Photoshop Light Motion Blur Effect

[smithy_gas]

Hi all,

 

I am having a bit of a problem in trying to recreate an effect I see in many night time renders, the effect of say a car has driven through the scene quickly leaving behind the trail of lights from the cars head and rear lights, if you get where I am coming from?

 

The image below is similar to what I am talking about.

 

Anyway, does anyone know of an easy way to do this in photoshop? Currently thinking of drawing perspective lines then giving them an outer glow in blending options with some motion blur applied too?

 

Any help would be marvelous.

 

Craig

 

http://yfrog.com/ndshigerubanmetalshutterhj

[GUSN]

I've actually been looking around at photoshop tutorials to create the same light

effects, but I can't really find any. If anyone can atleast recommend any tutorials or

would like to share some tips, Craig and myself would be greatful. Thanks in advance.

[alias_marks]

I don't know any tutorials... but in the past I've always done it in post with some images on flickr or similar.

 

basically find some images of cars with light streaks, transform, mold, mask as necessary and then play with different blending modes in photoshop... I'd start off with linear light or screen in this case. ones with black backgrounds work best

 

lots of em here - http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=car+streaks

 

I can break down more if this doesn't make sense

 

cheers,

 

M-

 

 

Edit: Just took another look at the image you linked to.... Something to also consider if your looking for that would be to merge a copy of your whole image... then motion blur the whole thing, then set to screen and mask out parts you don't want.

 

I might also note, that I'm not sure if it's working all that well in the image you posted... Keeping aside that it's not the best camera angle/composition... I think a more profound 1-2 light streaks would work better in that case rather than a mix/mash of lots of stringy light streaks... My 2c

Edited October 6, 2010 by alias_marks

[GUSN]

Michael,

 

Thanks for your quick response. My skill level in photoshop is

basic. That's why I was kind of hoping for a step-by-step tutorial.

Anyhow, I'll try to make sense of the techniques you posted.

Thank you.

[alias_marks]

Pulled a quick image off Arch Daily and combined it with one or the images from flickr... to try and illustrate.

 

1. use ctrl-T to transform light streak layer into position... while in transform mode.. play around with holding ctrl shift and alt and grabbing different corner handles to distort in different ways/skew/rotate... You can also switch to 'warp' mode while in the middle of a transform operation by pressing the funny little arch key in the top tool bar... the one next to the no smoking sign with no cigarette

 

2. Set the blend mode of the light streak layer to screen

 

3. you can either delete what you don't want in the light streak layer... or the method I prefer... add a layer mask by pressing the little gray square with a white circle in the bottom of the layers pallette. You can then paint black or white on the mask with the brush tool to reveal or hide different parts of the layer.

 

 

This example would need a lot more touch up... but hopefully you get the idea

[smithy_gas]

Hi,

 

In the end I found some brushes on deviantart which I used for my scene. But this is also a good method as well. Thanks Alias.

[alias_marks]

Hi,

 

In the end I found some brushes on deviantart which I used for my scene. But this is also a good method as well. Thanks Alias.

 

Ah, that sounds handy... mind posting a link to the brushes you found?

[GUSN]

Michael,

 

Your method makes a lot more sense now. It doesn't seem as

difficult as I thought. Will give it a try as soon as I get a chance.

Thanks for taking your time to post.

[BrianKitts]

my method is to use the pen tool to set your path, and then right click on the path and stroke it with a proper brush. This allows you to curve and bend the path to fit the image. Then it's just a matter of using the right layer effects. Typically I'll use an override color, the drop shadow (set to a dist of 0) to do a partial glow, and then the outward glow to do a distant glow giving the the three layerd effect. white hot in the middle then trailing off sequentially.

 

Can't remember where I saw the photoshop idea with the layer tools, but I know it in part came from an AE tutorial found here -> http://videocopilot.net/tutorials/3d_stroke_effect/

[alias_marks]

Hey Brian, Sounds like a good method... any chance to take a look at what kind of results your getting?

[GUSN]

I found this website with free lighting effect brushes. They have some cool

light effect tutorials as well:)

 

 

http://wegraphics.net/downloads/brushes/light-effect-brushes-textures-vol-1/

[alias_marks]

nifty nifty... Might have to give those a shot on the next round... thanks for the share...

 

M-

[BrianKitts]

sure.... or at least a part of it I can post. I'm no longer allowed to post my work on public forums....

 

something I forgot to mention earlier.... when you stroke the path with the brush.... be sure to use the simulate pressure option, this gives the appearance of the streaks trailing off.

[smithy_gas]

http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psbrushes/?qh=&section=&q=light#/d175s20

 

Is the link to the brushes I found. Not necessarily the best on original stroke but with a bit of skew and perspective you can get perfect light rays.

 

Then all you have to do is as previously mentioned is use the blending options to make the brush strokes glow as you see fit.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psbrushes/?qh=&section=&q=light#/d175s20

 

Is the link to the brushes I found. Not necessarily the best on original stroke but with a bit of skew and perspective you can get perfect light rays.

 

Then all you have to do is as previously mentioned is use the blending options to make the brush strokes glow as you see fit.

 

Lots of interesting light brushes on Deviant Art..

http://neoshinsei.deviantart.com/art/Light-Effect-Brushes-125229994?qj=1&q=boost:popular+in:resources/applications/psbrushes+light&qo=310

[Fooch]

This may help you.

Small tip I picked up a few years ago

Make a completey black layer. Set blend mode to colour dodge. This will make that layer invisible.

 

Then paint over it with the colours you want. Just blot say a yellow or red streak over it with a transparency of 50-70.

Notice the blot edges will look like a light bleach. You can control the light via your fill slider (not tranerancy)

 

For car layers paint long streaks. Light bulbs, blot it in etc.