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Learn How to Make this Mysterious Dark Scene – Photoshop Tutorial

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 09:53 AM PDT

In this tutorial, we will learn how to create an conceptual surreal photo manipulation. We are going to learn the process of creating depth of field using a few advance tools. We are going to learn how to blend images so seamlessly that it would look like a single image using the Brush tool, the Eraser tool and several adjustment layers.We will learn how to create light and darkness to make the background look seamless. We are going to learn how to use textures and give life to our image, and we are going to learn how to create a moody, dreamy tone using a few adjustment layers and lighting effects.

Resources Used In This Tutorial

Step 1

Create a new file with a width of 2000 px and a height of 1000 px at 72 dpi (Dots per Inch). Background Contents should be White.

Step 2

First off, let's open the stormy rocks ii in Photoshop. We will be using sky from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the stormy rocks ii and press p to activate pen tool and then make a selection around the Sky and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to “Sky“.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 3

Now,let's open the broken desert in Photoshop. We will be using the Ground from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the broken desert and press V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to “Ground“.

Now create a Vector mask which can be found by pressing on the Create New Vector mask button shown on the layer window:

Now activate Brush tool (B) with these settings Now let’s erase :

Brush size: 400px
Hardness: 0%
Opacity: 40%
Flow: 100%
Color: #000000

Now paint over the highlighted area.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 4

Now in this step we will learn how to draw a egg in Photoshop:

So activate pen tool and draw a shape of half broken egg.See as below:

Fill it with white color :

Again activate pen tool and draw a shape see as below:

Fill it with Color #f1f1f1 :

Now activate Burn tool (O) with these settings Now let’s Paint :

Brush size: 200px
Range: Highlights
Exposure: 55%

Now paint over the highlighted area.

The result should be similar to this:

Follow the above steps and draw another broken egg’s part.

Now create new Color balance adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette .

When the Color balance box opens, input the following:.

Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Color balance layer and Eggs layer) to make a mask.

The result should be similar to this:

Now create new brightness/contrast adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Eggs layer and brightness/contrast) to make a mask.

When the brightness/contrast box opens, input the following.

Now create new Curves adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Eggs layer and Curves) to make a mask.

When the Curves box opens, input the following.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 5

Now let’s get back to the Sky layer

Now create new Curves adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Sky layer and Curves) to make a mask.

When the Curves box opens, input the following.

Now create new Gradient map adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Sky layer and Gradient map) to make a mask.

When the Gradient map box opens, input the following.

Change it’s layer mode to “Luminosity“.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 6

Now we will do some color correction with Ground layer .

Now create new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Ground layer and Hue/Saturation) to make a mask.

When the Hue/Saturation box opens, input the following.

Now create new brightness/contrast adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Ground layer and brightness/contrast) to make a mask.

When the brightness/contrast box opens, input the following.

Now create new Gradient map adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Ground layer and Gradient map) to make a mask.

When the Gradient map box opens, input the following.

Change it’s layer mode to “Luminosity“.

Now create new Curves adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Ground layer and Curves adjustment layer) to make a mask.

When the Curves adjustment layer box opens, input the following.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 7

Now let’s make our eggs shadow.

So let’s activate Elliptical marquee tool (M) and draw a circle below egg and fill it with black color.

Now Go to Gaussian Blur.

When the Gaussian Blur box opens, input the following:

The result should be similar to this:

Step 8

First off, let's open Zentai – Y – 7 stock in Photoshop. We will be using the GIRL from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the Zentai – Y – 7 and press p to activate pen tool and then make a selection around the GIRL and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to “GIRL“.

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl /Cmd +T), then while the "Girl" layer is selected and then resize it as shown below:

Now create new brightness/contrast adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette .Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Girl layer and brightness/contrast) to make a mask.

When the brightness/contrast box opens, input the following.

Now create new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette .Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Girl layer and Hue/Saturation) to make a mask.

When the Hue/Saturation box opens, input the following:

The result should be similar to this:

Step 9

First off, let's open mask-2 in Photoshop. We will be using the Mask from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the mask-2 and press p to activate pen tool and then make a selection around the Mask and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to “Mask“.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 10

First off, let's open Nuclear Power Plant 10 in Photoshop. We will be using the Nuclear Power from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the Nuclear Power Plant 10 and press p to activate pen tool and then make a selection around the Nuclear Power and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to “Nuclear Power“.

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd +T), then while the "Nuclear Power" layer is selected and then re-size it as shown below:

Now create new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Nuclear Power layer and Hue/Saturation) to make a mask.

When the Hue/Saturation box opens, input the following:

Now create new Color balance adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette .Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Nuclear Power layer and Color balance) to make a mask.

When the Color balance box opens, input the following:

Now create new Brightness/contrast adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Nuclear Power layer and Brightness/contrast) to make a mask.

When the Brightness/contrast box opens, input the following:

The result should be similar to this:

Now let’s instal Industrial Smoke Brushes by Andrei-Oprinca and make some smoke over Nuclear Power stations.

Step 11

First off, let's open Power station stock in Photoshop. We will be using the Power station from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the Power station and press p to activate pen tool and then make a selection around the Power station and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to “Power station“.

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd +T), then while the "Power station" layer is selected and then resize it as shown below:

Now create new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette. Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Power station layer and Hue/Saturation) to make a mask.

When the Hue/Saturation box opens, input the following:

Now create new Curves adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette .Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer’s (Power station layer and Curves adjustment layer) to make a mask.

When the Curves adjustment layer box opens, input the following.

The result should be similar to this:

Step 12

Now create a Curves adjustment layer which can be found by pressing on the Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button shown on the layer window:

When the Curves adjustment layer box opens, input the following:

Now create a Gradient map adjustment layer which can be found by pressing on the Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button shown on the layer window:

When the Gradient map adjustment layer box opens, input the following:

Change the layer mode to “Luminosity“.