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Realistic Plasma Tutorial — Description

If you are reading this tutorial in bright light (for example if you have your computer next to a window like I do)
you might want reread this tutorial at a time when there is less light.
It can make it hard to see some of the subtle parts of the effect.

Also, I am currently working on an enhanced version of this tutorial,
so feel free to request any additional information or sections you would like to see added!
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This took forever to put together, but I finally finished it.
Intended to be a sort of "here's how I do it" on making lightning/neon effects by hand.
Hope its useful and/or inspiring to someone out there!

Any suggestions for additional info, clarification, elaboration, etc. are encouraged; if they're good I'll add them to the tutorial!
I'd love to see any images you make inspired by this tutorial or working from it, feel free to post a link in the comments!
And I'd also like to say thanks to for giving me some tips on colorizing a while back, pointed me in the right direction to puzzle out the digital method of creating neon glows and plasma in part 3. I had been using a similar method, but his tips helped me figure out how to take it to the next level of realism.

Oh, and I should say that I only want the the "no derivative works" thing to apply to the tutorial as a whole; feel free to use it all you want as a reference for works of any sort, just don't plagiarize me for your book or change two things and post it or something.
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Wow, I'm off the computer for an afternoon and come back to find my tutorial practically going viral!
Thanks for all the faves and comments!
I'm thrilled so many people found it helpful!

I figured it couldn't hurt if added a few thumbnails of some pieces I've done using these techniques as examples:

The last three are traditional(marker and colored pencil for the first two, and acryilic for the third), and are good examples of how the same basic pricipals apply no matter what media you're using.
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May 28 2011- As the first step in my overhaul on this tutorial (call it version 1.1), I've added two new sections:
-common misconceptions on how to make neon and plasma glow effects, and
-a step-by-step walkthrough on creating a neon sign from start to finish.

I've also expanded the section on the watercolor illusion, adding in more examples and explanation of how it works. Given that it really is one of the most important parts of the tutorial, I felt it needed more than a brief mention. ::

I'm planning on improving the lightning section next, and adding a section devoted to streamer showers, so be sure to check back for those in the next week or two.

May 29-Improved new parts with better formatting and explanation, and corrected a couple of grammar/spelling mistakes.

July 10-Finally got a chance to sit down and work on the tutorial, schedule's been crazy past couple months.
Did a total overhaul on the lightning section, adding in some new tricks I've picked up since the first version. I also improved the header.
Thanks go out to for suggesting some of the improvements made to both.