In this lesson you will learn how to create a dark picture called “Forgotten Halloween”. You will learn how to combine different stock images, create a dark and creepy atmosphere. And also be able to work with lighting.
Download the archive with materials for the lesson
Final image
Step 1
Create a new document in Photoshop (Ctrl + N) with the settings shown below:
Step 2
Open image Forest. Paste it onto the work canvas using Move Tool 
(Move) (V) and resize the image so that it fills the entire canvas.
To create the depth of the scene, go to the menu Filter> Blur> GassianBlur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur) and set Radius (Radius) 6px.
On the filter mask using a soft black brush, erase the bottom of the image to remove the blur effect in the foreground.
Step 3
Open image Tombstones. Insert two gravestones on the stage and place them on the ground as shown below.
Apply filter GassianBlur (Blur according to Gauss) with Radius (Radius) 3px.
Step 4
Put all the gravestones in one group (Ctrl + G). Change the blending mode of this group to Normal (Normal) with Opacity (Opacity) 100%. Inside the group create an adjustment layer. Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Curves (Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Curves). Use it to darken the plates.
On the mask of the adjustment layer using a black brush paint over the areas where the light should fall.
Step 5
Cut the pumpkin and place it on the stage.
Step 6
Add adjustment layer Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation (Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Hue / Saturation) with clipping mask for the pumpkin layer to reduce the saturation of the pumpkin.
Result
Step 7
Add one more adjustment layer to the pumpkin. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter (Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Photo Filter)
Step 8
Darken the pumpkin with a correction layer. Curves (Curves).
On the adjustment layer mask using a soft black brush, erase the upper right edge of the pumpkin. Light must fall on this part.
Step 9
At the top of the layers palette, create four layers. Change the brush color to white and using special brushes spiderweb Draw a web around the pumpkin as shown below.
Step 10
At the bottom of the layers palette, click on the second icon to add a mask for two layers with cobwebs. Using a soft black brush, erase unwanted web patches to get a more natural result.
Step 11
Open image Smoke (you can use your own image). Separate the smoke from the background and place it in a working paper:
Add a mask to this layer and use a black soft brush with a slight opacity to reduce the density of the fog.
Step 12
With the help of a correction layer Curves (Curves) darken the fog:
On the mask adjustment layer using a soft black brush with Opacity (Opacity) 20% erase the darkness from the foreground to make the effect more noticeable.
Step 13
Remove the crow and plant it on the pumpkin.
Step 14
Create a new layer under the layer with a crow and a soft black brush with Opacity (Opacity) 50% draw a shadow under the paws of the crow:
Step 15
Create another layer and, using the same brush, draw a shadow from the crow on the pumpkin.
Step 16
Bleach the bird with a correction layer. Hue/Saturation (Hue / Saturation).
Step 17
Make the crow darker with a correction layer. Curves (Curves). On the layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the darkness from the right upper part of the crow, as light should fall on it.
Step 18
Create a new layer and using a stiff round brush of red (# ff0000) and a size of 8-9px, draw a red eye for the crow.
Step 19
On the top of the layers palette, create three layers and using special brushes Bat black color draw bats. Decrease Opacity (Opacity) bat to 40-50% to dissolve them in the fog.
Apply to bats filter GaussianBlur (Blur according to Gauss) with Radius (Radius) 3px.
Step 20
Now it’s time to color the scene. Add an adjustment layer Layer > New Adjustment Layer > GradientMap (Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Gradient Map).
Change the blending mode for the adjustment layer to SoftLight (Soft Light) c Opacity (Opacity) 100%
Step 21
Add a greenish-blue tone to the scene using an adjustment layer. ColorBalance (Color balance):
Step 22
Create an adjustment layer Photo filter (Photo Filter) at the very top of the layers palette:
Step 23
Select the bottom of the canvas with Lasso
(Lasso) (L) with Feather (Feather) 60px.
Go to menu Layer > AdjustmentLayer > ChannelMixer (Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Channel Mixing).
Result
Using a soft black brush on the layer mask, adjust the red glow to get the desired look.
Step 24
Darken the bottom of the canvas with an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves). Apply the same selection with shading.
Final result
