Create a Rainbow in Photoshop

with Don Schechter

Transcript: Create a Rainbow in Photoshop

Hi, I'm Don Schechter for About.com Computing. Today I'll show you how to create a rainbow in Adobe Photoshop

I'm using Photoshop CS2, but you should be able to create a rainbow in any version you're using.

Open a New Document

Start with a new document, but the dimensions must be square. I'll use a 400x400 pixel canvas.

The size should be a few pixels larger than the width you want for the finished rainbow. Click 'OK.'

Make a New Layer

Make a new layer by clicking the new layer button in the layers palette. Select the rectangle marquee tool, and click and drag a selection about twice as tall as you want your rainbow width to be. Leave some room at the bottom edge of the document.

Select the Gradient Tool

Now I'll just select the gradient tool. I'll choose the spectrum gradient. Make sure the shape is set to linear gradient.

Hold the shift key down, and click and drag from the bottom of the rectangle to the top. Now deselect.

Select the Rectangular Polar Coordinate

Go to 'filter,' 'distort,' and choose 'polar coordinates.' Select rectangular polar if it is not selected.

Now I'll just click the minus button in the filter dialog to preview the effect. Click 'OK' and you should see a circle rainbow.

Apply a Soft Blur

For a finishing touch, go up to 'filter,' 'blur,' and select 'Gaussian blur.' I'll choose '1' to apply a soft blur, and click 'OK.'

Now, I'll select the top half of the rainbow and press 'delete.' I'll just rotate the canvas, and there's our rainbow in its own layer so you can copy it into another document or save it for future documents.

Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us online at computing.about.com.

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