This tutorial will learn you how to make nice fireball effect. This effect can be used also for many other stuff, it can be any other form, not just ball.

Step 1.

Make new document, size 300×300 pixels. Press “D” to reset colors, and fill the background layer with default black color. (press “G” to go to Paint Bucket Tool) Create new adjustment layer – Color Balance (Image 1), and enter settings as shown on Image 2.

Adjustment layer
Image 1.
Color Balance Settings
Image 2.

Click OK.

Step 2.

Choose Brush tool. Adjust Brush type and size to “Soft Round Size 100px”, as shown on Image 3.

Brush
Image 3. 

Step 3.

Select “Background” layer now. Press “X” to replace foreground and background colors, now your foreground color is white. You can also do this by double-clicking foreground color, and choosing white from color palette. Now just click once on center of your document and draw only one big dot, like on Image 4.

Progress...
Image 4.

You can see now, what Adjustment layer makes, and as you see also there is no white color, adjustment layers takes care of coloring via Color balance settings. Just a sidenote: if you are not satisfied with coloring, you can always double click adjustment layer thumbnail in layers palette, and change settings to your own needs.

Step 4.

Choose Smudge tool. Choose brush called Spatter 59 pixels for your Smudge tool, like on Image 5.

Smudge Tool Brush
Image 5.

Start brushing the way shown on Image 6. Just make sure “Finger Painting” checkbox is unchecked.

Smudge brushing way
Image 6.

After a few brushing clicks your should get something like shown on Image 7.

Result...
Image 7. 

Step 5.

And for the final touch – enable checkbox for Smudge tool – Finger Painting. Now add just 2 clicks on rounded parts as shown on Image 8.

Final Smudge
Image 8.

You could turn off now Finger Painting mode for Smudge tool, and continue with more smudging but this step is optional…

Step 6.

You will get this final result:

Final Image