How To Make Realistic Water using Photoshop

This tutorial will show you how to make realistic water using photoshop. In a few easy to follow steps.

Step 1

Create a new document with 500×500 pixels

Reset your color palletes to black and white, you can do this by pressing “D”

Next you need to create a new layer, after you have done that

you need to apply the following filter:
Filter » Render » Clouds

Step 2

In this step we want to apply Gaussian Blur to our smoke, this will give it the effect that you see below..

Apply: Filter» Blur » Gaussian Blur

Set: 6

Apply: Filter » Blur » Motion Blur
Set: Angle: 90, Distance: 80

 

Step 3

Now go to Image » Image Size
Set the width to roughly about 300 pixels here you want to untick the “Constrain Proportions” option )after this has been done you need to then click ok.
now the image siz of the document should be roughly about 300 width and 500 high.

Step 4

Next, go to Filter » Artistic » Plastic Wrap
Set: Highlight Strength: 15, Detail:10, Smoothness:10

Apply Filter » Sketch » Chrome
Set: Detail:0, Smoothness: 8

Step 5

Go to Edit » Fade Chrome

Set: Opacity:100%, Mode: Hard Light

Step6

Now go to Image » Image Size
Set: height:800 pixels, leave all other settings, and make sure the “Constrain Proportions” is NOT checked.

Step 7

Now go to Edit » Transform » Warp
Move the anchors around, inward, up and down, just play with it to shape it like running water.

Step 8

Now, just add some gradient color to the background layer, and change it’s water layer’s blending mode to “Hard Light”

Final Image

Here a tap had been added to a layer above to finish the image