33 Photoshop Tutorials for Designing Backgrounds and Wallpaper
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Photoshop offers countless possibilities for creating stunning backgrounds for websites, posters, flyers, wallpapers, and any other type of design. Fortunately, there are a lot of good tutorials that show step-by-step how you can create a specific type of background. In this post, we’ll feature more than 30 different tutorials for creating amazing backgrounds. The tutorials are broken down into a few categories: abstract, light effects, textures, and patterns.
Abstract backgrounds are very common in web design and for other purposes like a poster or wallpaper design. Photoshop provides plenty of potential for designing amazing abstract backgrounds and we think you’ll love the tutorials that you’ll find here.
Abstract Background Design Tutorials
3D Abstract Background in Adobe Photoshop
By following along with this brief video tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a beautifully colorful background that resembles the look of brush strokes. It’s not difficult to achieve when you have the process laid out for you in a way that’s clear and easy to follow.
How to Create an Abstract Kaleidoscope Poster
Here is another colorful abstract background that you can create to use for a wide variety of different purposes. It features a nice pattern with plenty of color and intrigue.
How to Make a Cool Low Poly Background
The low poly background is extremely popular. There are a lot of backgrounds in this style that you can purchase or download, but what if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for? Or what if you simply want to know how to do it on your own? Follow along with this tutorial to learn how to create this impressive background.
Polygon Shapes
This video tutorial is similar to the previous one, but the design uses more variation in color and takes a slightly different approach.
How to Create an Abstract Mosaic Background in Photoshop
Here is another abstract background that you can create in just a few minutes by following along with a tutorial. This one starts by using a photograph. The possibilities are limitless because you can use different photos and get very different results. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with this technique.
Create Smooth Colorful Backgrounds
Follow along with this tutorial to learn how to create an attractive colorful background with no banding or other unwanted effects. This is a highly versatile background that could be used for all kinds of different purposes, so it’s a technique that is well worth learning.
Learn How to Create an Abstract Background in Adobe Photoshop
This is a fairly simple abstract background that’s easy to create. You can experiment with different shapes and colors to get unique looks.
Creating the New Retro
This tutorial has been around for a while, but the style of the design is still relevant today. You’ll learn how to create a great-looking colorful background with a retro feel to it. There is also some use of lighting effects involved.
Creating a Stunning Digital Smoke Effect
This smoke effect technique has been around for a long time, but the results still look great. Using this approach, you can create an awesome abstract background that is sure to get attention.
Creating Smoke
How to Create a Geometric Background Effect in Photoshop
This simple tutorial shows how you can create a background with the help of a geometric pattern. The end result is a subtle pattern. It’s much different than some of the other abstract backgrounds that you’ll create with the other tutorials here, but it’s very versatile and you’re sure to find a use for it.
How to Create a Unique Abstract Line Background in Photoshop
This tutorial opens up limitless possibilities. You can change up the approach a little and use different colors to come up with an end result that is much different than what is shown here.
MSNBC Background
The old MSNBC background featured an abstract light effect with several different colors. You may be able to use the techniques covered here to create something unique for your own purposes.
Blend Tool Backgrounds
You will learn to blend two wavy lines together. You will also learn to create overlaps and Photoshop allows you to customize the lines further by introducing glow and different color patterns.
How to Create an Abstract Colorful Rainbow Background
This tutorial is easy to follow and helps you to create a nice, colorful background. You can experiment on your own with different sized shapes and colors to get different results.
Create Bright Abstract Diagonal Lines Background
The background that you’ll create by working through this tutorial is somewhat similar to the previous one. Again, you can change up the results significantly by tweaking things and playing around. Use any colors that you want to get a nice abstract background.
Create a Wavy Blackberry Style Wallpaper Design
This wavy design is ideal for wallpaper or large backgrounds. It’s pretty easy to create, thanks to this tutorial that lays out the steps you need to follow.
How to Design a Modern Wave Background
This video shows you how to create a wave background, but it’s a good bit different from what you would have created with the previous tutorial. This one can produce a more subtle look if you use only a slight variation in the colors.
Light Effect Background Design Tutorials
Abstract Twisted Fibers Light Effect Tutorial in Photoshop
You’ll love this abstract background that features intriguing fibers and beautiful light effects. It’s a bold background, so it’s an excellent option when you need something that is sure to stand out.
Aurora Borealis – North-South Polar Lights
This rainbow light effect of colors is pretty easy to create and can be useful for wallpaper, posters, and other backgrounds.
Hexagon Bokeh Effect in Photoshop
Most bokeh effect tutorials use circles, but as you can see, other shapes work well too. By following along, you’ll be able to create a stunning background that features beautiful colors and light effects.
Really Cool Eclipse Effect in Photoshop
This eclipse effect is perfect for wallpapers and posters. It’s definitely not a subtle background, but if you’re looking for something with amazing light effects, this could be a great choice.
Awesome Digital Bokeh Effect in Photoshop
While the previous bokeh tutorials used hexagons, this one features circles. If you want to learn how to create the typical bokeh effect, this tutorial will teach you.
Create Electrifying Light Effects Around an Image
The light effects that you’ll create with this tutorial are bold and bright. This technique is perfect when you want to create something that will grab the viewer’s attention. It’s ideal for posters and other types of backgrounds.
Chroma Wallpapers
This chroma light effect wallpaper tutorial has been around for years, but it’s still a popular one.
Digital Star Effect
Start with a photo and end up with this bright, shiny, and colorful star effect. It’s a fun tutorial to follow and you can experiment with different photos and see what results you get.
Textured Background Design Tutorials
How to Make a Cool Wallpaper and Background Texture
This nice textured background could be used for many different purposes. Follow along with the video to learn how to create it for your own designs.
Calculations and Colorization
Use this technique to create interesting backgrounds that feature texture and an abstract look.
Create a Wood Background in Photoshop
Learn how to create a wood background that could be used in many different ways.
Background Pattern Tutorials
Making of Organic Design with Distorted Type
This abstract pattern has a camouflage-type of look to it. Use different colors and experiment to see what you can come up with on your own.
How to Create an Intertwining Trellis Pattern in Adobe Photoshop
Learn how to create this simple pattern that works very well as a background. Obviously, you can use whatever colors you choose.
Create a Simple Geometric Pattern
Here is another tutorial that shows how to create a simple pattern that works very well for backgrounds. It’s relatively quick to create and can be appropriate for many different purposes.
Final Thoughts
Backgrounds can be an important part of your design. With this collection of tutorials, you’ll be able to create many different types of backgrounds or even wallpapers. If you want to take your Photoshop skills to the next level, be sure to follow along with a few of these tutorials.
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