Create a Glow Effect in Photoshop! | Tutorial by PHLEARN

Today we show you how to light up your photos with an out-of-this-world glow effect in Photoshop! Learn how to create a glowing ring effect from scratch, integrate it into a photograph, add particle effects with a custom brush, and more. And best of all, we're including a free custom Photoshop Brush and the completed PSD for you to experiment with on your own!

Download the Sample Image, PS Brush & PSD:

***Send Us Your Glow Effect:

***Create your own glow effect and send it our way! We might choose yours to be featured on our social media channels, on the tutorial website, and in our email newsletter!

If you want to submit your effect, please use either the image in the tutorial, a different free stock image (from Pexels or Unsplash), or an image that you own the rights to. And please keep it family-friendly!

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0:00 - Introduction
0:30 - Darken the Image with Levels
0:59 - Create a Glowing Ring Using Shapes, Blurs, and Blending Modes
9:51 - Place the Glowing Ring Behind the Subject
11:25 - Integrate Lighting Around Edges of the Subject with the Brush Tool
16:37 - Integrate Lighting into the Subject's Hair
19:12 - Add More Lighting Effects with Blend If and Blending Modes
25:47 - Integrate the Glowing Ring Effect into the Ground Around the Subject
30:44 - Create Particle Effects with a Custom Brush
34:23 - Quick and Easy Color Grading
35:29 - Enhance the Overall Effect
36:23 - Refine the Effect and Add Variation with Layer Masks
37:42 - The Final Image!

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◦ 200+ In-Depth Courses on Photoshop, Lightroom & Photography
◦ 500+ Actions, Brushes, Presets & LUTs
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[phlearn]

If you want to submit, please use the image provided in the download, a free stock image from Pexels or Unsplash, or an image that you own the rights to (And please keep it family-friendly.) Feel free to experiment with the glow effect as much as you want!

[PradeepSingh-qbbh]

Finally a full packed video after a long time. Focusing on beginners, i thought Phlearn team is forgetting their old viewers that still want to see intermediate to advanced level content and new manipulations, techniques, etc but i hope this is just a beginning to take older viewers into consideration again. I haven't forgotten those insane videos topics such as Gods of Nile, making Aaron invisible with guitar etc

[taylorwhiting]

This has been by far the best glow tutorial ever put on here. Not kidding

[chrispolubinski]

What a fortuitously-timed tutorial. I am processing a backlog of photos and in one shoot, the model did a "magic hands" pose and I though to myself, "Self? This calls for glowing sigils and a magic circle surrounding her." I even mocked up something, but once the circle was there, I had no idea what to do with it to make it do what I want. Then you guys came along. Thanks! I can't wait to get some time to put this one to use!

[royandescartes]

i want to say THANK YOU Aaron, for TEACHING me what all these other big time "creators" charged me to learn. This is such a blessing yo. You are such a great person in this Photoshop and teaching world. I have been watching your videos for years and all i can say is that you my good sir will always be my favourite and most respected Teacher when it comes to Photoshop.

[Hobbyist.Photographer.]

That is soooo cool. Gotta say. More than a year after paying for your course and trying my best to learn all these processes in photoshop, I’m still overwhelmed and find it difficult. Admittedly I haven’t put in as much time as I need to. But I will continue working on it! Because these results are fantastic!

[debuys]

Often I find myself learning the most from the small things like "Layer Styles" as illustrated in this video! Thanks for providing theses tutorials frequently more in depth and better put together than paid content.

[Buckynash]

Likely the most epic tutorial in YouTube history

[KVM]

Wow there were so many small things in there that I could use for all kinds of stuff. I don't "create" a lot in Photoshop but especially things like "blend if" are amazing!

[Exevium]

Man that look so cool! And you make it look so easy... Sparkly! ✨

[swpe]

Helped a lot with my thumbnail. Thank you so much!!

[rj]

The best photoshop art source. Super straight forward and easy to follow. Thank you

[dduke]

We've found the man that creates all the UFO photos! Excellent high quality tutorial, well presented, vocalized and articulated sir!!

[thejazplayzquitting]

never give up on giving tutorials, you're doing a very great job

[ayiesshi]

I learned a lot from this tutorial. Thank you so much <3

[bdvgallery]

I like the way that you are explaining everything in detail. It's a pleasure for me to watch your tutorial and learn new things with joy! 😁

[dantheman]

Looking forward to having a go at making something like this. Looks so cool!

[vikramvicky]

Thanks 🙏🙏 for all the amazing 🔥🔥 tutorials.❤️❤️

[winon]

Question: Did you use the standard brush at 12:00?

[abacus]

dear lord this tute took me an entire day to work through! i am a beginner - hopefully i get faster with practice and less pedantic following each step exact. I also realised I started off this tutorial with a completely different brush so following the exact brush sizing in the end made the inner glow ring less visible in the end which is a shame.