How to start a fire with Paint.NET

[Tom Jackson]

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to open or download the PDF

 

Paint.NET has a new effect called "Clouds", which makes very nice looking fractal perlin noise. I've found that it's quite neat to use this to create fiery effects like this:

 

It's pretty simple:

Make a new image with dimensions 1000x500
Draw a gradient like so (with white at the bottom and black at the top):

Make a new layer.
Double-click Layer 2 to edit its properties
Set the Blending Mode to 'Overlay', then hit OK.

Go to the 'Effects --> Render' menu and choose 'Clouds'. Change the blending mode to 'Difference', then hit OK.

Push CTRL+F to repeat the effect. Do this about a dozen times.

On the 'Image' menu, choose 'Flatten'. This will give you a single layer with some nice black-and-white clouds.
On the 'Adjustments' menu, choose 'Curves...'.
Choose 'RGB' under 'Transfer map', then uncheck the 'Red' and 'Green' checkboxes so you're only modifying the blue channel, add a control point as shown below. Do the same for the green channel so you have the curves shown below.

Q.E.D.!

Other things to try:

• Use different shapes for the Layer 1 Gradient. Round gradients make neat looking explosions
• Tweak with the Curves, the general shape of them should be preserved to keep good saturation, but the channels don't need to go in the above order. Try Green, Red, Blue (instead of Red, Green, Blue) for a copper flame (copper burns green).
• Play with the 'scale' setting of Clouds for finer or Coarser clouds
• Play with the Roughness setting for clouds for softer or sharper fire
• Just try things out, you never know what you'll get.

[MadJik]

Hot hot hot as hell

[trickman]

This is AWESOME! Not only for flames, but also abstract backgrounds! You can do whatever you want: white-red-black flames, just mess with the curves (and the Invert Colors tool)!

[Maia Knuckles]

Really fire... Good Job!

[MadJik]

Same test reworked...

[Alex G]

Thats an awesome tutorial !!!!!

[BoltBait]

I love it!

Now, that's some realistic looking fire. And, not too hard to duplicate the effect either!

Here is a Plugin that does the whole thing for you: https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/11836-fire-plugin/

[trickman]

madjik, I don't really like it, it's kinda... strange.

[Alex G]

could you please post an image for step 5 and 6

[Tom Jackson]

I also made this using similar techniques:

[Tom Jackson]

could you please post an image for step 5 and 6

Done

[barkbark00]

I also made this using similar techniques:

This is pretty good! How exactly did you do this one?

[Hellfire010]

:shock: I do not have that cloud effetct.... I got another one, thats explains why i didnt make it...

I only got this: http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2105

I reinstalled paint.net than the effect came

In Paint.NET go to "Help" > "check for updates"

A new clouds plugin will be added.

Instead of reinstalling

AND

A VERY cool tutorial!!!

I'm going to post my attempts in a bit, after I make em

Edit:

ok, here they are:

Fire

Fire w/ added motion blur

Explosion

Explosion w/ added guassian blur

* Blurs were added in a copied layer, then changed to "lighten" blending mode.

Q.E.D.!

Just one question... what's QED?

And, I was trying to figure out how he did the Paint.NET text, and I think I'm on to something. Made this by increasing the contrast, might explain the outside of his letters.

Contrast Fire

[Rick Brewster]

Just one question... what's QED?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q.E.D.

It basically means, "I just proved beyond doubt that I'm right." Us college educated nerds use it as slang to replace such things as "I win!," or "Voila!", or other various phrases expressing confidence of awesomeness.

[Kaiser Yoshi]

0_o **** that's beautiful. *Experiments*

[Hellfire010]

Oh, lol, ty Rick.

[Born2killx]

Another way to start a fire using Paint.NET is overclocking your computer while Paint.NET is running and that will make an even more realistic fire.

[Hellfire010]

lol ^

Nice pic too

This tutorial is REALLY going to come in handy

[Kaiser Yoshi]

I also made this using similar techniques:

I REALLY want to know how to do that.

[Hellfire010]

I made my new avatar using a similar method I got from this tutorial.

[kirby145]

My guess on fiery text effect:

1. Make the fire effect.

2. Add New Layer with a black (or other color) background.

3. Double Click this new layer and change it's mode to: multiply

3. Type in text with your primary color: white

4. Any effects can add

(Here is glow)

[Tendercrisp]

Thanks so much man!

Now I have a sexy new sig! 8)

[Hellfire010]

I kind of got a text design down... now to figure out the outline. I forgot how I did the other outline I posted before :X

[Crazy Man Dan]

I've gotta say something. This tutorials is:

:wink:

In all seriousness, this tutorial rocks. Thank you much!

[Cokemonkey11]

using this here cloud, gradient, curves idear i made these:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8622/coldplayclockshe7.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/7807/flamesig12102006uf4.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/354/mastadonwelcomingwarub5.jpg