?In this lesson you will learn how to create an exciting picture, this lesson is done by the designer Andrea Garcia! This lesson begins with the creation of a cityscape, using several stock images, then complemented by images of fire and flame. Next, you will learn how to put a gas mask on the model and finally, we will add a soft light effect, as well as add some additional details.
Final result
Source materials:
Step 1
Create a new document, go File – New (File-New). Install the following sizes Width (Width) 2000px x Height (Height) 1700px
Step 2
We need to start with the base of our picture, this base will be located below all layers in the layers palette, you can use the texture and then add a filter Gaussian blur (Gaussian blur), let’s go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter –Blur – Gaussian blur), so that the result is as in the screenshot below:
Step 3
Let’s start with the wall, place the image with the street on our working paper. To this image, add a layer mask. You can add a layer mask through the bottom toolbar in the layers palette.
Step 4
While on the layer layer mask, paint over with a soft black brush to achieve a result, as in the screenshot below. Do not forget to create the edges of the destroyed wall, do not worry if it is not ideal, the main thing is to understand the idea.
Step 5
Open the stock image ‘City’. Transfer this image to our working paper, placing it as shown in the screenshot below:
Step 6
Repeat the process that you did earlier, add a layer-mask layer to the city image, hide everything except for the buildings. You can create a selection with the tool. Lasso 
(lasso tool), and then black brush to hide the extra areas of the image.
Step 7
Change the blending mode for the layer with the city to Multiplication (multiply).
Step 8
Open the stock image ‘Heaven’. Move this image to our working paper, placing it on top of the other images.
Step 9
Change the blending mode for the sky layer to Soft light (soft light).
Step 10
Create a new layer (Ctrl + Shift + N). Choose a soft round brush in black. Paint over buildings and the sky, as well as over the entire top of the image. Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light). You can set the brush opacity on the option Pen pressure (pen pressure), if you use a tablet, if not, then you can set the brush opacity to 40%.
Step 11
Move the fire texture to our working paper, positioning as shown in the screenshot below.
Next, change the blending mode for the fire texture layer to Soft light (soft light) and also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer to 60%, and the value Fillings (fill) up to 50%.
Step 12
You can apply a small Gaussian blur (Gaussian blur) to the texture of the fire to create a glow effect from the flame. For this we go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter- Blur- Gaussian Blur).
Apply a blur radius of 50px.
Step 13
Add more fire. Arrange another image of fire on our document. To this layer with the image of fire, add a layer mask to create a smooth transition at the edges of the image, as well as to more perfectly combine with the entire scene.
Hint: It is very important that you transform all layers with elements of the composition into smart objects or at least most of them, so you can return to the original action at any time if an error occurs, this will greatly simplify your work to correct it. .
Step 14
Next, change the blending mode for the fire layer to Lightening (screen) and also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer up to 50%, and the value Fillings (fill) up to 80%.
Step 15
Add more fire. Repeat the whole process with the addition of a layer mask and processing the edges of the image to align with the entire scene.
Step 16
Next, change the blending mode for the fire layer to Lightening (screen).
Step 17
Duplicate the fire layer, rotate the image. Arrange a duplicate of the fire, so that it is visible because of the destroyed building.
Step 18
Reduce the layer opacity to 55%.
Add destructions to buildings. For this purpose, you can use the texture of the destroyed wall or brushes of a crack, or combining both options. For the foreground wall, you can use the texture of the shattered wall. Open this stock image by moving it to our working paper. Lower the opacity so you can see the underlying layer.
Next, to the layer with the texture of the destroyed wall, add a layer mask and on the layer layer mask, hide most of the texture, leaving only a few holes in the wall, as shown in the screenshot below:
Next, change the blending mode for the layer with the wall texture to Soft light (soft light) and also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer up to 70%.
Step 20
For urban skyscrapers that are located in the background, you can use the Cracks brushes. To do this, create a new layer, change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light), you can reduce the opacity of the layer as well as the opacity of the brush in order to achieve the best results.
Step 21
You can add a little dark fog effect to the bottom of the skyscrapers to combine the image. The opacity of the brush can be set at 40%. If you think that the fog effect is too saturated, then you can reduce the opacity of the fog effect layer to 70% or 60%.
Step 22
Next, draw flames on the roofs of skyscrapers to create a flame, use orange and yellow shades, you can start with several lines, as shown in the screenshot below
Create a new layer, paint larger flames using a lower opacity brush, you can set the brush on the option pen pressure (pen pressure) or use a brush with an opacity of 30%. Use a soft brush.
Next, on the first layer with drawn lines, apply a blur tool. You can also use the tool. Finger (smudge tool).
Add more blur. Create a new layer, additionally paint the flames, reduce the opacity of this layer to 60%. The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Create a new layer using a soft black brush, paint over the bottom of the buildings.
In addition, also add shadows to the skyscrapers.
Set a yellow tint, select a small brush size of 5px. Using the selected brush, paint over the edge of the wall to create a light reflection effect from the flame in the background.
Open the stock image of the model by moving this image to our working paper. Using tools Magic wand 
(magic wand tool) or Lasso (lasso tool), create an active selection around the model image.
Without removing the active selection, add a layer mask to remove the background on the image with the model.
Step 27
Repeat the process of selecting the image, this time create a selection around the image of the gas mask, before creating the selection, use the transformation (ctrl + T) to scale the image so that the gas mask will fit the model.
Step 28
Create a new layer. Choose a color cast from the helmet image. Paint over the star image and over the reflections on the helmet to hide them.
Step 29
On the surface of the weapon model, draw the icon ‘Radioactivity’. Change the blending mode for this layer with the radioactive icon to Overlap (overlay).
Duplicate the layer with the radioactive icon, place a duplicate of the icon on the shoulder of the model. Change the blending mode for this duplicate layer to Separation (divide).
Step 30
Add cartridge images using the same selection technique you used before. Duplicate the layer (ctrl + J) so that you get 2 rounds.
Create a new layer. Choose a soft dark brown brush to paint over the skin of the model to create a mud effect. Next, go to the bookmark Brushes (brushes), in the settings, select the option Form Dynamics (shape dynamics), set the value Size fluctuation (size jitter) at 10%, and the value Angle swings (Angle jitter) by 82%. Also set the value Interval (spacing) by 90%.
So, we are ready to paint dirt.
Change the color of the brush to gray tones, paint the dirt on the model’s equipment. Use the same brush settings.
Next, draw blood and cuts on the model, for this, use a soft round brush with a diameter of 3px or 2px.
Step 34
Create a new layer on the new layer using a soft black brush, paint the shadows of the model. Brush size 150px, brush opacity 50%.
Step 35
Using a soft round brush, paint the lighting effects over the model’s suit.
Next, reduce the layer opacity to 80%, and also change the blending mode for this layer with lighting effects to Lightening basics (color dodge).
Repeat the technique of creating light effects on the ground near the model, reflecting the light from the fire. Brush color orange, blending mode Lightening basics (color dodge), layer opacity can be set at 40%.
Using a soft brush (2px diameter) orange, draw a stroke over the top floors of the skyscrapers to create lighting effects.
Step 38
Using the same orange tint, paint over the model to create lighting effects. You can also add a small Gaussian blur (Gaussian blur), for this we go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter-Blur-Gaussian Blur) To create a softer look, apply a blur radius of 15%.
Step 39
Place a stock image ‘Warning Sign‘ Radioactive Danger ’on our working paper. Create a selection and then add a layer mask to hide the rest of the image. Press (Ctrl + T) to scale.
Step 40
Next, add a metal rack for the warning sign using the stock image ‘Road sign’. Repeat the selection technique: create a selection around the metal stand, add a layer mask, and then apply scaling (ctrl + t) so that the stand matches the size of the warning sign.
Duplicate the metal stand layer (ctrl + J), change the blending mode to duplicate the layer to Multiplication (multiply), further, reduce the opacity of the layer with the sign and with the stand up to 70%.
Step 41
Using the Black Crack Brush, paint the cracks on the warning sign.
Step 42
Using a soft round brush (2px diameter), the color of the brush is orange, draw a stroke on the warning sign, and also on the model’s weapon. You can soften the stroke with the blur tool.
Step 43
Add a fire near the warning sign, process the edges of the image of fire on the layer mask layer. Change the blending mode for the fire layer to Lightening (screen), layer opacity is 90%.
Step 44
Duplicate the fire layer (Ctrl + J), and then activating the transformation (Ctrl + T), change the position in the settings by setting the value H: (-100). Thus, we rotate the image so that it looks like a reflection.
Step 45
Reduce the opacity of the layer with fire reflection to 55%. The areas of reflection that are close to the fire should be more saturated, and the areas that are far from the fire should be softer and subtle.
Step 46
Below the model layer, create a new layer. On a new layer, around the model, paint over an orange brush. Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light), layer opacity 70%.
Step 47
Create a new layer, paint in dark brown, adding lighter shades. If you need to choose lighter shades, then use the color palette, see the screenshot below.
Paint as shown in the screenshot below:
Apply Gaussian blur (Gaussian blur) for combining, the blur radius is about 50.
Step 48
Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light), reduce the layer opacity to 60%.
Step 49
Create a new layer, fill this layer with an orange tint with the tool Fill (Paint bucket tool).
Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light), reduce the layer opacity to 65%.
Step 50
Through the bottom toolbar, add a new adjustment layer or fill layer Color search (color lookup). Select the film stock option, and then reduce the opacity to 25%, and the value Fillings (fill) up to 65%.
New adjustment layer Color search (Color Lookup) appeared in the CS6 version of Photoshop or in the most recent version.
Next, add a new adjustment or fill layer. Color search (color lookup). This time select the tealorangepluscontrast option. 50% layer opacity, level Fillings (fill) 50%.
Step 51
If you have another version of Photoshop, then you can use Curves (curves), The result will be the same. And that’s all.
Final result
