| 1. | Create a new 640x480 pixel image. In the "New" dialog box,
name the image 'Starburst' (or whatever you like) and select
'Transparent' for the initial contents of the image.
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2. | Choose Edit -> Fill and select 'Black' as the Contents to
fill the single layer in the image with solid black.
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3. | Click the Text tool in the toolbar (the little 'T'), then
choose a nice, thick font in the options bar (I recommend
'Arial Black'. Type '100px' for the font size, choose
Centered alignment, and set the text color to white.
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4. | Click in the middle of your image and type 'BOOM' (or
whatever text you had in mind), then Ctrl-Enter to create
a new layer containing the text.
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5. | Using the Move Tool (at the top-right of the toolbar),
position the text as close to the center of the image as
possible, so that the effect will appear to be centered on
the text. Make sure there's plenty of room around the text
for the effect -- you can always trim the image later if
it's too big.
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6. | In the Layers palette, right-click on the name of your
text layer (as opposed to its thumbnail) and choose
'Rasterize Layer' from the popup menu.
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7. | Ctrl-click on the text layer in the Layers palette to
select the outline of your text.
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8. | On the Select menu, choose 'Save Selection'. Type a name
for your selection (e.g. 'BOOM outline') in the Name
field and click OK to save the selection as a new channel.
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9. | On the Select menu, choose 'Deselect' (or Ctrl-D).
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10. | On the Layer menu, choose 'Merge Down' (or Ctrl-E) to
combine the text with the black background.
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11. | On the Filter menu, choose 'Blur -> Gaussian Blur' and
specify a radius of 5.0 pixels. Your text should become
fuzzy around the edges.
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12. | Choose Filter -> Stylize -> Solarize. The fuzzy outline
of your text will remain on a black background.
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13. | Choose Image -> Adjust -> Auto Levels (or Ctrl-Shift-L) to
brighten up the outline.
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14. | Right-click on the name of your layer in the Layers
palette and choose Duplicate Layer, and click OK in the
dialog box to accept the default name.
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15. | Hide the top layer by clicking the eye icon to the left of
the first layer on the list in the Layers palette, then
select the bottom layer by clicking it in the list.
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16. | Here's where things get weird! Choose Filter -> Distort ->
Polar Coordinates. In the Polar Coordinates window, choose
'Polar to Rectangular' and click OK. Your text outline will
be warped across the top of the image.
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17. | Choose Image -> Rotate Canvas -> 90 degrees CW.
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18. | Invert the colors in the image with Image -> Adjust ->
Invert (or Ctrl-I).
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19. | Choose Filter -> Stylize -> Wind, and make sure the method
selected is 'Wind' and the direction is 'From the Right'
before you click OK.
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20. | Type Ctrl-F to repeat the Wind effect.
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21. | Choose Image -> Adjust -> Auto Levels (Ctrl-Shift-L) to
restore some of the darkness to the image.
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22. | Invert the image back to a black background (Ctrl-I).
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23. | Repeat the Wind effect twice more (Ctrl-F x2).
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24. | Choose Image -> Rotate Canvas -> 90 degrees CCW to return
the warped text outline to the top of the image.
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25. | Choose Filter -> Distort -> Polar Coordinates, but this time
choose 'Rectangular to Polar' and click OK.
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26. | The image should be starting to look pretty cool alrady! Now
let's get back to our hidden top layer. Click the top layer
in the list to select it and make it visible again.
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27. | On the Blend Mode drop-down list (next to the Opacity drop-
down at the top of the Layers palette), choose Screen. The
starburst effect from the bottom layer should now show
beneath the bright, fuzzy outline of the top layer. This is
already a pretty cool effect!
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28. | On the Select menu choose 'Load Selection' and choose the
selection you saved earlier ('BOOM outline') from the Channel
drop-down. Make sure 'New Selection' is selected and click OK
to restore the saved selection. The original outline of the
text should now appear as a marquee on your image.
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29. | Double-check that the top layer is selected, then choose
Edit -> Clear (or just hit the Del key), then choose Select
-> Deselect (Ctrl-D) to clear the selection.
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30. | Combine the two layers by typing Ctrl-E.
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31. | This is the basic starburst effect, but to make it look
especially slick, let's add a splash of color! Right-click
the layer name in the Layers palette and choose 'Blending
Options'.
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32. | Select 'Gradient Overlay' from the list of styles to the left.
For the Blend Mode of the gradient, choose 'Overlay'. Pick a
gradient suitable for your purposes, or create your own by
clicking on the gradient displayed (not the drop-down arrow)
and adjusting the colours yourself. I created a fade from a
bright blue (0,0,255) to a bright green (0,255,0).
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33. | Click OK to see your finished image!
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