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How to Make Something Look Like It's Made of Smoke

Photos are unreliable. Even the most convincing pictures could easily have been manufactured using simple tools found in Photoshop. With such programs, you can transform a standard doodle into a convincing bit of smoke. This sort of photo "trickery" is used to make what was originally mundane into an extraordinary and, more importantly, convincing photograph. Use the smoke effect as you see fit and create amazing photos for your portfolio or your friends. 

Instructions

    • 1

      Open Photoshop. Select "Layer" from the tool bar, followed by "New" and "Layer." Use the paint bucket tool to fill the background layer with black. Select the color of your smoke in the paint tools. Using the brush tool, paint a quick shape over the black background, such as a squiggly line. 

    • 2

      Press "Shift," "Ctrl" and "X" simultaneously to open the Liquify tool. Distort and warp your line using the Warp, Twirl, Pucker and Bloat tools. Each tool will have a different effect, depending on your own artistic inclinations and your image. 

    • 3

      Click "OK" to apply your changes. Press "Shift," "Ctrl" and "F" simultaneously to bring up the menu and change the value of your image to 50 percent. Click "OK" to apply.

    • 4

      Apply the Liquify tool repeatedly until you achieve the desired look. This may take as many as eight or even more repetitions depending on your image and individual preferences. 

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