Easy Space Scene
Easy Space Scene
Create an impressive space scene in Pixelmator from scratch.
Layers, Gradient Tool, painting tools, filters, and color adjustments were used in this tutorial.
Step 1
Create a new image in Pixelmator. Feel free to use any size, however, to achieve a result similar to that shown in the tutorial, use a size of 1050×690 pixels.
Step 2
Click to select the Gradient Tool (G) in the Tools palette. In the Gradients palette (View > Show Gradients), click the Action button and choose New Gradient to create a new gradient preset. Create a radial gradient with dark blue and black colors. Click OK.
Using the Gradient Tool apply the recently created gradient, so that the blue appears in the middle.
Step 3
To apply the stars, first, click the Add button (+) to add a new layer and fill it (Edit > Fill) with black color. Then choose Filter > Stylize > Noise. Set the Noise Amount to 6.0-6.5%. Make sure the Monochrome checkbox is selected. Monochrome creates the grayscale noise. Click OK to apply the filter.
Please note that the Noise filter looks most accurate with a 100% Zoom (View > Actual Pixels).
Step 4
Once the noise filter is applied, change layer’s with the noise Blending to Screen, since the Screen blending mode creates a bleached effect. Then choose Image > Levels. To reduce the amount of the stars and to make them look random, drag the black color input to the right and the white color input to the left. Click OK.
Step 5
Add some depth to the image by adding the clouds. To do that:
- Add a new layer by click the Add button (+) in the Layers palette.
- Change the layer’s Blending to Linear Dodge and reduce the Opacity to 30%.
- Choose Filter > Generator > Clouds. Set Primary Color to white and Secondary Color to black. Click OK.
- Use the Eraser Tool (E) to delete some parts of the clouds.
Step 6
With the clouds layer selected, choose Filter > Distortion > Pinch. Move rope’s end point to the center of the image. Use approximately 280 for the Radius and approximately 100 for the Scale. Click OK. If necessary, use the Eraser Tool (E) again to erase some parts.
Step 7
Add some stars to the composition:
- In the Layers palette, click the Add button (+) to add another new layer above the others and rename it “Shining Stars”. Change layer’s Blending to Color Dodge.
- Choose Edit > Fill to fill the layer with black color.
- Click to select the Brush Tool (B) in the Tools palette.
- In the Brushes palette (View > Show Brushes), click on the Action button and choose the Nature brush presets collection from the contextual menu.
- Click to select a star brush preset. In order to change the settings, double-click on the brush preset and set any values you like.
Set main color to white and using the Brush Tool, paint some stars.
Step 8
To add the light to the center of the composition:
- In the Layers palette, click the Add button (+) to add another new layer above the background layer rename it “Light”.
- Click to select the Brush Tool (B) in the Tools palette.
- Select any soft brush from the Brushes palette (View > Show Brushes).
- Set main color to blue and using the Brush Tool, paint a soft blue spot in the middle of the composition.
- In order to make the blue spot softer, choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian, set Amount 60-80, click OK.
Step 9
In the Layers palette, click the Add button (+) to add another new layer above the “Light” layer. Repeat the previous step, but instead of the blue color use the white color.
Step 10
Add some mysterious lights to the composition:
- Click to add another new layer (+) above the others.
- Fill (Edit > Fill) this layer with black color.
- In the Tools palette set main color to white. Using the Brush Tool (B) paint some different size round spots.
- Change layer’s with white spots Blending mode to Color Dodge.
- Choose Filter > Blur > Zoom Blur. Move rope’s end point to the center of the image and set the Amount to 30. Click OK.
- Duplicate the layer twice, then select all the three layers with white lights and choose Layer > Merge Layers to merge them. Change Blending to Color Dodge.
- To increase the effect, choose Image > Levels and drag the white color input to the left side. Click OK.
Step 11
Create a time traveling illusion by adding the Travelator filter:
- Click to add a new layer.
- Change layer’s Blending to Color Dodge.
- Choose Filter > Quartz Composer > Generator > Travelator. Experiment by dragging the Time and the Pace settings to get a nice-looking effect. Click OK when done.
- Duplicate the layer with the travelator filter by choosing Layer > Duplicate Layer.
- With the duplicated layer selected, choose Edit > Flip Horizontal.
- Make the travelator symmetrical by choosing Edit > Transform and rotating the duplicated layer a little bit.
Well done Fabio, I saw this posted on Flickr earlier, didn’t know a tutorial would come of it though.
Fantastic outcome, may try some things with this soon.
Thanks! Great for a beginner like me.
Hey! this is an awesome tutorial, but, I just wanted to say that, I’ve been having come trouble with some of the tutorials, I dunno if it’s something that has to do with the version but, for example, when I render clouds, it looks totally different how they are on this tutorial, it’s like a full screen effect, on yours it’s partial, as well as on some others.
One way or another, I’ve learned a lot from these tutorials, but, I’d love them to be a little more precise on v1.4.1, this program is amazing, and I’d love it to succeed, thanks for everything!
First off, thanks a lot for the comments, I’m glad you like the tutorial.
@Marcelo, the Clouds filter render random clouds, so you wont be able to replicate the exact effect. Then it’s the whole screen too, but you need with the Eraser Tool (E) delete some areas and leave just a few, that with the blending will make the effect cool.
Looks great. Good job Fabio.
I just want to thank you fro all the pixelmator tutorials it’s really appreciated.
There’s a blend mode step missing after step 2 – once you’ve created the noise and changed the levels, how do you put the stars over the gradient?
Thanks, awesome tut!
exactly, mark!
i tried blending: lighter color with 40% opacity to get the “noise stars” to appear on top of the background, but it’a not perfect, i guess
so yeah, how do you put the stars over the gradient properly?
thanks
@ Fabio Sasso – First off your end results on your tutorials always look amazing, but are you rushed when you write your tutorials? Because you consistently leave out important steps or information which ends up confusing or frustrating a lot of people.
For example you explained to Marcelo how to achieve this:
“@Marcelo, the Clouds filter render random clouds, so you wont be able to replicate the exact effect. Then it’s the whole screen too, but you need with the Eraser Tool (E) delete some areas and leave just a few, that with the blending will make the effect cool.”
Don’t you think this information would have been helpful in step 4 of your tutorial? You should NEVER write a tutorial assuming the end user knows things like this already.
If a brand new Pixelmator customer bought the app today and followed this tutorial step by step the end results would be nothing like what your showing due to lack of important information left out of your steps.
Can you please review you steps and include the missing information necessary to help the end results of a user be closer to what your showing.
Thanks
I am grateful for the gesture that this tutorial was even written, but, it was incredibly incomplete for a newbie like myself.
First of all, why were colors given in hex? How about RGB?
Second, step 2 failed to mention any kind of blending which is necessary (on a friend’s recommendation, I went with Color Dodge).
On step 3 and 4, the author fails to mention using Levels to intensify the contrast and a Free Transform to increase the size of the Clouds layer.
Those are the few I noticed, but, man it’s a good thing I had a friend experienced in these matters helping me, I would’ve never guessed those things myself with no design background. Please try and be more thorough next time! Thanks!
I used “Hard Light” blending for Step 2.
well i have a problem when i finish with the levels i just see a star field but without the gradient in it , why mi image it doesn’t see like yours ?
Thanks for the tutorial but I’m quite desperate too. I’m new and my picture doesn’t look like yours. How to blend in the stars into the gradient? (Thats where i had to stop because I got frustrated
I just recently got a mac and was looking to get back into web designing. After some research I decided on PIxelmator. This software is soo powerful and user friendly once you know the basics. Fabio thanks for these tutorials. I have tried two of these and am at about 90% success rate, but I’m going to keep working on it.
Thanks!!
To put the stars behind the gradient use the Screen blending mode on the stars layer.
On the clouds use the erase tool to remove some of the clouds.
And the directions in step 13 are correct but the picture is wrong, don’t get fooled by it.
And remember it doesn’t have to look exactly like it, add your own style!
I can’t believe that some of you people have design experience and can’t figure this out. I liked this tutorial a lot. My only confusion is that the clouds don’t seam to be reflected in the end product. I learned a lot from just doing the basic steps provided. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
What is updated? I don’t notice it. I made it on black friday and i don’t see a difference. Please answer ASAP!!
Sarah,
The steps have been slightly updated so it would be easier to follow the tutorial
Very easy and fun! One question though. My brushes always seem to hard on my Wacom 4 tablet. Am I doing something wrong?
Sorry Wacom Intuos 4 lol.
this is fun, i like how there was room to experiment on your own! I also love how stock photos were not needed or used, and it let me experience many filters and blending that pixelmator contains!
Thanks
I can’t get my noise effect look like yours, no idea in the world what’s wrong. Even though I follow the guide carefully…
I’m too bad at this or your guide doesn’t show all steps :/
//Guy who wanna get good at this.
Hi Methone,
Before applying the Noise filter set the Zoom to 100%, or choose View > Actual Pixels. This should help.
Nope, doesn’t help. The problem is I have a lot more noise, and it doesn’t really decrease when I adjust levels.
Have you changed the Blending mode to Screen in the Layers palette?
Yes, to the layer with the noise.
There’s a mistake in the Noise amount. It should be 10, that’s why it doesn’t look like the example.
I have another question, I can’t find the Filter “Pitch”… (I have the last version and it’s in Spanish, but I couldn’t find neither the filter nor something similar…)
Hi Sonya,
Pinch filter is under Distortion filter menu. Choose Filter, then the very first is “Distortion” and under Distortion filter menu Pinch filter is the 9th if you count from the top of that menu.
Hope this helps.
I think my version may be different from this one, but finally I found it
Thank you Ausra!
After playing around with some of the layer settings, I finally got what I was looking for (ahem, the artists website needs to match this).
Beautiful.
Perchè ogni volta che aggiungo un livello per usare il pennello non ( stelle e macchie bianche ai passaggi 7 e 10 il pennello non colora? è capitato anche con altri tutorial
grazie!
Barbara,
Check if the brush Opacity is set to 100% and the Blending mode is set to Normal in the Tool Options bar.
Controllare se l’opacità del pennello è impostato al 100% e il metodo di fusione è impostata su Normal nella barra delle opzioni.