Creating Flames

Creating Flames on Objects

n this tutorial I will show how to create flames on an object. Unlike other tutorials that do so on a black backround using wind or motion filters, these flames can be used on any color – even white! You are only limited by your imagination. I used Photoshop CS3 for this tutorial, but any version that has the smudge tool or liquify filter will work.

First, decide what you would like to make "flaming". I used a car as it fit the project I was working on - Hot Auto Loans. This image was downloaded from a GM Asset site used by my employer. You may use it for the tutorial only, or use your own image.


Next you will need to create a path around your object. You can draw it freestyle, use the magic wand, draw with the pen tool - however you like to make your selection/path. To convert a selection to a path you will need to click to the paths window and create a new work path. I use the minimum amount when creating my paths. I have shown the path outlined in green.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have the entire object outlined, the location of the fire is the most important area.Next you will need to create a path around your object. You can draw it freestyle, use the magic wand, draw with the pen tool - however you like to make your selection/path. To convert a selection to a path you will need to click to the paths window and create a new work path. I use the minimum amount when creating my paths. I have shown the path outlined in green.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have the entire object outlined, the location of the fire is the most important area.
Next you will need to create a path around your object. You can draw it freestyle, use the magic wand, draw with the pen tool - however you like to make your selection/path. To convert a selection to a path you will need to click to the paths window and create a new work path. I use the minimum amount when creating my paths. I have shown the path outlined in green.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have the entire object outlined, the location of the fire is the most important area.
Next you will need to create a path around your object. You can draw it freestyle, use the magic wand, draw with the pen tool - however you like to make your selection/path. To convert a selection to a path you will need to click to the paths window and create a new work path. I use the minimum amount when creating my paths. I have shown the path outlined in green.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have the entire object outlined, the location of the fire is the most important area.

Create a new layer above the background layer. Name it Flames.

Command/Control click on the "work path" to make a selection from it. We will use this selection several times, which is why we made a path to keep it available.

NOTE: You could also save the selection as a channel. In that case command click on the alpha channel in the channel window every time directed to make a new selection from the work path. Either way, you have access to the same selection multiple times.

We will now create the outer edge of our flame coloring. Choose a nice red/orange color, I used FE0000. With your selection still active, go under Select/Modify/Expand and expand your selection by 10 pixels. (You may have to adjust for the resolution of your image.) Then again under Select/Modify/Feather (older than CS3 Feather is still a separate selection under the Select menu) give the selection a feather of 50 pixels. Now, make sure you are on the Flames layer and fill the selection with your red color.

Your image should look similar to this.



Now we will create the other colors of our flames. This will involve several steps similar to the last one. We will be using the same layer.

Choose a nice yellow color, I used FEE900. Reselect the work path. Give it a feather of 25 pixels. Fill the selection with yellow. Deselect.

Reselect the work path. Contract by 10 pixels (Select/Modify/Contract - use the same amount you did to expand in step 3). Feather by 15 pixels and fill with white. This time, do no deselect.

Contract by 10 pixels again and this time choose a nice light blue, I used BDEAFF. Fill with blue.

Contract by 10 pixels again and fill with white. Deselect.

Your image should resemble this.


Now we get to create our flames! With the flames layer selected, go under the Filter menu and select Liquify. (If your version of PS doesn't have the Liquify command, you can achieve similar results using the smudge tool.)

We are going to use the top tool in the box to the left. I have included the settings I used. You may have to adjust them for your image.

Play around clicking on the edge where you want the flames to be and dragging in a wavy motion. Experiment with the position of the tool with respect to the colors in your flames. Clicking in the middle of the color band like cross 1 will give you a more yellow/orange flame. If you click lower like cross 2 you will get more blue and white in the bottom of your flame. I find that short drags starting at various positions works best. Have fun and play with it. Remember, flames tend to lick at an object, sometimes wavering side to side while they rise mostly upward.

As you can see I have some flames splitting and forking as they rise. Variety is the key to realistic looking flames.

When you are happy with your flames, click ok.

You should now have a good variety of flames coming off of the top of your image. Your flames should look something like this.

You may find after finishing the Liquify step that your flames are dull looking. You can adjust the color by selecting the Flames layer and going up under Image/Adjustments/Hue & Saturation. Adjust the hue if necessary, I nudged mine toward the red a little, and bump up the saturation, I took mine up to 100%.

Next we will bring a copy of the object to the front of the flames.

Duplicate your background layer. Rename it Front. Move this layer on top of the Flames layer.

Reselect your work path. Back in the Layer menu make sure the Front layer is selected and make a clipping mask by clicking on the icon that looks like a white circle in a gray box at the bottom of the layers box. If you didn't select the entire object, you can paint whatever is missing back in by painting with white on the layer mask.

Your image should now look something like this.

I still feel my flames are a little dull. Lets fix that now.

With the Flames layer selected add a Levels adjustment layer. Click on the half white half black circle icon at the bottom of the layers box. Take the dark triangle and slide it to the right to darken up the outer edges of the flames. Move the middle triangle to the left a little to increase contrast. When you are happy, click ok.

Now set the change the blending mode of this adjustment layer from normal to overlay. This makes the color pop and adds some realistic contrast to the flames. If you need to readjust the levels double click on the levels icon of the layer and change the levels until you are satisfied. You can also experiment with other blending modes.

My levels layer was affecting the shadow of my car, so I added a layer mask to it and a gradient just like the one on the Flames layer.

This is how it looks now.

This last step is optional. Our image looks really neat now, but to add a little realism we can paint on the layer mask of our Front layer and make the flames look like they are really engulfing the object.

Make sure the Front layer is selected and the layer mask active (outlined). Select the brush tool. A nice round brush, not too big. Set the hardness to 0% and the opacity to a low number like 20%. Now, working slowly, paint on the layer mask with black over the top of your object to make the flames show through. Go over a few areas multiple times to let greater amounts of the flames show through. Don't do too much. Just a little will do you.

Now we have the final picture.

I said this tutorial would show how to do flames on various background colors. Here is the same image on an orange background and on black. Some of the adjustments might need to be tweaked, but you get the idea. All I did her was add a layer above the background layer and fill it with a color.

Experiment and have fun! Flame On!


Thank you.