TUTORIAL: How to add snow/rain to your pictures
How to create SNOW and RAIN with Photoshop
Hi everyone! Since is almost Christmas, I thought it would be nice to create some cards with snow, don’t you think? With this method I’m going to show you how create static/dynamic pictures with snow and also how to create pictures with rain.
SNOW
To create pictures with snow, you need Photoshop CS3. A lower edition will work too, sadly up to the CS4 it doesn’t work because the author did the last one in 2009.
What we need to do is download a filter called VDL ADRENALINE from this website (free). Install it, then we can start.
Open the picture you want. It doesn’t matter is not particularly wintery, you can apply snow where you like. This filter also permits you to add colored snow if you want, so you can also use it in other ways. It also lets you to create confetti and make a parade! (Sorry, Supernatural reference. Lol.)
Remember to ALWAYS leave your base with no snow to duplicate. I will do a gif with 3 pictures, but you can make it as much as you wish.
Duplicate your base, then find the filter in FILTERS > VDL ADRENALINE > SNOWFLAKES.
It will pop-up a window, set as I did:
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9555/snowi.png
I suggest you not to put the amount too high or you’ll have too many balls. Lol.
The random seed needs to be always put on 0 when you start with the first pic.
Now duplicate your base - with no snow - again, and put it on the pic you’ve just added the snow to and re-open the filter. Set the same way, just this time put the random seed (last option of the panel) on 1000.
This has to be done so the random balls of snow will change position. The more random seed is different than the previous one, the more the snow will look real.
Click on okay, and now duplicate your clean base for one last time. Open the filter and set the random seed on 2000 and press okay.
Now the snow needs to move!!
Open the ANIMATION PALETTE (Window > Animation) and on the top right of the palette click on CREATE FRAMES FROM LAYERS to create your gif. Delete your first frame (the clean one) both from the animation palette and layer palette, so that the gif will have 3 frames only.
Select all the frames and set the velocity at 0,3 and press play!!
Save for web and devices and you’re done!
This is my result (using 5 frames):
http://i.imgur.com/UzAA1.gif
RAIN
To create rain, you don’t need a specific filter nor Photoshop. This can be done from any version.
I will use this picture since it was really raining in the scene:
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/9966/506gossipgirl1599.jpg
Duplicate your base and fill it with black (EDIT > FILL). Then go on FILTERS > NOISE > ADD NOISE and put the marker on 100% and choose an UNIFORM method.
Now do FILTERS > BLUR > MOTION BLUR and set angle around 70 and distance on 30.
Change the distance to a higher number if you want a stronger rain. Set it on SOFT LIGHT.
Now duplicate your base again. Repeat FILL > with BLACK, ADD NOISE change the % a bit. I put it on 150% this time, then repeat the MOTION BLUR and set the layer SOFT LIGHT.
Duplicate your base and repeat the same actions, when you arrive to the ADD NOISE panel and put the % on 200. Do the MOTION BLUR and set it on SOFT LIGHT again.
Duplicate the base for the last time and repeat everything bla bla bla but in the ADD NOISE panel set the % on 250 and then do the MOTION BLUR filter and set it on SOFT LIGHT.
Now in the LAYER PALETTE screen all the layers but the base and the first rain layer.
Duplicate the frame in the ANIMATION PALETTE but this time only the base and the second rain layer are visible.
Duplicate the frame in the ANIMATION PALETTE but this time only the base and the third rain layer are visible.
Duplicate the frame in the ANIMATION PALETTE but this time only the base and the fourth rain layer are visible.
Now select all the layers and set the velocity on 0,2 or on 0,1.
Press play and here we have rain! :D
http://i.imgur.com/sWotl.gif
To put rain on a gif, you just need to create “rain” layers as much as the layers of your gifs are.