In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add a glow effect to an image in Photoshop. Let’s jump right in.
Getting Started
If you want to follow along with our tutorial, you can download the image of the woman with the sword from Pexels, and the image of the forest also from Pexels.
Before you begin, note that we’ve removed the woman from the original background as well as completely removed the subject in the forest image in order to composite the two together. We begin with a brand new composite in order to present this tutorial.
Step 1: Mask the Subject and the Object From the Background
An important part of adding a glow effect in Photoshop is to separate each component onto its own layer by way of masking. In our example, we’ll be using just three components. We have our background (the forest), our subject (the woman), and the object which will have the glow effect (the sword).
We cover how to mask a subject in Photoshop if you need a refresher on basic masking. Essentially, we want three layers to which we can apply different effects without affecting other parts of the image. For most images where a glow effect is desired, three layers will be the minimum needed to successfully apply the glow. Once you master this technique, you’ll be able to apply multiple glow effects in more complex scenarios.
Step 2: Apply Curves Adjustment Layers to the Background and Subject
A glow effect in Photoshop will be more powerful if the background and subject are darkened. In this step, we’ll create a Curves adjustment layer for the background and subject layers. Then we’ll apply each Curves layer to its respective partner layer. We also have a complete guide on how to use Curves in Photoshop.
Make the Background layer active. Then, click on the adjustment layer menu and select Curves. Click on the Highlights handle and drag it down until the background layer is sufficiently darkened. Make the Subject layer active. Once more, create a Curves adjustment layer. Click on the clipping icon to clip the Curves layer to the Subject layer. Lower the Highlights handle to sufficiently darken the subject.
Now, we’re ready to add the glow effect to the sword.
Step 3: Add a Glow Effect to the Object
In this step, we’ll access the Layer Style menu of the object (sword) layer. There, we will adjust the properties of several of the layer styles. Note that the settings we apply to the sword are image-specific, meaning that if you’re following along with us on your own image then you’ll need to experiment with the settings to find the best results.
Double-click on the right-side of the sword layer to access the Layer Style menu. Alternatively, go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Tick the box for the Color Overlay option. Be sure to also single-click on the name once more to summon the menu box. Change the Blend Mode to Hard Light. Change the Opacity to 44. Then, click on the color option and change the color to red (#f88b98) as shown. Press OK. Tick the Inner Glow option and open the menu. You can enter the adjustments as shown below. Tick the Outer Glow option and open the menu. Change the Blend Mode to Screen. Set Opacity to 67. Continue in Outer Glow. Single-click on the color and change it to red (#f92f2f). Press OK. Continue in Outer Glow. Change Technique to Softer, Spread to 0, Size to 202, Range to 78, and Jitter to 0. Tick the Drop Shadow box and open the menu. Then, open the Color menu. Change the color to red (#fd3030). Press OK. Continue in Drop Shadow. You can enter the adjustments as shown below. Press OK to close the Layer Style menu.
We’ve now added a cool glow effect to the sword. But we’re not done yet.
Step 4: Add a Residue Glow Effect to the Background and Subject
Adding a glow effect in Photoshop isn’t complete unless the glow interacts realistically with its surrounding environment. In this case, the glow from the sword would realistically fall onto our subject as well as onto the background ever so slightly.
Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer above the Curves 2 layer. Clip the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to the layer below. In the Hue/Saturation menu, change the Saturation to 50, Lightness to +20, and tick the Colorize box. Click on the Hue/Saturation mask. Press Ctrl + I to invert the mask. The mask should turn black, and the subject will no longer be red. Set the Foreground Color to White. Press D and then toggle the X key if necessary. Press B for the Brush tool. Make sure you have a Soft Round brush selected. Change the Flow to 2%. Carefully brush the glow effect onto the woman where the glow from the sword would naturally fall. Take your time! See our beginner’s guide to using the Brush tool in Photoshop if you need help. Access the Layers Style menu. Go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. In the Blend If section, click on the shadows handle and press Alt. Move the right slider to the right as shown below. This will remove the red glow from the dark areas where it shouldn’t be. With the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer still active, press Ctrl + J to duplicate the layer. Click and drag the Hue/Saturation copy layer to just above the Curves layer. Click on the Hue/Saturation copy layer’s mask. Press Ctrl + Backspace to turn the mask completely black. Press B for the Brush tool. With the same Brush settings as before, paint onto the ground where the glow might reflect. If the glow effect is too strong, simply reduce the Opacity. We changed ours to 61%.
With the basic glow effects applied, we can now examine our image and see what needs to be adjusted further. Fortunately, we’ve used several adjustment layers and the glow can be modified to be more bold or subtle.
Step 5: The Final Touches
Once the basics are taken care of, we can revisit as many of the adjustments as we like and make changes.
For this image, we revisited all the adjustment layers, including the Layers Style panel, and made some adjustments. We also added three additional Curves layers at the top to build a custom vignette, with the final layer on top serving as a global adjustment to add overall brightness and contrast.
Most of the layers we’ve created can be changed at any time. How far you push the glow effects is up to you.
Create a Cool Glow Effect With Photoshop
We hope that you followed along and learned how easy it is to create glow effects in Photoshop. It may seem like there are a lot of steps, but once you know the general method, you can create an image like this one in just a matter of a few minutes. Practice makes perfect!
