In this tutorial you will learn how to create a brush and how to set it so that you get a surprisingly colorful abstract background.

  1. The first part is creating the brush.
    So create a new document: File – New – Width: 400px / 400px Height – OK

  2. Then hide the layer ‘Background’ and add a new one.

  3. From the Tools panel select the Ellipse Tool and black for the color.

  4. Hold down the SHIFT key (in order to draw a circle) and try to fit a circle all over the stage.
    * Tip: You can press the SPACE key while you draw the circle to change position.

  5. Right click on the layer with the circle – Blending Options.
    Set the Fill Opacity: 50%.

  6. Check Stroke. Select Size: 8px / Position: Inside and black.

  7. Click OK and follow the last part of creating, namely the definition of brush.
    Press CTRL + A to select all of the above then: Edit – Define Brush Preset .. – give him a name – OK.

  8. Now that we have finished defining brush also let’s get to creating the actual scene .
    Open a new document: File – New – any resolution you want, I used the 1024 width and 768 height – OK.

  9. We select Paint Bucket and also a dark gray color (not black *) and apply to the whole scene.

  10. Right click on the Background layer – Convert to Smart Object so you can apply a gradient.

  11. Right click on it again – Blending Options – Gradient Overlay also need to be checked..
    Add a color gradient, linear to an angle of 45 degrees.
    So let us begin.
    Select the Blend Mode: Overlay.
    Then click on the gradient bar to add color. I used a preset from the Spectrums category . You can use any other but if you can use darker colors, use them.

    Select also an angle of 45 degrees.

  12. We have to make the brush settings.
    Select the Brush tool (type B) and from the above Window – Brush.
    The most important thing is to select the Brush that we just defined. Then size and the Spacing.
    Follow the details in the following pictures:

    We check Shape Dynamics and we add the values:

    We check Scattering and add the 3 values:

    We check Other Dynamics or Transfer(CS5) and add the following values:

  13. So much for the the brush settings. From the right side of the Layers palette, add a new group and change mode to Color Dodge.

  14. We add a new layer inside of this group.

  15. Having selected the Brush tool, select white color.
    We draw the scene either continually holding down clicking and dragging or clicking just one time to have more control.

  16. From from the above : Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur – Radius: 12px (or more) – OK

  17. We add a new layer and the color it again. Eventually, after I drew circles add a Gaussian Blur only just 2px now. And you should get something like this: