Lightquick Web Design - High Quality, Low Cost

I have seen many tutorials that use the transform > warp effect to create a flame from a pattern. Unfortunately the warp effect is not available in Photoshop ver 8.0 CS. Follow this set of actions to end up with a realistic 'guttering' candle flame without requiring the warp effect:

1. .Select the custom shape tool and make a spikey flower shape, 200 x 200, fill it with red, as below.


 

2. Using the layer blend, give it an outer glow spread of 25px and an inner glow of bright yellow, size 50px, so there is just a hint of red left. Select a gaussian contour, range 50%, as below.

3. Use Filter > Distort > Ripple 600%, as below.



4. Extend the canvas to 500px in height from the bottom to allow all the flame to be visible, as below.



5. Apply Filter > Stylize > Wind 700% - storm, as below.



6. Then rotate CCW 90 degrees so the spread is vertical, as below.



7. Then stretch the flame by dragging the image upwards, as below.



8. Use the Edit > Transform > Distort to stretch the flame vertically and pulling the bottom in making a rough triangle shape with the point at the bottom, as below.



9. Apply a Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur, as below.

10. Select an area just above the candle wick point apply filter - render - lensflare 105mm prime 60%. It is not really visible on the image below but it is there.

11. Crop around the flame ensuring you do not cut off any of the guttering flame.

12. shrink and size to fit the candle image of your choice, as below.


 

13. The 'guttering' candle as shown to better effect on a dark background.

That's it, I hope you found this useful.