This article uses Photoshop to create exquisite underwater light effects. In the example, Photoshop pen paths, channels and some filters are mainly used.
Let’s look at the final effect first.
1. Gradient background
Create a new Photoshop document, 500*500, with any background color, then set the foreground color to black and blue (#002156), the background color to black, and perform gradient fill. The effect is as follows.
2. Sea surface
Switch to the Photoshop Channels panel, create a new channel, press D to set the default color, then perform the "Layered Clouds" filter, press Ctrl + F to apply the filter multiple times, then press Ctrl + T to adjust to half the size of the canvas , and finally use a large soft-angled brush (300px) to erase some of the harder lines to make them look smoother.
Create a channel again, run the "Layered Clouds" filter again, then run the "Chrome Yellow" filter, set the default values, press Ctrl+T to adjust to half the size of the canvas, and set the other parts to black.
Return to the Photoshop layer panel, create a new layer water, then return to the channel panel, select the Alpha1 channel, then press Ctrl and click the channel to load the selection, return to the layer panel, fill it with white, and change the layer mode to " Overlay", the effect is as follows.
Also create another layer Ripples, return to the channel panel, press Ctrl and click the Alpha2 channel to load the selection, return to the layer panel, fill it with white, and change the layer mode to overlay. The effect is as follows.
At this time, we press Ctrl + T again to adjust the two layers so that the "Water" layer is significantly higher than the "Ripples" layer, and then copy the "Water" layer's deepening effect.
3. Seabed reflection effect
Duplicate the "Water" layer again, name it "Ground.", change the layer mode to normal, then flip the layer vertically, and use the move tool to move it to the lower part of the canvas. The effect is as follows.
Set the layer mode to Overlay, duplicate "Ground", then press Ctrl+J to duplicate the layer multiple times until you have the reflection effect. Then copy "Ripples" and flip it vertically, moving the point downwards, the effect is as follows.
4. Add paths and bubbles with the brush tool
Then use the brush tool to draw some paths and some bubbles for the scene and see if you get used to it! If you have some personalized brushes, the effect will be better! Do it according to your own preferences! Look at the effect below.
5. Add light source
Then add a light source. Create a layer named "Light.", use the brush 500px, hardness 0%, and use the foreground color to be white to draw as follows.
Create a layer on top of the "Light" layer and name it "Rays." Go back to the Channel Panel and press Ctrl to click the Alpha1 channel to load the selection. Return to the Layers Panel to fill the selection with white, use the Move Tool to move down, and finally execute "Path" To use the "Blur" filter, you can press Ctrl+F to execute it several times, and then press Ctrl+T to adjust it to the appropriate position. The final effect is as follows.
6. Color mixing
Finally create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with the following settings.
Final effect.
