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Welcome! In today’s tutorial, we will be learning how to create an abstract wave like the one below.

Step 1: Setting Up

Let’s start by creating a new Photoshop document by going to file > new, or using the shortcut keys Ctrl + N. I’m going to use 1680 pixels by 1050 pixels because I want this image to fit desktop background. You can choose any size you like.

To begin, let’s start by filling in the first layer with white. Then rename the first layer Background.

Step 2: Creating the Base Shapes

Now that our canvas is all set up, let’s create some basic shapes. Using the pen tool, create the shape shown below. Then re-size it so its slightly bigger than the canvas and position it roughly in the middle.

Repeat this step and create two other shapes like the ones below.

Step 3: The Waves

Now its time to create the waves. Yay!

First, let’s hide the layers Shape B and Shape C by clicking the icon beside them that looks like an eye. Then, Ctrl + Click the vector mask on Shape A to select the pixels in the shape. What is the vector mask you ask? The vector mask is the gray rectangle with the shape in white.

Hide the layer Shape A as well (make sure the selection is still active). Create a new layer on the top of the canvas and name it Wave A. Using a large circular brush (I’m using an 1500px brush) with 0% hardness, paint around the top edge of the selection.

Please note: the color in which you choose to paint in does not matter. I am using black because it is easier to tell between 100% Opacity and 0% Opacity, for example.

You may need to use an eraser (large, circular and 0% hardness as well) to round off the edges if for example, this happens.

You might notice that I also used a low opacity eraser to make the top of the wave a little lighter.

Finally, repeat the past steps for Shape B and Shape C as well.

Step 4: The Color

It’s time to wrap it all up and add the color. First however, for sake of organization, place all your Shapes (Shape A, Shape B, Shape C) in a group named Shapes and all your Waves (Wave A, Wave B, Wave C) in a group named Waves. Then duplicate the group Waves twice and name them Waves 2 and Waves 3, respectively. On the group Waves 3, rotate the group 22.5° (you can do this by holding Shift while you rotate) then stretch it out.

You can try to change the opacity settings on each group to get the right feel. For me, I changed Waves 2 to 25% Opacity and Waves 3 to 50%.

Create a copy of all three Waves layers then Merge it, by Right Click > Merge Layers. Name the new layer Waves Final and hide the groups you didn’t merge.

Double click the layer, and within the layer styles and add a gradient overlay using the colors pink, blue and green.

Finito!

And voila! Smooth the edges a little and you’re finished.

First, lets take a look at what we’ll be creating in today’s tutorial.

Step 1: Setting Up

Start by creating a new Photoshop document. It doesn’t really matter how big your canvas is, but mine is 540px by 450px to fit on this website.

Step 2: The Background

First, fill the layer with black (#000000). Then double click the layer to access its layer styles, choose gradient overlay and select the colors #444444 to #000000 and radial gradient. Remember to name the layer “background”.

Here’s what you should get.

Step 3: Scaling and Cropping the Apple

I found an apple on iStockphoto here. You can use the same apple to follow along or use a different (that might be free). Name the layer with the apple, “apple”.

Paste in the apple and scale it.

Using the magic wand tool, select the white regions of the apple and delete it.

As you can see, the crop wasn’t very clean.

Step 4: Refining the Edges

I’m sure there are more professional ways, but the most practical way, I find, is to use an eraser with a soft edge and just go around the image once.

Now just go around some of the rough edges until the apple’s edges look natural to you. You may find that at some times, you need to lower the size of the brush, that’s OK, my advice isn’t carved in stone.

Scale the image again.

Step 5: Adding Glows

Now that we finished the basics, we can move on to adding some extra “pop” into the picture. Lets start with a few glows.

Create a layer underneath “Apple” and create a lime green to transparent gradient. Name this layer “Glow”.

Your foreground color should be lime green, I’m using “#b8ef12″ Make sure you select the foreground -> transparent gradient and select radial gradient.

Step 6: Adding Strokes

Now lets add some cool strokes. Select your brush tool from the toolbar. Use a 3px circular brush at 100% hardness.

Create a new layer just over “Apple” named “Stroke”. Now, forget the brush tool and use the pen tool to draw some paths.

Repeat this process three more times to get this. Make sure each stroke is on its own layer.

Step 7: Giving the Strokes a Glow

How that we have created a few more strokes, lets add some color and glow. Double click the first stroke layer and select a few layer style options.

The result should look like this.

Now repeat this step on all of the stroke layers.

Step 8: Adding Stars

Create a star, using the pucker / bloat tool in Adobe Illustrator. If you don’t have illustrator, grab a copy of the Photoshop Version here. If you’re doing this yourself, copy the illustrator path into Photoshop as a Photoshop vector shape.

In Photoshop, while using the pen tool, right click the vector shape and select “Define Custom Shape…”. Name this shape “star”.

Going back to the original document, create a new layer named “Stars”. Now select the custom shape tool “U”. Choose your newly created shape and draw a few stars onto your document.

Make sure you select “Shape Layers”, not “paths” or “Fill Pixels”.

TIP: Press “Shift” while creating your vector shapes to create shapes with perfect proportions.

The shapes are fine by themselves, but they could be better. Let’s add another glow to it. Use the same layer styles as in Step 7.

Step 9: Reflections

To cap it off, we’re going to add a few reflections. First, Create a layer named ”Highlight” on top of ”Apple”.

Now, using the Elliptical Marquee Tool ”M”, create a small oval over the top – left of the apple.

While the layer ”Highlight” is selected, use a big brush with 0% hardness and go around the corner of the selection. Use white (#ffffff).

Change the opacity of the layer to 50%.

While holding ”Control /Command”. Click the layer ”Apple” to select all the pixels in that layer.

Now inverse the selection by going to ”Select > Inverse”.

Now delete the excess edges on the layer ”Highlight”

For organization sake, group all the layers from ”Glow” to ”Stars”. Name this group “Finished Apple”. Duplicate the group and then merge the copy. go to “Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical” and then move the reflected layer underneath the group. Name this reflection, “Reflection”. Then use a giant eraser with 0% hardness to soften the bottom of the reflection. And now you’re…

Finished!