How to create abstract kaleidoscope poster in Photoshop CS5

Final Image Preview

Inspired from Psychedelic Crystalls by Filipp Ryabchikov.

Start working by creating a new document (Ctrl+N) in Adobe Photoshop CS5 with the size 1920px by 1200px(RGB color mode) at a resolution of 72 pixels/inch. Use the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to fill with black color thenew background layer.

Now we shall create an kaleidoscope pattern by selecting firstly the Rectangle Tool (U) and represent a square of white color. Then choose the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to turn the element over on 90 degrees.

Set Fill to 0% for this layer and click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Drop Shadow.

Add Inner Shadow:

We’ve got the next result:

Insert the mask on the layer by choosing Add layer mask on the bottom part of the Layers panel and choose the Soft Round brush of black color.

Paint in the mask using this brush to hide the layer edges the same way as on the picture.

Set Opacity to 30% for this layer in Layers panel.

We’ve got the next result:

Make a copy of the last made layer and select the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to place the copy as on the next picture it is shown:

Make another copy of the rhombus’s layer and select the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to place the copy as on the picture it is demonstrated. Set Opacity to 100% for this layer and change the Fill to 19% in Layers panel. Remove also the Drop Shadow style.

Make a copy of the earlier made rhombus’s layer and put it above all the layers using the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command. Set Opacity to 100% for this layer and change the Fill to 54% in Layers panel.

Combine in a group all the earlier made kaleidoscope elements (press CTRL button to select the necessary layers and hold on the left mouse’s button while dragging the selected layers on Create a new group icon from bottom part of the Layers panel). Select the group in Layers panel and press Ctrl+E to Merge Down into a single layer all group layers. Make copies of the rasterized layer, placing the copies in a line.

We’ll compose the next row, but this time with a little displacement.

We’ve got the next result:

This way we have to fill with the kaleidoscope elements the entire canvas.

Combine in a group all the layers containing the kaleidoscope pattern (press CTRL button to select the necessary layers and hold on the left mouse’s button while dragging the selected layers on Create a new group icon from bottom part of the Layers panel).

Insert the mask on the 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 30% in Options bar).

Paint in the mask using this brush to hide the canvas edges.

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Vivid Light.
Create now a new layer and change the Blending mode for this layer to Vivid Light. Select the Soft Mechanical brush from Brush Tool (B)

Use the next shown colors from Swatches panel to paint the canvas with arbitrary colors.

We’ve got the next result:

Next we have to represent another element. Use firstly the Rectangle Tool (U) to represent a square of the color#00AEEF and then apply the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to turn over the square, placing it as below:

Set Fill to 60% for this layer and click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Drop Shadow.

Add Inner Shadow:

We’ve got the next result:

Using the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command, resize the square as shown.

Make also many copies of the layer containing the square. Then choose the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to place the copies’ layers as on the next picture it is shown.

We’ve got the next result:

Combine in a group all the layers of the recently made elements (press CTRL button to select the necessary layers and hold on the left mouse’s button while dragging the selected layers on Create a new group icon from bottom part of the Layers panel). Press now CTRL+Alt and drag the mask from previous group on the last made one.

We’ve got the next result:

Select the group in Layers panel and press Ctrl+E to Merge Down into a single layer all group layers. Set theBlending mode for this layer to Linear Dodge.

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:

Create a new layer and select the Soft Round brush and white color, set Opacity to 30% in Options bar.

Use this brush to paint on canvas as shown.

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Overlay.

Finished!