I was recently asked how I do lightsaber effects in Photoshop. There are lots of tutorials online (even some pre-built Actions...but I prefer the control given with a manual approach), with varying results, but I thought I'd post the technique I use, since I was going to write it up anyway...it's based predominantly on a method discussed on TheForce.net, but with a few mods/tweaks.

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_JayBodieTem_03.jpg) (IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_99.jpg) (IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_GraemeKristy_03.jpg)

Step 1: First, open yer pic. Obviously. I'll be referring to Photoshop 7.0, but the principles apply to other photo-editing apps that can handle layers (with a Screen blending mode).

If the lightsaber in your pic has a blade (eg, an FX saber), then things are a little easier. I'll describe putting in blades when there is no reference blade later.

(Click on the image to view the full-size version through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_01.jpg)

Step 2: create a new layer that will used as the core of the (first) saber. The critical step is to set the blending Mode to Screen, and select the check-box that will fill the layer with a neutral colour (black). In screen mode, black is transparent, and lighter colours are correspondingly lighter. The Screen mode is ideal for creating glows, retaining just the light colors in a gradient.

It is also useful to give the layer a name, as you may be working with a few layers by the end of the task, and especially if you save the file for later use, it's nice to keep things tidy and organised.


(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_02.jpg)

Step 3: Make a selection around the existing blade. I'll talk about ways of doing it if there isn't a blade to work with later. There are a number of ways to do this, but my personal preference is to just use the polygon lasso tool, usually with the image zoomed in (for best results, use an integer factor, eg, zoom to 200%). If you're drawing around an existing blade, it's pretty easy to get the two sides of the blade parallel - do the whole length of the blade in one step, obviously, to avoid any hint of a curve or dent in the blade. Pay particular attention to the curved tip of the saber (it's usually not necessary to resort to special curve-selection tools to get this right...just small steps with the polygon lasso is quick and easy), and follow the actual line made where the blade meets the hilt (ie, not just a perpendicular line bridging the sides of the blade, unless the angle of the saber hilt actually has it truncated like that).

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_03.jpg)

Step 4: On the 'Blade' layer, fill the selection with white (the fill tool should be set to 100% opacity, and should have anti-aliasing on).

If you've got a sharp eye, you'll see that I didn't use pure white for the fill in this screen-grab...just ignore that ;)

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_04.jpg)

Step 5: Apply a Gaussian Blur (from Filter > Blur) to the Blade layer...doesn't need to be overdone, as we're still working on the 'core' of the blade (not the 'glow')...try a Radius setting over just over 1 pixel for an average-sized (eg, a megapixel) image.


(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_05.jpg)

Step 6: On to the 'aura' of the blade. In order to get a nice, diffuse glow, make 3 copies of the Blade core layer, and stack them beneath that core layer.

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_06.jpg)

Step 7: In order to create the aura/glow, we're going to blur each of these copied layers of the blade. A Gaussian Blur needs to be applied to each of these three copies of the blade (not the original, core layer though), using an incrementally larger radius each time that filter is applied. Select one of the layers (it doesn't matter too much which) and apply a Gaussian Blur, using a radius setting that is less than the width of the saber blade (which can be measured a number of different ways - eg, quickly drag the Rectangular Marquee Tool across the blade, and read the width, in pixels, off the Info window/panel...assuming you have your Ruler units set to Pixels in Preferences > Units & Rulers).

In the example below, the blade is 11 pixels wide, and the initial Gaussian Blur filter has been applied using a radius of 6 pixels.

Apply the Gaussian Blur filter to the next copied blade layer, using a Radius that is twice that used for the first (ie, in this case, a Radius of 12).

Apply the Gaussian Blur filter to the third and last copied blade layer, using a Radius that is three times that used for the first (ie, in this case, a Radius of 18).

This layering of blurred copies gives an effective gradient profile for the glow around the saber. Some experimentation is sometimes necessary for this step (fortunately, Photoshop's History functionality makes this a breeze)...if the glow/aura is too spread out, or not spread out enough, then decrease or increase the the initial radius by one or two pixels, accordingly, and use this setting to determine the radii for the subsequent layers.

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_07.jpg)

Step 8: This next step is quick and easy, and doesn't result in any visible changes in the image. The three copies of the blade need to be merged down in to one layer...the easiest way to do this is to select the top layer, hit CTRL-E to merge that in to the layer below, and hit CTRL-E again to merge the resulting layer in to the final layer. Make sure this merged "aura" layer is below/behind the "core" layer.

You should now have a vanilla saber! It needs some colour...that's next! :)

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_08.jpg)

Step 9: Colour gets applied to the aura of the saber only (some may tint the hue of the blade itself a bit, but more often than not, you'll get the effect where the blade has implied colour just on the basis of the glow around it).

A little bit of experimenting is necessary here too, IMHO, because, although when rotoscoping a video segment we'd want a consistent approach to be applied to get the effect, in a still image it's arguably better to take the colours and brightness of the background in to account, and customise the blade colour/intensity on that basis.

Basically, we're going to select the blade aura layer, and adjust the Colour Balance using Levels (Image > Adjustments > Color Balance; or, CTRL-B). For a canon saber, stick to a primary colour (Red, Green or Blue) and adjust the slider for that channel only. Experiment with adjusting the midtones and highlights until you're staisfied with the finish (select the checkboxes for Preview and Preserve Luminosity).

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_09.jpg)

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_11.jpg)

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_10.jpg)

Step 10: This last step is really just a bit of fine tuning.

If, after all that experimenting/adjusting in step 9, you find that the Blur settings you used earlier have ended up giving you a saber aura that is too big/intense, you can pull back on the Opacity of the aura layer it little bit (cut back to 90% in the example below). I occasionally find that the last-minute fine-tuning is necessary, as the overall effect of the aura is a little different once the colour is applied, as compared with when it was just white.

(Click on the images to view the full-size versions through the Gallery).

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_12.jpg)

And that's pretty much it. Hope someone finds it useful. As a separate step, I can talk briefly about doing sabers without a real blade to work with, and other miscellanea like rendering a "clash" between 2 sabers without over-doing the effect.

(IMG:http://outpost42.dr-maul.com/cpg147/albums/userpics/10001/normal_99.jpg)

Awesome tutorial! Here's one I just did using your method

Thanks Matt
B)

trust your instincts Helen!


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