I had a job to create some fire today. So here is a Quick Tut.

Start with a black canvas. (mine is 36"X24" @ 72 DPI BIG) Create a soft white brush and draw lines like this


Then take the smudge tool (soft brush set to about 40-50 %) and start smudging like this.



Then go to Filter/Distort/Wave and play with the settings until you get smooth waves
Like this: (you can do this a couple times if you like always followed by the next step "Fade")
I like to do the settings the first time and then if I repeat it I will use the "Randomize" button.
Don't forget to fade after each Distort/Wave


Then hit "ok".Now go to "Edit/Fade" and fade to 50% Like this:


Now create an adjustment Layer (Gradient Map) and pick colors and settings like these:


You should get something like this: (I did this real quick. Your fire will look even better)


Play with the tools and settings. You can get some wonderful effects.

learning day for me all around! this looks great.

If your not sure of colors for your gradient Map, then download some nice pics of fire and sample the colors from your favorite one.

sweet, much more realistic than the current method I use. thanks, I gotta try this out sometime.

NICE STUFF!

I've seen an extremely similar tutorial elsewhere. But yours is written a little clearer. I also like the idea of sampling colors from a picture of fire.

Now the question part. Do you do this on a transparent layer instead of black background? That way it can be placed over objects?

now add smoke,
http://www.hallcross.co.uk/free%20stuff/ps_tuts.html#smoke

A quick gif that I made with this method.
http://www.imageigloo.com/viewer.php?id=8851Fire2.gif

Very good tut Rey! Love the gif too!

That gif is awesome, especially the reflection of the fire on the guy sitting in the chair.

You do such amazing work!

Neat way to make FIRE!

Fire GOOD!!!

Thanks R&R!

Rey I followed your tutorial and came up with this version"

cool, thanks for sharing!

THIS was the thing i needed....gradient to put colors ...i wouldn't not have thought about it. Thx Rey, be sure i will use this.

I worked through up to the gradient map step - then I realized why people upgrade their photoshop. I'm using PS 5.5 - it doesn't have gradient map. I made a workaround with variations/hue and saturations, colorizing highlights, midranges and shadows differently, but probably not quite the same. Anyway this was fun and I learned some things - especially the fade after the wave. Some time I will upgrade the PS, but I want to feel I'm ready, and that I've gotten what I could out of 5.5.