, white color (#ffffff) and simply apply several brush strokes on the new layer as shown in the screenshot:

It doesn’t look like a galaxy, so we keep on working. Apply the Filter > Distort > Twirl:

We get such a result:

And deform the result a bit with the help of Edit > Transform > Perspective:

Further on we apply Edit > Transform > Scale:

Then we apply Edit > Transform > Rotate:

This shape suits to the galaxy, but we’ll give it more interesting outline. Apply Filter > Blur > Motion Blur:

After applying the filter we get the following result:

And apply the Twirl filter once again Filter > Distort > Twirl:

Now we get the following effect:

We deform the galaxy again using Edit > Transform > Perspective:

Then scale the galaxy to the desired size using Edit > Transform > Scale:

Rotate it a bit with the help of Edit > Transform > Rotate:

Then we copy the layer with the galaxy by pressing Ctl+J.

One of the layers with the galaxy should be blurred with the help of Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur (blur about 35 pixels)

It’s important for the layer with the blurred galaxy to be under the layer with the primary one. Now let’s switch off the layer with the primary galaxy and begin working with the blurred one.

Any galaxy contains nebula, so let’s create one. Choose the Smudge Tool (Strength: 31%) and brush Spatter 59 (it’s a standard Photoshop brush), set diameter to 150 and begin stretching the nebula out a bit in the galaxy direction, at the same time we can change the brush diameter sometimes, for the galaxy not to be uniform.

We switch on visibility of the layer with the galaxy.

Keep on changing the layer with the nebula, apply Filter > Distort > Wave:

The result should be similar to this one:

Now we copy the layer with the nebula by pressing Ctrl+J.

We merge the two layers with the nebula into one using Ctrl+E. We have made the nebula more opaque to adjust its shape and transparency with the help of Eraser Tool. The edge of the nebula is more transparent, but on the borders of the galaxy quite the contrary, though it depends on somebody’s taste, it’s advisable to use the brush with 500 pixels in diameter and opacity 45. Also we should slightly adjust opacity on the layer with the galaxy, especially on the edges.

Now we can merge the layer with the galaxy and the nebula into one, as a result we have three layers: black, white, and the one with the galaxy. It’s worth noticing that space is very beautiful, all colors can be found in it, so let’s add them into our galaxy. Create a new layer, change the Layer Blending Mode to Color, select a soft-edged Brush Tool, opacity 10%, 300 pixels in diameter, color #5?78?? and paint it arbitrarily.

Further let’s add red color #ff0000.

And some yellow one #fff000.

We create the centre of the galaxy on a new layer; select a soft-edged brush, 500 pixels in diameter, color #ffffb7, opacity 100%.

Change the brush diameter to 300, white color #ffffff.

Shape the shining to the galaxy outline with the help of Edit > Transform > Scale:

Rotate using Edit > Transform > Rotate:

Any galaxy needs stars; our galaxy is not an exception. We select a soft-edged Brush Tool, opacity 100%, white color (#ffffff), press F5 and adjust settings.

In the Brush Tip Shape menu we change the parameter Spacing

Then we change the settings in the Shape Dynamics menu

Further in Scattering menu

And Other Dynamics menu

With the help of this brush, changing its diameter according to the situation and your taste, we create stars along the outline of the galaxy and slightly beyond its bounds.

It’s worth remembering, that the closer the stars the bigger they appear to be on the picture.

There is also its own nebula around the stars. We copy the layer with the stars and blur the layer that is below using Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur:

Stars have color, too. Select the Gradient Tool and set up following presets:

We select the layer with the stars and apply the gradient on a new layer.

Apply Soft Light Blending Mode for the layer with the gradient.

To be more realistic our galaxy lacks dust. To create dust we select standard Dry Brush, opacity 100%, black color (#000000), change the diameter according to the situation. We apply strokes along the galaxy shape on a new layer.

Now we adjust the dust outline using the Eraser Tool, select a soft-edged brush, opacity 50%, diameter according to the situation.

Then we remove hard edges of brush strokes and get realistic dust.

Further we treat the dust in the same way as the stars, select the layer with the dust and apply the same gradient.

Apply the Multiply Blending Mode for the layer with colored dust.

It remains only to add volume to our image, we select a soft-edged brush, 900 pixels in diameter, opacity 30%, black color (#000000) and darken the image above and slightly on the edges on a new layer.

We can say the galaxy is ready, and it’s possible to add some details. Let it be very big stars or constellations. Select the Brush Tool and brush with 70 pixels in diameter, opacity 100%, color #6191dc.