One of the salient features of Photoshop is the Starburst Effect. Go the filter menu > stylize > wind. Experiment on different settings. Example:
• Method: Blast
• Direction: Form Right to left.
Click ok when satisfied with your settings and see the effect on your image.
Take note that in the wind filter, black and white reacts differently. Use black to follow the direction of the wind. Use white to go the opposite direction. The output will look like an overlapping of black and white colors.
Hit Ctrl+F to repeatedly to spread spikes and minimize the black area.
The "Motion Blur" Filter gives a smoother effect compared to the original image. Try the following settings:
• Angle: 0 (zero)
• Distance: 200
Try rotating the canvas to 90 degrees under Image > Rotate Canvas. Use Polar Coordinate Filters for other special effects. Open the Filter/Distort Menu. Set filter to "Rectangular to Polar." Apply the filter when satisfied with the setting.
The starburst effects is best appreciated in a transparent background. The first option is to hide the background layer. Otherwise, delete the background with the eraser tool.
Hit Ctrl+Shift+I to invert selection (for MAC: Cmd+Shift+I). The initial black layer will be accentuated with a transparent starburst layer.
Create a new layer at the top of the Starburst layer. Fill this layer with the color of your choice. Experiment on the different blending effects like blend mode, overlay, soft light, color burn or color.
Next, strengthen and soften the inner center spot. Duplicate the previous starburst and apply "Pinch" under the Distort Menu. To strengthen the impact, repeat the process.
At this stage, some details may have been lost. Retrieve lost detail with the unsharp mask tool. Try the following settings:
• Amount: 50%
• Radius: 0.5
• Threshold: 0
Keep your starburst as a separate layer for possible use in your other projects..
There are a lot of things more you can do with Photoshop. Keep on exploring and experimenting.
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