How to Create a Fun Kaleidoscope Effect Graphic in Photoshop!

Hi all, here's a fun, fast, and easy creative project for your weekend Photoshop adventure:

In Photoshop, open any colorful image you have in your collection (I use flower photos). Resize the image so that it is ‘manageable’ on your workspace, I use 640 wide by 480 high (pixels), 72 ppi. After you make the size adjustment, leave that image alone for a moment and open a new document – File>new. When it asks you what size to make this new file, make it 640 wide x 960 high, 72 ppi, and ‘transparent.’ Once you get the new blank file open, copy and paste the photo you resized into it, and shift that copied image up to the top of your new blank document until it fits perfectly in the space. Next, on the original image, do the following steps: Image>Rotate Canvas>Flip Vertical. When finished, copy and paste the now vertically flipped image into the space left on the new blank file. It should be opposite or 'mirror image' of what you just pasted in there. Place that new image flush with the first image, and do: Layer>Flatten Image.

Now you’ve got a long image that has an interesting look to it, but you are not done yet! Next, select Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates. When the little fly out menu comes up, choose “Polar to Rectangular” (the bottom radio button). Immediately afterward, click Image>Rotate Canvas>180 degrees. Then, click the Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates one more time, and this time choose “Rectangular to Polar” (the top radio button). Finally, rotate your image 90 degrees to the right or left, and ‘voila,’ you have a really neat digital design to use on your web site, or to print, etc. Wasn’t that fun? This fun effect is from an article by Rick Sammon of the wonderful Layers Magazine. Enjoy!