Start by creating a new signature, the size was set to 420pixels by 130 pixels.

We will use a spacestock as a background. Before you grab just about any picture, make sure the author has given permission for you to use it. You can find the Space Stock photo here. Resize it to fit somewhere nicely onto your canvas:

Place the Final Fantasy Render on your signature. Resize if needed:

We’re going to add some coloring. Grab a soft brush, and change the opacity and flow on the toolbar a little:

Brush toolbar:

Use the eyedropper tool to select a color on the canvas, and set it a little lighter. Brush into the direction that matches your render, in our case it follows the flow of his weapon:

Place the layer underneath the character. Optionally, you can set the blending mode to Color Dodge:

Now we’re grabbing another starry sky stock, and place this on top. You can find good Space Stock photos here.

Now change this layers’ blending mode to Lighten on your layer panel:

This should blend the stars into the background:

We’re going to be making some light beams with the elliptical marquee tool. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool:

Make a selection somewhere near your character:

Now stroke this selection, by going Edit > Stroke, and set the color to white. Set the Width to about 3 pixels. Here are our settings:

Press OK, you should now have a white circle like selection going around:

Now apply an outer glow to this circle, by selection Layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow. Set the blend mode to Linear Dodge, and opacity to 100%, and select a bright color with the eyedropper tool:

Outcome:

We’re going to make some mor ebeams. Grab a soft brush:

And make two lines on your signature, following the flow of the character:

Apply the same Outer Glow to these lines:

Add some light brushing on top of the lines. We’re going to apply another outer glow to this to add some lighting:

Outer Glow settings ( Layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow):

This will give the beam a lighter touch. Optionally, you can set the blending mode to Color Dodge for a brighter result:

Finish up the beams, add some final glow and effects to the beams:

We’re going to use the Liquify function to create some “waves” around our character. First, Create a new layer, and apply the image (Image > Apply Image):

Now Select Filter > Liquify, and select the Forward Warp Tool in the top left corner:

Change the brush size in the top right corner to about 130 pixels, and start warping the layer to form some sort of beam:

Warp it into a shape that will fit around the character. Keep going untill you get an outcome you like:

Place the beam on your character, and erase the section covering the end of our Final Fantasy Kain character. This will make it seem as if the beam is going around our character.

Now Change this layers’ blending mode to Pin Light:

Time to fix some lighting. Apply the image on a new layer:

Now grab the burn or dodge tool, and start brushing and fixing some lighting:

Outcome:

Now we’re going to use the Liquify function once again, combined with the smudge tool to create some distortion in the bottom corner. Select the smudge tool:

Smudge, liquify warp forward tool until you like the outcome:

We’re going to apply a Selective Color. Obviously, you should select your own settings. However, here are our settings to illustrate a possible outcome. To create a selective color layer, select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color:

Outcome:

We’re going to add some final finishing touches by applying a Color Balance adjustment Layer, and the dodge and burn tool to create some depth. First, add a color balance layer by selecting Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance:

I will not be displaying our settings, because our settings will not work unless you have the exact same colors. Just experiment with the settings.

Our outcome:

Optionally, you can use the smudge tool to distort the beam:

Add some text, finnishing touches, and you’re done!

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