How to create light streams like this in photoshop?

[jon_k]

http://i.imgur.com/Swsxoh.jpg

I was wondering how one would create streams from the back of the photo to about midway. All the extra decoration is irrelevant.

A similar technique could be used to emulate headlights.

Any ideas?

[hue-e]

do you have a tablet? if not, just use a mouse and a nice fine brush and scribble out the areas you want. I'd keep each different steak on its own layer.

once you get the rough in there. you'll want to try a couple of things...
-either use the layer effects to put an outter glow on it, or a drop shadow of the same color so you can shift it slightly.
- you can also copy the layer of each streak, blur them to your liking.
- use the blur tool on the layer you want blurred, change the amount so it's more in focus the closer you get to the foreground.

as for your highlights, lens flare tends to give off some nice ones, but you'll want to erase the stupid colored rings it puts off. again, do that on a new layer and use warp tools to get them to shape to your streaks better.

the thing is, there's not really a write/wrong way to do this. from the looks of this image, the streaks were done in another program, then blurred, highlighted and blended in PS.

do a google search for photoshop tutorials (lighting effects, light streamers, whatever). I've actually read a few related to the subject so I know they are all over the place.

I also like to do searches for this stuff on youtube, nothing like being able to just watch it unfold in front of you.

[hue-e]

oh, and I forgot about masking so it goes from dark to light, background to foreground.