Create an Amazing Greeting Card with Abstract Christmas Tree in Photoshop CS5

Final Image Preview

Start working by creating a new document (Ctrl+N) in Adobe Photoshop with the size 1000px by 1000px (RGBcolor mode) at a resolution of 72 pixels/inch. Use the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to fill with black color the new background layer.

Create a new layer and select the Soft Round brush from Brush Tool (B).

Use this brush to paint the background as shown (brush colour and Opacity value are indicated):

On the next new layer we’ll apply the earlier used brush to continue painting the background. Choose the color#002CFF (Opacity – 10%).

Next we’ll create another new layer and choose the Pen Tool (P), set the drawing mode on Paths mode inOptions bar and draw the next curves as shown to represent a garland, looking like a Christmas tree. Use Escbutton when finish to draw one curve and want to draw the next one.

Choose Brush Tool (B) and go to Brush Presets (F5) panel, select Round Point Stiff brush of white color.

Now go to Paths panel and make active the Work Path.

Select again Pen Tool (P), return to our canvas and make right-click on path to select Stroke Path:

In the open dialog box select Brush for Tool option and check the Simulate Pressure.

We’ve got the next result:

Insert the mask on the made layer by choosing Add layer mask on the bottom part of the Layers panel and choose the Soft Round brush of black color (set Opacity to 20% in Options bar).

Paint in the mask using this brush to hide the next zones on the garland. Choose also the Blur Tool to add some blur effect on the garland as it is demonstrated below.

Create a new layer and select again the Soft Round brush.

Use this brush to paint the canvas as shown.

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Color.

Continue painting the garland on the new layer, using here the Soft Round brush.

We’ve got the next result:

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Color.

Now we have to represent the snow on the background. In this case create a new layer and select the Soft Round brush of white color.

Use this brush to represent many small dots. Use different Brush Size and different Opacity value for brush.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Outer Glow.

We’ve got the next result:

Make a copy of the last made layer and remove the Outer Glow style.

Create a new layer and select the Soft Round brush of white color (Opacity – 10%).

Use this brush to paint around the dots on the tree to represent the shining effect.

Set Fill to 70% for this layer.

Let’s repeat now the earlier described actions, use Soft Round brush and paint the tree as it is demonstrated on the next picture.

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Overlay.

Let’s make brighter the pink color on the bottom part of the tree. In this case create a new layer and apply theSoft Round brush used in the previous example. The brush’s color is #4F00F3 (Opacity – 10%).

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Linear Light.

Insert the message text for greeting card. Select the Horizontal Type tool (T). Select a font, size and color in the Character panel.

Click in the canvas and type ‘Happy Holidays’. Press Enter to apply the text.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Inner Shadow.

We’ve got the next result:

Click Create new fill or adjustment layer from bottom part of the Layers panel and click to Curves to adjust the curve shape as shown to make a little color corrections.

We’ve got the next result:

Next step we’ll download set of brushes for Adobe Photoshop, named: light_brushes_2. Copy the brushes file toC:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Brushes folder (Adobe Photoshop X been your version of Photoshop).

Create a new layer and load the downloaded brushes, select the next brushes from light_brushes_2 set:

Use the downloaded brushes to represent the shining effect on the tree’s decorations of white color.