How to use PhotoVim

Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

Level · Intermediate Updated 2026-09-28

Build a product ad from a transparent sneaker and red and blue powder layers. Add a soft floor shadow, light beams and front particles with masks, step by step.

Watch on YouTube

English editor and subtitles · 95 seconds

Pause at each step and follow the shortcuts on screen. The practice files contain separate source layers; the video is a recorded UI demonstration.

Steps

Tap a step picture to see it full size

  1. Create a new document

    On the start screen click New document (or File > New…, Ctrl+Alt+N). Type 1536 in Width and 1024 in Height, then click Create.

    Where to click — Create a new document
    Create a new document — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  2. Place the background

    Choose File > Place Embedded… and pick 01_BACKGROUND.png. A box with square handles appears: drag inside it to move, drag a corner handle to resize (the proportions stay the same). Press Enter to finish.

    Where to click — Place the background
    Place the background — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  3. Add the blue and red powder

    Place 03_BLUE_POWDER_ALPHA.png, drag it into place and press Enter. Then place 02_RED_POWDER_ALPHA.png the same way. The newest layer always goes on top.

    Add the blue and red powder — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  4. Place the sneaker

    Choose File > Place Embedded… and pick 04_SHOE_ALPHA.png. A box with square handles appears: drag inside it to move, drag a corner handle to resize (the proportions stay the same). Press Enter to finish. Make it about two thirds of the width and move it to the center.

    Place the sneaker — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  5. Draw a floor shadow

    In the Layers panel click 01_BACKGROUND, then click the Create a new layer button (the square with a plus sign) at the bottom of the Layers panel. Press M for the Marquee tool and Shift+M until the Elliptical Marquee is selected. Drag a flat ellipse under the shoe. Press D for black, Alt+Backspace to fill, then Ctrl+D to deselect.

    Where to click — Draw a floor shadow
    Draw a floor shadow — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  6. Soften the shadow

    Choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur…, type 30 in Radius and click OK. Type 70 in the Opacity box at the top right of the Layers panel and press Enter.

    Where to click — Soften the shadow
    Where to click — Soften the shadow
    Soften the shadow — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  7. Paint light beams

    Click the Create a new layer button (the square with a plus sign) at the bottom of the Layers panel. Open the blend mode list at the top left of the Layers panel (it says Normal) and choose Screen. Click the top color square at the bottom of the toolbar on the left (Foreground color). Type 3D8BFF in the # box and click OK. Press B, set Size to 28 and press Shift+[ four times. Click where a beam starts, hold Shift and click where it ends to draw a straight line.

    Where to click — Paint light beams
    Paint light beams — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  8. Put a few particles in front

    Click 02_RED_POWDER_ALPHA, press Ctrl+J, then Ctrl+Shift+] (Layer > Arrange > Bring to Front). Hold Alt and click the Add mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. You get a black mask that hides the whole layer (same as Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All). Press X for white, set Size to 110, press 5 for 50% and paint around the sole.

    Where to click — Put a few particles in front
    Put a few particles in front — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams

  9. Brighten and compare

    At the bottom of the Layers panel click the half-black, half-white circle (Create new fill or adjustment layer) and choose Brightness/Contrast (or Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast). Its settings open in the Properties panel. Type 35 in Brightness and 20 in Contrast. Click the eye icons at the left of the layers to turn them off and on and compare before and after.

    Where to click — Brighten and compare
    Where to click — Brighten and compare
    Where to click — Brighten and compare
    Brighten and compare — Sneaker Powder Burst Ad with Shadows and Light Beams
Worth knowing

If a browser shortcut takes over, use the matching editor menu command. Keep the source files and practice on a copy.

Try it in the editor

Questions

Do I need Photoshop for this tutorial?

No. Every step is done in PhotoVim in your browser, with nothing to install. Menu names and shortcuts follow Photoshop, so the steps look familiar if you already use it.

How do I draw a straight light beam?

Click where the beam starts, hold Shift and click where it ends. The brush draws a straight line between the two clicks.