The document provides instructions for creating a digital illustration of a torch in Photoshop. It involves taking a fire image and manipulating it using various tools to create 3 flame layers. Additional layers are used to add glowing embers and wispy smoke clouds above the flames. Layer styles like gradients, outer glows, and patterns are applied to integrate all the elements into a cohesive torch composition. Following the steps carefully results in a realistic digital artwork of a burning torch.

1. Torch
A. Theinert – Becker College - 2013

2. • Find an Image of fire.
• CLICK on the RED Channel (DO NOT CLICK
THE EYEBALLS, JUST CLICK ON THE
CHANNEL BOXES!)
• Drag the Red Channel down to the ‘New
Channel’ Icon (looks like the new layer icon)
•
You now have a new Channel – Red Copy
• Click the selection button on the bottom of
the panel
• Click the Top Channel again.
(Remember DO NOT CLICK THE
EYEBALLS) Just click on the RGB
Channel Box.
• It should look like this.
• Hit CTRL + C to copy.

3. •
•
•
•
•
New Canvas 3,000 x 2,000 px
Hit CTRL + V to paste. (If its black & white, you did it wrong, try again.)
Scale it down to fit better in the canvas.
Make 2 Copies of this layer (CTRL + J )
Use the Eraser & Magic Wand tool to remove any unwanted background
area
(Original)
• Use a combination of the Warp, Puppet Warp, &
Eraser tools to make each copy slightly different,
the end result should look something like this:
• Merge these 3 layers together (Select all 3 fire
copies and hit CTRL + E. Don’t merge the
background!)

4. • Double Click the background
layer to open Layer Styles.
• Make an orange & black
RADIAL gradient overlay on
the background.

5. Open the Brush Panel. Make sure a soft round brush it selected
Turn on the Following Settings:
Spacing ~ 160%
Shape Dynamics:
Size Jitter ~ 75%
Scattering 100%
Count - 0

6. On a New Layer, draw a few stroke
using this brush. If you think its too
much, go in with the eraser and
eraser some of the dots individually.
Double Click this layer to open the Layer Styles
Add an Outer Glow
Change the Blend Mode on the Outer Glow to Color Dodge.

7. Follow these steps carefully:
• Make a New Layer
• Change the Blend Mode to Color Dodge
• Set your Foreground/Background colors to Black & White
• Select the Lasso Tool – Set the Feather to 40 px
• Draw a wavy selection around the top of the flames.
• Go to Filter > Render > Clouds.

8. •
•
•
•
•
Make a New Layer
Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to draw a ‘torch shape’
Fill it with a light brown
Drag the layer behind the fire layer
Add the following Layer Styles:
Inner Bevel: ~350% Depth
Size – 40 Soften - 10
Pattern Overlay: Blend Mode – Color Burn
Opacity 50% Scale ~440

9. Done!