How to do a magic spell/lightning effect?

[Rooster]

I've been asked to do a photoshop effect on a photo showing magic spell/lightning bolt effect coming from a magic wand as in a Harry Potter film. Does anyone have any ideas on how to achieve this? I'm thinking a white bolt with a blue glow around it. Do I have top draw the bolt by hand with a white brush and then paint in a blue tint around it?

 

[overbez]

plenty of on line tutorial for this type of thing....

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/lightning/

Basically they mostly seem to use the Filter > render > difference clouds filter applied to a black to white gradient, inverted, levels adjusted, then hue/ sat adjustments with colorize box ticked, erase the bits you don't want, set blend mode of new layer to screen.

If you posted a full res version up I'm sure it would magically happen for you.

 

[Rooster]

plenty of on line tutorial for this type of thing....

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/lightning/

Basically they mostly seem to use the Filter > render > difference clouds filter applied to a black to white gradient, inverted, levels adjusted, then hue/ sat adjustments with colorize box ticked, erase the bits you don't want, set blend mode of new layer to screen.

If you posted a full res version up I'm sure it would magically happen for you.

I shall try that and post the result, thanks.