Abstract Warp Background

Step 1 - Introduction

This tutorial is a pretty useful one that even a novice can pick up and dazzle his friends and family with - you don't even need to be that experienced with Adobe Photoshop. So, sit back, and get you're tutorial cap on, it's going to be a good one.

Step 2 - Gradient Fun

Right, first off we're going to do a little fun thing with gradients to start the abstract background off. First off, open up a new canvas (File > New) and make it around 500x500 (or anything you want really). Right, now press 'D' on your keyboard (this will reset the color selection), and then click on the color swap arrow that will swap around the foreground and background colors. Once you've done this, get out the almight Gradient tool (if you can't see it on the toolbar, just right click the Fill Tool).

On the settings at the top where it says 'Mode', click on the drop-down menu and select 'Difference'. Also make sure you've got the Linear Gradient option selected which is the default option.

Then, here comes the fun part where you get to do loads of random gradients on the canvas. If you don't know how to do a gradient, then examine the image below.

Use the gradient tool to do random gradients all over the canvas. Once you're done, you'll get something along the lines of the image at the top of this step of the tutorial.

Step 3 - Abstract Time

Now it's time to add all the abstract elements into the background/filler that we've made so far.

Take the layer that we made gradients on (probably the background layer if no new layer was created, and duplicate it, and re-name the duplicate 'Overlay 1'. Now set the layer option to 'Overlay' on the drop-down menu near to the list of layers.

Then, go to Filter > Distort > Wave, and use the settings below:

Now, duplicate 'Overlay 1' and re-name the new duplicate 'Overlay 2'. Then, go to Filter > Distort > Twirl, and use the following settings:

Once you're done, you should have something that has a similarity to this (don't worry if it doesn't as this tutorial gives random results everytime you do it):

Step 4 - Colorize!

Now it's time to color your abstract creation!

Make a new layer, and call it 'Color'. Then select the 'Fill tool' and select #0076a3 as your foreground color. Once your done, fill the new layer you created with #0076a3 which is a shade of blue, then on the layer options, select the option 'Color' from the drop-down menu.

Walah! You're done.

Here's what I got at the end of the tutorial:

The great thing about this technique is that you can use a whole variety of different distortion and coloring techniques to give you a massive variety of results at the end.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial, and your new founded abstract art skills - well done!