Create Cinematic Light Rays in Adobe Photoshop!

Create advanced light beams or sun rays for text, artwork, and photography using a few simple steps in Adobe Photoshop. In this tutorial, we’ll use a free Photoshop action by Texturelabs.org, combined with a few techniques for a dramatic final look. Download the action, textures and more using the link below. Thanks for watching, let me know what you think in the comments section!
DOWNLOAD THE FREE ACTION, TEXTURES, AND MORE:
texturelabs.org/tutorials/cine...
MAGIC SMOKE TEXT EFFECT TUTORIAL:
• Magic Smoke Text Effec...
FONTS USED IN THIS TUTORIAL:
www.dafont.com/eagle.font
www.dafont.com/modia.font
CONNECT AND SUPPORT TEXTURELABS!
texturelabs.org/
Instagram - / texturelabs

[@rahuldeshpande3516]

Dude, your tutorials are amazing. From you I learned that Bevel/Emboss/Inner Shadow layer styles are actually pretty powerful

[@PresencePhotography]

OMG your tutorials are AWESOME! I love the way you explain things, it makes PS so digestible and enjoyable.

[@Texturelabs]

That's really cool to hear, its been fun making them!

[@MrSorbias]

I don't even use photoshop anymore, but I still watch your videos, since they're so inspirational and many of the ideas can be used in compositor softwares. :)

[@nateoski3635]

Thanks again Brady for an incredible tutorial that is easy to follow and apply. Definitely looking forward to apply this to future projects.

[@SarahAndBoston]

Wow, I just tried and the results are so impressive! Thanks for not only making awesome graphics, but also great tutorials.

[@gregwoolliscroft6255]

Are you for real?????..I cant get ANYTHING that he gets....!!!!

[@felipekancelskis7800]

you are so awesome, every texture i need, you've already uploaded!! thank you so much

[@freaXtyle]

Just OMG! Completely jawdropping

[@DustinEli]

in 9 min he makes something more amazing than I ever have in so many years, amazing!

[@jayendrathakur9530]

Your tutorials are like, you created photoshop and you are teaching us❤️

[@gabrielsanmiguel23]

Remarkable work, always learning something from your tutorials. BIG BIG help. Thanks

[@orxanrajabov]

Thanks for great tutorials. AWESOME!

[@rocnathan]

Watched two videos and subscribed. This is some next-level stuff. Thanks a lot.

[@Flysonfame]

all these years and now I know how to do it and you made it easy. Awesome.

[@stelaw6]

Amazing,totally blew me away,thank you

[@damianhiggins5014]

once again i am blown away by your technique. amazing work!

[@Texturelabs]

Awesome, much appreciated Damian!

[@biddaprokashlibrary8048]

wow just wow . your tutorials are awesome! thank you for your tutorials

[@iamYork_]

What THE... Amazing!!! Ive been painting in light rays via brushes for years... Your channel and TUTs are TOP notch!!!

[@brendangoodenough173]

Great stuff Brady, you clearly have an FX background. Big shoutout to Adobe.. you should be sponsored! A lot better than all of the Adobe Photoshop guys on the Tube..

[@hypnoluxo]

Thank you for sharing !

[@rijuahmed2257]

Man I was searching for this !! Gonna share with all my friends about your channel ! Love from India 💕

[@stephenward7856]

So cool, thanks so much!!

[@stanislovasm.7313]

YOU ARE AMAZING !!! ✨⭐✨ Thank You for sharing such amazing content 🙏💞🙏

[@christinehorner]

Download the third "image" and change the extension from .jpg to .atn... Thanks so much for this. Saved me a ton of work.

[@Texturelabs]

Ah great thanks for posting... setting up downloads is a bit tricky with irregular formats. That helps though - I think an extension problem will be easier to solve

[@fotoHORYZONT]

Thank You once again for such a professional tutorial. Just watching your videos make me feel more professional :)

[@TheRudeNoise]

love your work

[@JustALilKit]

Thank you thank you thank you so much!!!!

[@davidwilson6226]

Excellent, thanks!

[@shaikshakur]

the best and unique tutorial channel

[@chrisheaslip2038]

unreal man appreciate all the tools you give us!!

[@Texturelabs]

That's nice to hear, thanks man!

[@tykelly6403]

Awesome! Thank you for this. So cool!

[@Texturelabs]

My pleasure!

[@jamesgreeneassociates9805]

But how do we create THIS photoshop action?

[@undeadwilldestroyall]

Exactly. It's not helpful to say "here's how to use my present". Click air.

[@ThierryMinet]

Awesome!

[@santoshcreative]

You guys are rock stars !!!

[@jodi-reneegiron167]

I love this video and had great success using it with just text. Would you consider doing a tutorial on how to use this same effect on an image (like a photo with multiple colors present)?

[@PeterMorrison73]

Brilliant!

[@kavin9078]

Awesome tutorial!!!!

[@Texturelabs]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jordanmarton2114]

great tutorial! Do you have any tips for creating rays on a colourful, lighter background like a sunrise/sunset image?

[@ZaydKS]

❤ Best Tuts I Ever Watch.Thank You. +1

[@praveens4902]

Thank you so much

[@MrRaboyto]

I am subbing, this is fantastic

[@satvikagarwal8876]

You Sir. Are a Legend.

[@cbmakem4164]

Great stuff. You've won a fan.

[@Texturelabs]

Right on!

[@user-zt3rs3wi1s]

Fantastic

[@F4toe]

U saved my day, thank you sososoosososo much

[@merlitopabatao]

This channel is so underrated. You deserve more views and subs 🙏🏻

[@Texturelabs]

Appreciate you saying that... glad you found the channel!

[@szusi79]

I was thinking the same :)

[@They_call_me_MASTER]

Yeah❤️❤️

[@Ben-pl8ci]

Ya... This channel is awesome

[@liltownworld]

100%

[@theonedarac]

Your channel is awesome

[@user-oj7sx7ty5y]

you are awesome!

[@BellevueGhostbuster]

I had a quick question. I really like this video and you mentioned a link to how to build the action myself and I would also like to learn how to make these rays myself as well. I like to learn how to do these things manually. Does the video in the description Magic Smoke Text Effect teach just the action, or does it also show that it can be used to make rays as well?

[@holipsd9807]

i've been searching for this all my life

[@sunnyboygr]

Super helpful channel! 🖖🤘

[@fabiofraga4580]

Parabéns pelo vídeo show.

[@ickysan]

This is a really great video, and the piece I'm working on looks really cool, but for some reason, on mine, the light beams aren't shining *through the letters*, like yours are. It's just a big light burst behind the text. What am I doing wrong?

[@chandlerzhu9735]

the shadow looks so real

[@ElliHoy]

That action nearly melted my laptop :D

[@mohamedgebril9776]

really thanks you're my best youtuber that i am enjoying his content an I shared your chanell in a many groups thank you so much

[@Texturelabs]

That's really cool to hear! Thanks for sharing the channel and for the kind words 😀

[@mohamedgebril9776]

@@Texturelabs merci beaucoup + don't mention it

[@michaelflower8681]

Mate! First of all thanks for sharing such ammmazing tool! I'd love to ask you if I must use this action on a black subject with a black backgrounf, or I can us it also on colred object and a proper background....? Waiting your gentle reply. Big fan from Italy!!!

[@jmydn2]

Thanks Braidy 🤝

[@Texturelabs]

No prob!

[@raoufchatti]

Thanks sir

[@frankjoy2585]

Yo, that was way easier than I expected it to be

[@sprytt]

Legend

[@Shaysongz1989]

Great tutorial! I am having trouble opening the action file so I am unable to complete.

[@guilhermemedeiros2984]

Great things

[@MrGoalieZ]

Im having issues with playing the action. I am using Photoshop 2021. Is that an issue? When I hit play, it only does the action once then doesn't keep going. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[@saadimran.]

Best channel on youtube!!!

[@Texturelabs]

Too kind!

[@Deepanshu20114]

very good

[@markphillipsphotography2992]

Hey mate, I just come across you page and wow, awesome! I tried your action though and it keeps getting to layer 8 and then restarts the acrion lopping and I have to cntl alt delete to shut photoshop down as I can't do anything while it's looping. Any clue why it could be doing that? Cheers

[@txma.]

I am trying to apply this action to one of my pieces but I cannot get it to work unfortunately, a mix of the light source not being large enough and not being central in the piece are contributing factors. I think it'd be cool to have a future plugin version of this that allows you to choose which layer is the primary light source and have that layer be the point from which the light rays are emitted

[@user-wj1zt4cy6o]

hi your video tutorial is awsome... but tutorial video eagle is an raster images or png its showing on your layer pannel in text formate .... is their any problem...

[@baslielalene4702]

Thanks.

[@ketanpakhare27]

Wow sir your good job sir ,i like it

[@sageofmugen1724]

this channel deserve millions of subs

[@Texturelabs]

Appreciate that!

[@CharlesBae]

TIP: If you don't see the center target in the crop tool, hit Command "T" on any object and make sure the tiny checkbox (top left) next to the center anchor icon is checked on. Go back to the crop tool and you will now see the center anchor point. The show and hide anchor position is only visible in the context menu (top bar) when transform is activated.😉

[@immawh9]

thanks so much

[@eddyjuillerat835]

I can watch these all night, but without the impression to lose my sleep time.

[@szusi79]

Awesome tutorial. As aways :)

[@Texturelabs]

Ha, cool... always nice to see some familiar faces or dragons on here

[@ShivamPatel-yg3kd]

Can you make a tutorial on how to use this effect in an image... Like behind a person or subject in an image.... Or light ray coming from window pannels... Please consider it.... Love your work.... Keep it up

[@jeremyberberette3191]

Hey! If you want to use the effect, "behind a person" Do this: 1. Cut out the person 2. duplicate the layer 3. On the duplicated layer: Ctrl+U & take "Lightness" Slider all the way to the left (You're left with a silhouette) 4. Hide the color layer 5. run the action 6. Un-Hide the Color layer & Hide the Silhouette layer 7. Make adjustments Through a window - I would assume it would be the same. adjust the size of the canvas to whichever side the window will be on and run the action the same way, then mask out what you don't want. Goodluck!

[@creedolala6918]

been binging all your videos... this might be the first one that's less than 100 percent perfect, only because I was thinking you'd explain what the repeated action is that creates the rays, and how it works. I'm content to just download and find out, it's a very minor quibble. the effect looks great, love your videos.

[@Texturelabs]

I know, I hear ya... I feel exactly the same way about this one... At the moment I didn't think it would interest anyone, but see it differently now!

[@enriquecaballero9673]

great video

[@Texturelabs]

Thanks!

[@fifaddick5246]

Hey Texturelabs wanted to do this for my logo in a tshirt but would it work if it didnt have a black background? Technically the black background would be the black tshirt itself that would be printed on

[@gregwoolliscroft6255]

I'm following exactly what you are doing but I'm not getting the same thing.....I click on the long light rays, 16 bit, play, then pop up boxes come up asking me about light rays and zoom box and then the entire thing has a crop box and I can't get rid of it....I also don't get the light behind the text when using the brush tool...

[@farrukharif383]

how your eagle layer is a text layer while on the canvas its an image ?

[@gregwoolliscroft6255]

I am really trying and following intently....I'm not getting anything that you get....can you help?..

[@breezeee122]

how do we prevent the light rays from creating a black backrground? I'm trying everything i can to delete the black background and it's making my design look bad

[@gregwoolliscroft6255]

how dii you expand with the crop tool and get a black background, please explain better....

[@vijaynbasawa1891]

🙏💐Awesomely Brother 👌👌👌👌.

[@user-nr6vi2gj4t]

wowy-wow

[@lordkiraayt2803]

the action dont work in ps 2022 error la commande sélection n'est pas disponible

[@theportuguesegod]

i keep getting "program error" throughout the process. Did you manage to drop the step-by-step link?

[@frederic_millenial]

Actions return error when using another language because copy layer is translated so command like “select layer "Lightrays copy 7"” return an error because the layer have another name and can not be found. In french, the layer is named “Lightrays copie 7” instead of “Lightrays copy 7” and the action fails because of that. I needed to change those commands. Tips for other people reading my comment : The backlight need to be adjusted for the beams equally spread all around the shape.

[@mikeosterberg4611]

This did not work on my Lenovo laptop. Worked when I tried it on my Mac. Also worked on my Dell laptop. Keyboard placement is different on both PC laptops with Ctrl and Fn keys switched. Possible that the action uses keyboard functions that are overridden by some computers' OS hotkeys as I have had that problem in the past for my own training sessions. If action doesn't work, would probably have to build it from scratch.

[@JolyMwayuma]

Comment obtenir les lumière ?

[@LEYGSL]

I tried to extend the canvas with the crop tool like you did at 3:22 but I keep getting a transparency layer. How did you extend the canvas using the crop tool so that the black also extended?

[@Texturelabs]

Wow that is a great question... I just tried it again in Photoshop and it was transparent... BUT I think this might be the deal - if Delete Cropped Pixels is selected in the crop tool option up top, it'll use the BG color, if it's not checked it'll make it transparent. See if you find that to be the case as well...

[@LEYGSL]

@@Texturelabs Thanks for the suggestion. I already had 'Delete Cropped Pixels' selected while trying this and the transparent background was what it produced. Due to your suggestion I tried to deselect it which took away the transparent layer but unfortunately it was white instead of black so I am not sure what is going on here.

[@brendangoodenough173]

@@LEYGSL Make sure you foreground/background colours are set to black behind.

[@nositelle]

Action doesn't work for me, a selection problem it seems. It says that the selection command is not available. I am disappointed you do not show how to do it then

[@emanuelcarvalho8510]

I loved the result, but when I applied the action there is a note saying that "the "selection" command its not available right now" what is this? anyone else with that problem??

[@alyssak2553]

I have the same problem! Did you find a solution?

[@alyssak2553]

I had a non-english photoshop version. I switched the language to English, and now it works Maybe it'll work in your case, too

[@jektooo]

Good +++

[@Ryzler13]

! Crop can expand the canvas ! All this time.

[@fbout]

Hello, help please, the action doesn't work for me : "Selection command is not available" and I have no choice only to clic on Continue or Cancel

[@fbout]

Ok I know why : because the name of layer "copy" in the steps of the action is "copie" in the Layer panel in my french photoshop. And the same for background layer or backlight layer in panel layer. Good news, it works : You have first to choose "step by step" in Action Options, then in the first group of actions look (in french here) : Sélection calque "Lightrays copy 7". Stop the action and select this line. Make a new record and select with mouse in layers panel the copy with number 7 (in french : Lightrays copie 7) then stop the reccording. Now you can see in Action panel the new action with the good name so you can delete the first one, I mean you can delete "Lightrays copy 7". That's it. Make same with "Lightrays copy 8". You have to do the same in each three groups of actions. In the end, delete all layers except background, Backlight and your logo and test again the action, it would work perfectly. ==================== Finally it's quite easy : you have to replace the name "copy" in action panel by its translation in your langage and to do that you have to make a new short reccord and delete the existing one as explain above. Good luck and thanks for this wonderful tuto !

[@DodoBrothers]

Changing the language to english also works! Thank you for your comment, else I would have never discovered that!

[@jesperanda6310]

Hello I am having some trouble with the action it gives me an error that reads "The commad select is not currently available". Can you please help?

[@Texturelabs]

Sure I can try to help... That error just means that one of the individual commands in the action isn't working - if it's giving you the error immediately when you play the action, there's probably something preventing the first command from working. That first command is that the action makes a merged copy on a new layer. Two things come to mind... you need to have an active visible layer selected for it to work. Otherwise, I have read about that function having a lot of bugs in some versions of Photoshop, hopefully that's not the case here. Best way to troubleshoot would be to see if you can make a merged copy manually with the shortcut Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E, or Cmd-Opt-Shift-E on Mac. - if you can get that to work, then the action should work fine! Hope that helps....

@@Texturelabs The error appears to occur with non-English copies of Photoshop.

[@Texturelabs]

Ah that's frustrating. Wouldn't even know where or how to try to solve that one! I tried to switch the language on Photoshop here but don't have that option. If anyone can figure out which command it's freezing on, I could try to help...

[@PerraJ]

@ That seems to be correct. At least it worked for me when I reinstalled to the english (International) version.

[@hernanpaglia9744]

@@Texturelabs the solution in this video (spanish) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXnUpZeOoZpoisk

[@racerschin]

would be nice to quickly brake down what the action does.

[@jszgamin]

its not allowing me to use the actions light ray one

[@jszgamin]

im on a Mac

[@gregwoolliscroft6255]

I am STILL trying....I am following you every step and nothing is working....what a I doing wrong?