A few years back I created a Rain Tutorial: Ronin but I wasn’t convinced with the final result and wanted to create a better-looking effect. After some research and using: noise, motion blur, custom brushes and blending modes we can create a realistic rain effect and the final result is surprisingly easy to achieve.

Stock photo: Wet.

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/900177

Brushes

Rain Splashes:

http://photoshop-brushes.blogspot.com/2007/09/water-splash-brushes.html

Rain:

By: http://amorphisss.deviantart.com/

http://www.deviantart.com/download/159876877/Rain_Brushes_by_amorphisss.abr

Step 1 Selecting the correct image

It is very important to select an adequate image for your work. If the image is convincing, the final result will be too.

Step 2 Splashes

The rain needs to react with the subject, especially in a close-up, like this one.

• Download and install the splash brushes.
• Use the new brush set, select white color and paint some splashes. Each splash placed in a different layer so you can easily control the size and the rotation.
• The brush numbers used in this tutorial: 127, 293, 130

• Use brushes so the splashes appear logical to the subject.

Step 3 first rain shower

• Create a New Layer
•  Select a rain brush and start painting some raindrops with a white color
• Apply some Gaussian blur

• Create a new layer
• Paint another rain shower.

Step 4 Heavy rain shower

• Create a new layer and paint it with black
• Add Noise: Filter > Noise > Add Noise

• Apply motion Blur: Filter > Blur > Motion Blur. Set the angle so it matches the first rain shower

• Set the blending mode to color dodge
• Duplicate the heavy rain layer and set the blending mode to color dodge at 37%

Step 5 Create a Vignette

• Create a new layer
• Paint it with white color
• Create an oval, invert it and paint it with black

• Apply Gaussian blur

• Set the blending mode to multiply at 67%