Nova / Space Scene Tutorial with Paint Shop Pro

Create a new image , 400x400 with a black background. Now create a new raster layer . Then, using the freehand selection tool, create an odd shape in the center of the canvas. Then select the flood fill tool, and fill the selection with white.

Press Ctrl-D to deselect and go to Effects | Geometric | Wave, and enter these settings.

Now, go to Effects | Geometric | Twirl, and enter 720. Now go to Effects | Blur | Gaussian Blur, and enter 3.

Create a new raster layer, and name it box. Now, using the rectangular selection tool, make a small white box in the middle.

Now click on the retouch tool, and set it to smudge. Now enter these settings . Now click near each corner, and drag out, until it looks like mine. Then set the layer opacity to 50.

Now create a new raster layer, and set the blending mode to color. Select the flood fill tool, and fill the layer with a dark blue - I used #2D5A8C. Then change the layers opacity to 49.

Now create a new raster layer, and fill it with #2D5A8C, and go to Effects | Illumination | Sunburst, and enter the settings you see in the screenshot. Adjust the opacity of the layer to 60, and the blending mode to hard light.

Done, you can repeat any of these steps, adjust the opacity, add more arms to the box, etc. to get a different result. Experiment!