Learn how to create this cool crystalized ice effect for your header and banner backgrounds.
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Step 1.)
Create a new document of any size. I used 1000 x 1000 for this example, Press 'D' on your keyboard to reset your fore/background colors to white (foreground), and black (background).
Step 2.)
Press and hold: SHIFT + CTRL + ALT and press the 'N' key four times.
This will create 4 new layers, so you should have a total of 5 layers now.
Step 3.)
Double click the background layer, and change it/rename it to 'layer 0'.
Step 4.)
Go to "filter->render->clouds" to create some clouds on this layer.
Step 5.)
Now go to each of the other 4 layers, and do the same. "filter->render->clouds"
There should be a different render of "clouds" on each layer. Your layer palette should look similar to this:
Step 6.)
select layer 4 (the topmost layer) and go to: "filter->render->difference clouds", and do the same on 'layer 2' (it should be the 3rd from the bottom). Here's how my layers pallet looks:
Step 7.)
Okay next we're going to add the stained glass filter to each of our layers, with slight differences/variances in the effect.
Select layer 0 (the bottom most layer).
go to: filter->texture->stained glass
and apply these settings:
Set the Cell to 10, Border to 4 and Light to 3
Now on to layer 1:
filter-texture->stained glass
Set the Cell to 15, Border to 8 and Light to 4
layer 2:
filter->texture->stained glass
Set the Cell to 30, Border to 16 and Light to 10
layer 3:
filter->texture->stained glass
Set the Cell to 5, Border to 2 and Light to 5
and finally layer 4:
filter->texture->stained glass
Set the Cell to 10, Border to 5 and Light to 10
your layer pallet should look similar to this when finished:
Step 8.)
Now we'll adjust the blending options for each of the layers.
- change layer 4 to "multiply", and set the opacity to: 65 percent
- change layer 3 to "multiply", and set the opacity to: 86 percent
- change layer 2 to "multiply", and set the opacity to: 44 percent
- change layer 1 to "overlay".
- leave layer 0 as it is "normal".
your image should look something like this now:
Step 9.)
The only thing left to do is add color to your image.
Do this by going to each layer, and pressing CNTRL + U and adjusting the HUE, SATURATION, LIGHTNESS settings to your liking. NOTE: just make sure you check the COLORIZE box each time.
Here's the image l came up with after playing with the color settings a little using various hues of aqua blue:
These are also great for sig/banner backgrounds too:
