Planet Tutorial - By Tim Barton

Star tutorial

Here are a few examples of this put to work:

Vero Example

GreenPlanets

End Result:

Requirements:

Photoshop CS
You should be able to follow along with other versions.

Brushes:

Nothing special, Basic brushes.

Method 1: The Lazy Way

Make a 500x200 px document. You should be able to do that on your own. If you cant dont even attempt this tutorial.

Fill it with black.

Duplicate that layer, set blending mode to Linear Dodge.

go to Filter/Noise/add noise
Amount: 5-10%
Gaussian
Monochromatic: Checked.

It Better look something like that.
Duplicate your noisey layer and go to Image/Adjustments/Levels [ctrl+L]
Enter this into the input levels:
47|1.00|210

Should look like that. Still following me?

Now we select our Clone Stamp Tool [S]
You should get used to using this little tool, its very usefull.
It quickly copies small parts over to other areas of an image. Here were going to have it copy some stars over ontop of another part to make the stars more diverse and less computer generated.
In the top left in the Options toolbar you should see "Mode: Normal" Change normal to Screen or Linear Dodge under the drop down list.

Also, change your opacity to around 50% and you can even add scattering and opacity jitter under the brush pallate if you feel like it.

Now, with your first noisy layer selected start duplicating stars and randomizing it. To do this you should Alt+click and drag other the stars and release, then continue clicking to paste down stars. This will take some time to get used to but its really simple.

Be sure to merge the 2 noisy star layers down together [ctrl+E]

Keep diversifying as long as you like.
When you think your diverse enough select your first noisy layer and go to Image/Adjustments/Levels [ctrl+L] Again.
Enter this into the input levels:
10|1.00|210
These settings may not be correct for all, so change if you see solid white stars or its too dark.

Okay the hard part of this is over, next we just need to color.
Add a color balance layer. Look for the half black half white circle down at the bottom of the Layers pallate.
Enter these settings:
Shadows: -3 | 0 | +54
Midtones: -30|+2| +14
Highlights: -64|+7|+32

You can even do another Levels adjustment on the star layer.
This time set the OUTPUT levels to 5 and 255.
This will add some more blue to the background.

So, thats how you noobs (:P) can make stars, for you people who want better looking stars continue through the next tutorial below.

Method 2: The Better Way

So if you want your stars to look even better keep on going, this is easier than all those crazy steps but BE CAREFUL, this actually requires the use of human creativity.

Go back to the star layer you made earlier and set the opacity to 40%. These stars will just add atmosphere to the piece, were going to actually BRUSH in the bright stars.
It looks excelent if you do it carefully.

So get out a 1 px brush and under the Brush pallate add 1000% scattering and turn the Opacity Jitter to 100% (Found under "Other Dynamics"). Make sure the brush is close to 40% opacity.

Make a new layer, set to Screen, and Start painting!

Take it easy, dont go crazy. Speckle them down on there, painting more where the brighter parts are from the earlier stars.

Avoid holding down and spraying a stream of stars. Instead, click very quickly, this will make sure you dont have strange columns of stars.

Heres what I came up with (with a mouse, If I used my Wacom Writing Tablet they would be much better)

Tutorial by Tim Barton ArtOfTimBarton.com for other sweet stuff

Email: timmythepowderedmilkman@yahoo.com If you have any questions. (I love random emails)