Thursday, November 18, 2021

CoffeeShop Photoshop/PSE Tutorial: Create Heavenly Light Using Gradients!


Today I wanted to show you an easy technique to add gorgeous heavenly light to any image. This effect looks stunning on most outdoor images, but I really love using it on fall and winter scenes.

In this tutorial I will be using my CoffeeShop "Buttercream Beauty" Photoshop/PSE action and adding a  Gradient adjustment layer for the light effect.

Buttercream Beauty is one of my favorite actions but I posted it years ago and many of you have probably never seen it. It looks great on so many different images including portraits, still life, and landscapes. So I am excited to be using it in my newest tutorial.

CoffeeShop "Heavenly Light" Photoshop/PSE Tutorial:




Run the Buttercream Beauty action and adjust the layers to taste.


Click to select the Soft Buttercream 2 layer and add a Gradient adjustment layer.


Set the Gradient to Black to Transparent, Linear, Scale of 1%. I use these settings so I can easily adjust where I want the light breaking through. 

Adjust the Angle where you wish to see the light, in this case mainly from the upper right corner.


Double-Click on the Black to Transparent Gradient to open up the Gradient Editor and then click on the left color box as seen above and set it to Hex#f2dab4.


Do the same to the right box and then press OK.


Adjust the Scale to taste to soften the light effect. Then adjust the opacity of this new Gradient layer or try different blending modes.


Screen blending mode


Hard Light blending mode


Overlay blending mode




I wanted to show you one more example using a different color for the Gradient.

Run the Buttercream Beauty action.


This time add a burnt orange color to the left side of the Gradient and keep the right side the same as I used in the previous image. Then adjust the Scale to taste.

I hope you can use this method of editing on some of your images! Please leave any questions in the comments below.

Do you want to download all of my favorite professional CoffeeShop PSE/Photoshop actions (including exclusive ones not found anywhere for free), textures, papers, clip art/design elements, storyboards, and Lightroom presets in one convenient zipped file AND help support this blog? Just click here for my CoffeeShop Mega Download Pack!

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