Can anyone help me with this?

I found this nice tutorial i have been trying to follow, but for a somewhat amateur it's very lacking.

http://luxa.org/tutorial_electrifying_energy_beams.php

Could anyone look at it and improve upon?

For example, the bit that says use the pen tool to draw the snake shaped line around her arm. the bit about filling with black to erase the part of the lines, doesn't really work for an amateur.

Would be much appreciated if anyone could add to it or point me to another one if there is.

Thanks

nevermind found it: http://www.anothera.net/view_tutorial.php?id=3