Abstract images, where so I start

[Jae]

I'm new here, and sadly I start out with a question:] . I have always found the abstract images, normally used for wallpapers to be amazing. But are there any type of tutorials, I want to create images like but not the same as I see so often. Pretty vague, here are some links and maybe you can help me out.
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/2424957 http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/2432454 http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/2432641
Just where to start, I have a very good background in photoshop, so don't think i just opened the program and wanted to do this immediately.

[austizmo]

MOST of those abstract backgrounds start off in a 3d app which makes the shapes, reflections, and whatnot. wnd finish up in photoshop with some text, glows, and flat lines. if you own a 3d app like 3DStudio Max, then 3dcafe.com has some tutorials to get those abstract shapes. once you have that the majority of the work is done.

[Ammar Midani]

Hello Jae..the sites you posted got tutorials, also hang up here i'm sure you'll find something intersting, specially in the light table section..

Welcome to PST.

Ammar

[markzebra]

Abstract is something I know from experience is extremely difficult to teach people – you have to have a feel for it.

One thing I've learned to my surprise is that people have hugely different levels of skill (I don't just mean technical skill but basic artistic flair) - but the main thing you have to have before you start is some kind of visualisation - being able to visualise and imagine something before you try to execute it is the most important asset. I don't know if its possible to "teach" this. Its easy to sketch something at the beginning with a few scribbles on paper – to work on compositions, this will help.

Remember whatever you use to create your images whether its Photoshop or anything else, they are only tools. The tools can't give you the inspiration or the ideas This software makes it easy now to create images that before would have been hugely labour intensive, and this is the attraction for a lot of people.

A few years ago I put this very loose rundown (http://robouk.mchost.com/tuts/tutorial.php?tutorial=floodcard) on a few techniques how to do abstract type images online after someone asked exactly the same question. After I'd done my version Luke Yoo who was responsible for the original liked it and gave me the go-ahead. I came to understand though why he had a policy not to do tutorials …*ever since then I'm beseiged with people asking for precise "step by steps" to make this image, even though I made it clear that exact copying wasn't the best approach to these images at the beginning. This really defeats the whole purpose of abstract in my opinion which if its valuable at all is about exploring your own ideas.

Its not really necessary to have 3D applications to do all of these images - Photoshop has a huge array of tools to help you, but it certainly helps to cheat them.

[Welles]

While it isn't necessary to have a 3D program, the image which I saw on the link you provided was done in Bryce. Basically it is a doodle. If you really want to have some 3D fun with the ability to do something neat in minutes, get Bryce. Of course there's a learning curve but of any 3D application it is the easiest to learn and the most fun to begin because the instant gratification quotient is very high!