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Step 1. First make sure that you have the actions window open, go to Window>Actions. To make a new action set, click on the little folder icon and then name your set. Click Ok when done.

Step 2. Next we are going to make a new action by click the Create New Action icon, name your action. Once you hit record, whatever you click or adjust will be recorded into the new action you just created.

Step 3. The recording should now be going, and to begin the action we will put everything into a folder and name it “Original” incase something goes wrong. Go to Select>>All Layers. Then click Layer>>Group Layers.

Step 4. Now double click on the new layer group and change the name to Original, this is where the original image will be.

Step 5. Next you need to duplicate the group by right clicking on the “Original” group and clicking Duplicate Group... Then right click the Original Copy group and select Merge Group.

Step 6. Go ahead and click on the stop icon in the actions window to stop the action for now. Your steps should look something like mine above. I will sometimes stop the action so I can plan what I am going to do next.

Step 7. Now let’s make a folder for the action. Press the record icon on the actions layer to start recording again. Make sure that the Original Copy layer is selected and go to Layer>>Group Layers. Double click on this new folder and rename it to your action. 

Step 8. Now this where you can start adding adjustment layers and adding any blurs, etc. What I will usually do is stop the action and test things out first and write down what I do. Once I like what I have come up with, I delete my “practice” layers and then start recording using my notes of the steps I did. 

A couple of things to remember, if you don’t like a step you can click on it and delete it using the trash can icon. You can also double click on a step to edit it if needed.  

Another helpful tool to use is the little grey square with dots in it, this will toggle a dialog box. For example I have turned it on for the motion blur step. That means that instead of the action just running the motion blur automatically, the motion blur window will pop up and allow the person using the action to change the settings if they want.

Step 9. To save your action, click on the action set and then click on the icon in  the top right of the action window to reveal this drop down. Choose Save Actions... and then name it whatever you would like!

hello! could you please upload the psd from your halo tutorial post? Hello! :) I just added it to the end of the tutorial if you want to check it out :)

Hi, I'm sorry if you've answered this already, but could you please do the simple enhance tutorial for gimp, for photoshop? Hello! I just added it to the list, hopefully I can get to it in the next couple months!

Heyy :) Your tutorials are amazing! I just wanted to know if there's a way to smooth the sims' edges on photoshop, because I enabled it in game and it keeps closing. I just want to smooth their edges and keep the background. Have a nice day/night! 💕 Hello! I think you may want to use the refine edge option. So if you make a selection, go to select>>refine edge and then you can smooth the edge there :)

I prefer written tutorials (it's easier to click between a tutorial and what I'm doing than to press pause/play on a video) but it could be cool if you did like, a video a week/every other week (as your schedule allows of course) your tutorials/resources are wonderful and I look forward to more, no matter how you share them! Thank you so much for the kind message! I totally agree! Maybe I can look into some video tutorials over the summer or something! :)

Hello! I don’t know if you’ve answered this before as I’m a newer follower but what photoshop do you use? Love your blog ♡ Hiya! I use photoshop cs5, I purchased it in like 2010.

jfc you are so beautiful and you are my inspiration and words can't express how much I look up to you. You have so much dedication and everythng you do is amaxing <3 You are so kind and sweet! I appreciate the nice message, it means a lot! Please have a wonderful week!!!!

Step 1. Start off by cutting out your sim, you can find a tutorial here. Then create a new Transparency Layer but clicking on the new layer icon at the bottom of the layers window. Make sure the new layer is under the sim layer.

Step 2. Next click on the gradient tool and choose two colors for your gradient. Set the gradient to FG to BG (RGB). Then click and drag on the image to create your gradient. This should be done on the new layer we just created.

Step 3. Now duplicate the sim layer by clicking the duplicate layer icon at the bottom of the layers window. 

Step 4. Select the bottom sim layer and then go to Filters>>Distorts>>IWarp. Set the Deform Mode to Move. I changed the radius to 72. Then click and drag the side where you want the particles to be. The further out you drag, the more particles you will be able to have. Click OK when done.

Step 5. Make sure the distorted layer is still selected and go to Filter>>Blur>>Gaussian Blur. I set the radius to 9.0 for both horizontal and vertical. Click OK when done.

Step 6. Now to create some masks. The masks just show and hide what you want. Right click on the distorted layer and select Add Layer Mask... then choose Black (full transparency). This will hide the distorted layer for now.

Step 7. Now right click on the top sim layer and click on Add Layer Mask. Set this mask to White (full opacity). Your top sim layer should now have a white layer mask and your bottom sim layer should have a black layer mask.

Step 8. Now choose the brush tool and set the color to black. Make sure the brush is round with a hardness of 100. I changed the size to 8.00. You need to check Apply Jitter and set it to something close to 45.00. 

Make sure the White Mask is selected in the layers window. Now start clicking and dragging on the edge of the sim. It will start to erase part of the sim. If you want to add more of the sim back in, change the color to white. I went back and forth with the size from 5.00 to 8.00 and I also switched back and forth between white and black to add more variation.

Step 9. Now click on the Black Layer Mask and change the color the brush to white. Start draggin the brush to slowly start adding the distorted layer back in. Once again I switched back and forth between white and black and 5.00 and 8.00. Keep playing around with it until you feel it looks good. You can see what my layers look like in the photo above.

Step 10. This step is not necessary but if you want to blur the edges click on the Black Layer Mask. Then choose the blur tool. Set the brush to round with a hardness of about 075. I changed the size to about 150. Start to blur particles on the edge. This will soften them a bit.