Create out-of-this-world space scenes in Photoshop.

Learn how to create epic outer space scenes with these Photoshop tips and effects.

You've likely tried to capture the awe-inspiring vastness that is the night sky. The depth, the varied texture, the sheer size of it all is mind-blowing, and the camera lens sometimes falls short. So why not let your imagination — and the right photo editing tools — be the lens?

Learn more about how to use Adobe Photoshop’s wide range of photo effects to build stunning, dynamic outer space scenes that no camera could capture.

Space Photoshop editing features you need to know.

Get familiar with these specific editing features as you build up your own outer space image. Open up Photoshop and let your imagination run wild:

  1. Layers and brushes. Create a layer, use the brush tools to blend galactic colors into it, and repeat. Building up layers with different colors and textures helps create depth — a background, middle ground, and foreground — that evokes the vastness you're trying to capture.
  2. “Space” brushes. Photoshop has a wide variety of brush types and settings that can help you create starry skyscapes. Try experimenting with Spatter Brushes (included in the Special Effects Brushes), using Scattering as the brush tip shape, to compose your foreground layers.
  3. Black brushes. Photoshop’s soft black brushes help you mute each effect you add on so they blend together as a seamless whole.
  4. Color balance. This feature helps you create a unified color composition. Play with different adjustments to achieve the right out-of-this-world color effect.
  5. Marquee and distortion tools. If you have close-up images with high-texture details, you can use the Elliptical Marquee tool to cut a circle into it and then use filter distortion to turn that pattern into a spherical shape. Voila — you've created space objects.

Possibilities as vast as the universe.

With a little bit of imagination and a familiarity with some basic Photoshop tools, you've got a universe of creative potential at your fingertips. Find additional photo editing tips and tricks, and learn more about how to bring your wildest ideas to life with Photoshop.