A number of people (a small number, but still a number) commented on [link] saying they liked the background, so I figured I might as well write a tutorial about that kind of bg. Keep in mind this may not be the best way, or the most efficient way, but it's my current way, and I know I for one read all the tutorials I can just in case somebody knows something I don't. This is for Photoshop 7, but I'm sure you could adapt it to other applications with a few tweaks. I apologize to all those who already know how to do this.

Step 1: Start with whatever the main focus of the pic is all colored and shaded. In this case it's a little red robot thing.

Step 2: Apply whatever gradient you want as the main background. In this case I used colors all present in the main focus, but as long as the colors aren't too clashy you should be fine. Also be careful of losing the subject in the bacground by using colors that are the same. For example if I'd made the bg mostly red the robot might lose some definition and not stand out as well.

Step 3: This is really just an addendum to Step 2. If you don't know how to make a custom gradient, you click on the little preview of what the gradient looks like (sorry I can't describe it any better). If you hold your mouse over it it'll say "Click to edit the gradient". That'll open up the window shown. The bar at the bottom shows what your gradient looks like. The little boxes along the bottom of the bar define what colors are used. Clicking on the box part will let you cahnge the color. Sliding the box left or right will change where the midpoint of that section of color lies. Clicking on the empty space between the boxes will
add a new color.

Step 4: Create a new layer and select a rectangle of space the width of what you want your lozenge thing to be. I've hidden the gradient layer for this part.

Step 5: Change to the elliptical selection tool. While holding "Shift" make circles the same width as your rectangle at the ends to get that lozenge shape.

Step 6: Fill the lozenge with black. Go to Edit>Define Brush to make it into a custom brush. Name the brush whatever you want, then delete the black lozenge.

Step 7: change to the brush tool, then go to the brush chooser and select the new brush you just defined. Make white the brush color, and change the flow to something areound 7%. Make sure you have airbrush mode on by clicking the little airbrush icon right next the flow text box. On a new layer right above your gradient start laying down lozenges. You may not want to use as many as I did in the example, because it ended up to crowded. In the brush chooser you can change the master size of the brush so you can add smaller lozenges. I wouldn't recommend increasing the size in this manner because it will get blocky.

I used a similiar technique on [link] and [link] , just with different brushes. In the "Guardian" one you can see what I meant by it getting blocky if you increase the size, so always start with a brush as large or larger than you need.

If you're using a program that doesn't allow custom brushes, you could make the lozenge selection on a new layer and fill it completely with white, make several copies of the whitel lozenge and distribute them appropriately, then alter that master transparency of the layer. Then repeat that on a new layer with a different transparency setting.

If you're using a program that doesn't use layers, gradients, or transparency... then you're kinda screwed. Sorry.

You could always add some filters like a lens flare at the focal point of the background or a motion blur in the direction of the lozenges. That might be cool. Wish I'd thought of that earlier.