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Using a gradient and the Render> Difference
Clouds filter, we can quickly create a number of different types
of backgrounds. You can produce retro tie-dye 60s-looking
backgrounds, more psychedelic looks, and even some
elegantly-complex patterns.
Start with a multi-color gradient. You can
use one of the preset gradients, or you can design your own in
the Gradient Editor. (Click directly on the gradient sample in
the Options Bar to open the Gradient Editor.) For this example,
we'll use the Spectrum preset and the Gradient tool's Diamond
Gradient option.
For best results, work with a square document. (You can later
use Image Size without the Constrain Proportions option to
resize to your required dimensions.) Drag from the center of the
image to one corner. To find the center of the image, use the
View> New Guide command and input 50%, creating a vertical
guide, then repeat to create a horizontal guide.
The Render> Difference Clouds filter has no dialog box because
it has no options. Using red as the foreground color, the filter
creates a nice tie-dye background from a diamond Spectrum
gradient.
A couple of applications of the filter,
using the shortcut Command-F (Mac) or Control-F (Windows) can
create a more vibrant, psychedelic background.
A few more applications of Difference Clouds produces a more
elegant look.
Using Difference Clouds with a radial
gradient is, well, "groovy"!
You can choose whatever colors you need in
a custom gradient, and select an appropriate foreground color
prior to applying the filter. In this next example, you see the
original in the upper-left. In the upper-right, the filter was
applied with yellow as the foreground color. In the lower-left,
Difference Clouds was applied to the original background using
black as the foreground color. In the lower right, the filter
was applied once with black as the foreground color, then again
with yellow as the foreground color.
And experiment with different gradients on
different layers with various blending modes. In the following
sample, the original gradient is shown in the lower-left,
Difference Clouds was applied with red as the foreground color,
and the gradient patterns are visible in the Layers palette.
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