In this tutorial I will show you how to create your own magic ball using Photoshop. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Becca for giving me permission to use one of her stock images to write this Photoshop tutorial.

Resources

Here are all the resources you will need for this tutorial. Download them and then let’s get started!

• Black Magic
• Abstract Glow Photoshop Brushes
• Nebulae Brushes

Step 1

Open the Black Magic image in Photoshop. You can change the size of your image by going to Image > Image Size (Alt+Ctrl+I).

Step 2 – Making initial color adjustments

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast, check the "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" option and use the settings from the following image.

Step 3

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter, check the "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" option and use the settings from the following image.

Step 4

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer, check the "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" option and use the settings from the following image. Set the blend mode of this layer to Hue.

Step 5

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance, check the "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" option and use the settings from the following image. Set the opacity of this layer to 55%.

Step 6 – Adding a black to transparent gradient to each side of the image

Create a new layer, select the Gradient Tool (G), hold down the Shift key and add a black to transparent gradient to each side of your image. Take a look at the following image for reference. Set the blend mode of this layer to Multiply, the opacity to 95% and name it "gradient."

Step 7 – Intensifying the girl’s eyes

Now we are going to make the girl’s eyes brighter. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M), click on the "Add to selection" button from the option bar (this will let us select both eyes), set the Feather to 4px and select the girl’s eyes. Then right-click on your image and select Layer via Copy to put the eyes into a new layer.

Double-click on this layer to open the Layer Style window, click on Color Overlay, change the color to white and the blend mode to Overlay. Name this layer "eyes."

Step 8

To look like the ball we are going to create later is really held by the girl, we have to put some of her fingers above the ball. To do this, click on the "Background" layer to make it active, select the Pen Tool (P) and create a selection like I did. Hit Ctrl+J to put your selection into a new layer. Note that this layer should be above the ball we are going to create later.

Right-click on this layer and select Convert to Smart Object. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and use a radius of 0.3px. Name this layer "hands."

Step 9 – Creating the magic ball

Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M), set the Feather to 0px and create an elliptical selection for our magic ball. Hit the D key to set the foreground color to black and the background color to white. Create a new layer beneath the "hands" layer, and then go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Hit Ctrl+D to deselect.

Right-click on this layer and select Convert to Smart Object. Then double-click on this layer to open the Layer Style window and use the settings from the following image. Set the opacity of this layer to 75% and name it "clouds."

Step 10

Hit Ctrl+J to duplicate the "clouds" layer. Go to Filter > Distort > Glass and use the settings from the following image. Then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use an amount of 2%. Set the opacity of this layer to 50% and name it "glass filter."

Step 11

Put the "clouds" and "glass filter" layers inside a group (Ctrl+G). Then Ctrl-click on the "clouds" layer’s thumbnail to select the ball, click on the group to make it active and go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection. Name this group "magic ball."

Step 12

Ctrl-click on the "clouds" layer’s thumbnail to select the ball. Then create a new layer and fill the selection with the color #1c2a4b. Right-click on this layer and select Convert to Smart Object.

Double-click on this layer to open the Layer Style window and use the settings from the following image. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and use a radius of 2px. Set the blend mode of this layer to Vivid Light, the opacity to 40% and name it "blue ball."

Step 13

Hit Ctrl+J to duplicate the "blue ball" layer and name the new layer "blue ball 2." Double-click on the duplicated layer to open the Layer Style window and use the settings from the following image. Then set the opacity of this layer to 80%.

Step 14

Create a new layer, select a white hard brush (B) and draw some lines inside your magic ball. Right-click on this layer and select Convert to Smart Object. Go to Filter > Blur > Radial Blur and use the settings from the following image. Then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use an amount of 1%. Set the blend mode of this layer to Overlay and name it "radial blur zoom."

Step 15

Duplicate the "radial blur zoom" layer by hitting Ctrl+J. Then double-click on the Radial Blur smart filter of the duplicated layer (it is beneath this layer in the Layers palette; if you can’t see it, click on the arrow from the right side of the layer) and use the settings from the following image. Set the blend mode of this layer to Soft Light and name it "radial blur spin."

Step 16

Install the Nebulae Brushes. Then create a new layer, select the Brush Tool (B), set the foreground color to white and use one of those brushes to create a small galaxy inside your magic ball. Set the blend mode of this layer to Linear Dodge (Add), the opacity to 40% and name it "galaxy."

Step 17

Install the Abstract Glow Photoshop Brushes. Then create a new group and name it "abstract glow." Create a new layer inside this group, set the foreground color to white and paint with some of those brushes inside your magic ball. Feel free to use as many layers as you want. Then set the blend mode of the "abstract glow" group to Overlay and the opacity to 90%.

Step 18 – Adding glow to the magic ball

Right-click on the "magic ball" group and select Duplicate Group. Right-click on this group and select Convert to Smart Object. Put this layer above the "hands" layer. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and use a radius of 8px. Set the blend mode of this layer to Screen, the opacity to 40% and name it "glow screen."

Step 19

Duplicate the layer which you have created at the previous step (Ctrl+J), change the blend mode of the duplicated layer to Overlay and name it "glow overlay."

Step 20 – Creating fog

Create a new group (Layer > New > Group) and name it "fog. Set the foreground color to #8aafe3, create a new layer and paint with some of the brushes from the Abstract Glow set. Use as many layers as you want and experiment with the blending modes to get the effect you want.

Step 21 – Final color adjustments

Create a new layer above all the other ones, go to Image > Apply Image and click OK. Right-click on this layer and select Convert to Smart Object. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and use a radius of 12px. Set the blend mode of this layer to Soft Light and the opacity to 40%.

Hit Ctrl+J to duplicate this layer. Then set the blend mode of the duplicated layer to Vivid Light and the opacity to 20%.

Conclusion

Finally, you can add a quote that you like using the Type Tool (T) and a proper font, such as Trajan Pro.

Well, that’s all. You have just created your own magic mysterious ball in Photoshop. I really hope that you liked and learned something new from this tutorial. You can view the final image preview below or view a larger version here.

Later Edit: You can remove that tag on the cape at the bottom right by using the Clone Stamp Tool (S). Initially I haven’t noticed it. Thanks Lauren for letting me know about that!

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