Creating Flames on Objects - part 1

First, decide what you would like to make "flaming". I used a car as it fit the project I was working on - Hot Auto Loans. This image was downloaded from a GM Asset site used by my employer. You may use it for the tutorial only, or use your own image.

Next you will need to create a path around your object. You can draw it freestyle, use the magic wand, draw with the pen tool - however you like to make your selection/path. To convert a selection to a path you will need to click to the paths window and create a new work path. I use the minimum amount when creating my paths. I have shown the path outlined in green.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have the entire object outlined, the location of the fire is the most important area.

Create a new layer above the background layer. Name it Flames.

Command/Control click on the "work path" to make a selection from it. We will use this selection several times, which is why we made a path to keep it available.

NOTE: You could also save the selection as a channel. In that case command click on the alpha channel in the channel window every time directed to make a new selection from the work path. Either way, you have access to the same selection multiple times.

We will now create the outer edge of our flame coloring. Choose a nice red/orange color, I used FE0000. With your selection still active, go under Select/Modify/Expand and expand your selection by 10 pixels. (You may have to adjust for the resolution of your image.) Then again under Select/Modify/Feather (older than CS3 Feather is still a separate selection under the Select menu) give the selection a feather of 50 pixels. Now, make sure you are on the Flames layer and fill the selection with your red color.

Your image should look similar to this.

Now we will create the other colors of our flames. This will involve several steps similar to the last one. We will be using the same layer.

Choose a nice yellow color, I used FEE900. Reselect the work path. Give it a feather of 25 pixels. Fill the selection with yellow. Deselect.

Reselect the work path. Contract by 10 pixels (Select/Modify/Contract - use the same amount you did to expand in step 3). Feather by 15 pixels and fill with white. This time, do no deselect.

Contract by 10 pixels again and this time choose a nice light blue, I used BDEAFF. Fill with blue.

Contract by 10 pixels again and fill with white. Deselect.

Your image should resemble this.

Now we get to create our flames! With the flames layer selected, go under the Filter menu and select Liquify. (If your version of PS doesn't have the Liquify command, you can achieve similar results using the smudge tool.)

We are going to use the top tool in the box to the left. I have included the settings I used. You may have to adjust them for your image.

Play around clicking on the edge where you want the flames to be and dragging in a wavy motion. Experiment with the position of the tool with respect to the colors in your flames. Clicking in the middle of the color band like cross 1 will give you a more yellow/orange flame. If you click lower like cross 2 you will get more blue and white in the bottom of your flame. I find that short drags starting at various positions works best. Have fun and play with it. Remember, flames tend to lick at an object, sometimes wavering side to side while they rise mostly upward.

As you can see I have some flames splitting and forking as they rise. Variety is the key to realistic looking flames.

When you are happy with your flames, click ok.