In this tutorial, you will learn how to turn a regular photo into a fantastic and dynamic collage. I will try to explain everything in as much detail as possible so that everyone can repeat the lesson, even the one who first discovered Photoshop.
Download the archive with materials for the lesson
Note: The author used paid materials. In the archive you will find an alternative version of the images to perform the lesson.
1. Create a new document.
First, open the photo with which we will work. To do this, go File – Open (File – Open), select the desired image and press the button Open (Open). Before continuing, check the other settings:
- Your photo should be in RGB mode, 8 bits / channel. To check this, go Image – Mode (Image – Mode).
- To get a quality result, the size of your photo should be between 1500-3500 pixels wide and high. To check this, go Image – Image Size (Image – Image size).
- Your photo should be a background. If not, proceed Layer – New – Background from Layer (Layer – New – New layer from the background).
2. We work with the background
Step 1
In this section, we will create a new background. Move on Layer – New Fill Layer – Solid Color (Layer – Fill New Layer – Color) to create a layer with a solid fill. Call it “Fill” and set the color to # 262626, as shown below:
Step 2
Now we need to fill the background with the texture. Move on Layer – New – Layer (Layer – New – Layer) to create a new layer, and call it “Background Texture 1”.
Step 3
We press the key D to reset the colors to standard, and go Filter – Render – Clouds (Filter – Rendering – Clouds).
Step 4
Now press Ctrl + T to activate the free transform, and set the width and height of the texture to 150%, as shown below:
Step 5
Change the texture blending to Overlay (Overlap) and reduce Opacity (Opacity) up to 25%.
Step 6
Next, go Layer – New – Layer (Layer – New – Layer) to add a new layer, and call it “Background Texture 2”. Hit the D key to reset the colors, and go Filter – Render – Clouds (Filter – Rendering – Clouds). After that, press Ctrl + T and set the width and height to 150%, as shown below:
Step 7
Change the texture blending to Hard Light (Hard light), reduce Opacity (Opacity) up to 50% and on the layers panel drop the layer “Background texture 2” under “Background texture 1”.
Step 8
Select the layer “Background texture 2”, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the layer “Background texture 1” to select them simultaneously. Move on Layer – New – Group from Layers (Layer – New – Group of layers) to merge selected layers into a group. We call it “Background textures”.
Step 9
Install Opacity (Opacity) group at 59%.
3. Cutting the model
Step 1
In this section, we will cut the model on a separate layer. Select a layer Background (Background) and hide all other layers. Then go Select – Color Range (Highlight – Color range). Using the pipette, click on the yellow area in the photo and set Fuzziness (Scatter) at 100, as shown below:
Step 2
Now press Ctrl + Shift + I to invert the selection, then right-click on the current layer and select Duplicate Layer (Create duplicate layer). Move the copy to the very top of the layers panel and call it “Model”. After that, turn on the visibility of all layers.
Step 3
Hold Alt and click on the copy mask to open it. Take Brush Tool
(B) (Brush), choose a soft brush and modify the necessary places so that the area with the model is completely white and the background is completely black. When finished, we hold down Alt again and click on the mask to close its view.
Step 4
Right click on the current layer and select Apply Layer Mask (Apply a layer mask).
4. Adjust the lighting and contrast of the model.
Step 1
In this section, we will work with lighting and contrast models. Press Ctrl + J to duplicate the “Model” layer, go to Filter – Other – High Pass (Filter – Other – Color Contrast). In the window that opens, install Radius (Radius) by 20 pixels.
Step 2
Now press Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor this layer, change its blending mode to Overlay (Overlap) and reduce Opacity (Opacity) up to 87%. Name the layer “Model Contrast”.
Step 3
Select the “Model” layer, press Ctrl + J to duplicate it, and move the copy to the top of the layers panel. Then go Filter – Other – High Pass (Filter – Other – Color Contrast) and set Radius (Radius) 30 pixels.
Step 4
Hit Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor this layer, change its blend mode to Screen (Lighten) and reduce the opacity to 82%. Name this layer “Model Brightness”.
Step 5
Without removing the selection from the current layer, go Image – Auto Toone (Image – Autoton), then Image – Auto Contrast (Image – Dynamic Contrast) to apply automatic color correction. Next, click the right mouse button on this layer, select Blending Options (Overlay settings) and customizable as shown below:
5. Create stones
Step 1
In this section, we will create stones that will be distributed throughout the canvas. Select the “Model” layer and duplicate it (Ctrl + J). Move the copy to the top of the layers panel. Hide all other layers, go Filter – Pixelate – Crystallize (Filter – Design – Crystallization) and install Cell Size (Cell size) by 20, as shown below:
Step 2
Now press Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor the layer, and go Image – Auto Toone (Image – Autoton) and Image – Auto Contrast (Image – Auto Contrast). Then go Select – Color Range (Selection – Color Range) and click on the model with the pipette to select the parts with the selected tonality range. Install Fuzziness (Scatter) by 5. After this, go Select – Select and Mask (Selection – Select and mask) (Translator’s Note: in versions Photoshop CC 2015.1 and below this feature is called Refine Edge (Specify edge)).
Step 3
Select the “Model” layer and press Ctrl + J to duplicate the selected area to the new layer. Since this is the first layer with stones, we call it “Stones 1”.
Step 4
Next, we repeat the entire process of work and create more layers with stones. Select the “Model copy” layer and go to Select – Color Range (Highlight – Color range). Pipette click on the model to select parts with the selected tonality range. Install Fuzziness (Scatter) by 5. After this, go Select – Select and Mask (Selection – Select and mask) and apply the settings as shown below:
Step 5
Select the “Model” layer and press Ctrl + J to duplicate the selected area to the new layer. We call it “Stones 2”.
Step 6
Now we repeat this process as many times as you want to create layers with stones. I just got 15 layers. Sometimes I installed Shift Edge (Shift edge) in settings Select and Mask (Select and mask) by 50%, but you can experiment with any settings Select and Mask (Highlight and mask) and Color Range (Color range) to find the best result.
Step 7
Right click on the “Model copy” layer and select Delete (Delete) Then select the “Stones 1” layer, hold down the Shift key and click on the last layer with stones (in my case, “Stones 15”) to select all of them. Then go Layer – New – Group from Layers (Layer – New – Group of layers) to merge selected layers into the group we call “Stones”.
Step 8
Now select the “Model” layer, press Ctrl + J to duplicate it, and move it to the very top of the layers panel. Turn on the visibility of this layer and turn Filter – Pixelate – Crystallize (Filter – Appearance – Crystallization), set Cell Size (Cell size) by 50.
Step 9
Press Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor the layer, and go Image – Auto Toone (Image – Autoton) and Image – Auto Contrast (Image – Auto Contrast). Then go Select – Color Range (Selection – Color Range) and click on the model with the pipette to select the parts with the selected tonality range. Install Fuzziness (Scatter) by 5. After this, go Select – Select and Mask (Selection – Select and mask) and customize as shown below:
Step 10
Select the “Model” layer and press Ctrl + J to duplicate the selected area to the new layer. Since this is the first layer with large stones, we call it “Big stones 1”.
Step 11
Now we repeat this process as many times as many layers with large stones you want to create. I just got 14 layers. Sometimes I installed Shift Edge (Shift edge) in settings Select and Mask (Select and mask) by 50%, but you can experiment with any settings Select and Mask (Highlight and mask) and Color Range (Color range) to find the best result.
Step 12
Right click on the “Model copy” layer and select Delete (Delete) Then select the “Big stones 1” layer, hold down the Shift key and click on the last layer with stones (in my case, “Big stones 14”) to select all of them. Then go Layer – New – Group from Layers (Layer – New – Group of layers) to merge selected layers into a group, which we call “Big stones”.
Step 13
Now select the “Model” layer, press Ctrl + J to duplicate it, and move it to the very top of the layers panel. Turn on the visibility of this layer and turn Filter – Pixelate – Crystallize (Filter – Appearance – Crystallization), set Cell Size (Cell size) at 80.
Step 14
Press Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor the layer, and go Image – Auto Toone (Image – Autoton) and Image – Auto Contrast (Image – Auto Contrast). Then go Select – Color Range (Selection – Color Range) and click on the model with the pipette to select the parts with the selected tonality range. Install Fuzziness (Scatter) by 5. After this, go Select – Select and Mask (Selection – Select and mask) and customize as shown below:
Step 15
Select the “Model” layer and press Ctrl + J to duplicate the selected area to the new layer. Since this is the first layer with very large stones, we call it “Very large stones 1”.
Step 16
Now we repeat this process as many times as there are layers with very large stones you want to create. I just got 10 layers. Sometimes I installed Shift Edge (Shift edge) in settings Select and Mask (Select and mask) by 50%, but you can experiment with any settings Select and Mask (Highlight and mask) and Color Range (Color range) to find the best result.
Step 17
Right click on the “Model copy” layer and select Delete (Delete) Then select the “Very large stones 1” layer, hold down the Shift key and click on the last layer with stones (in my case this is “Very large stones 10”) in order to select all of them. Then go Layer – New – Group from Layers (Layer – New – Group of layers) to merge selected layers into a group, which we call “Very large stones”.
Step 18
Now, to make the stones look more realistic, click on the “Stones 1” layer with the right mouse button, select Blending Options (Blending options) and customize Bevel Emboss (Embossed) as below:
Step 19
Move on Layer – Layer Style – Copy Layer Style (Layer – Layer Style – Copy Layer Style), then right-click on the next layer with stones and select Paste Layer Style (Paste the layer style). Thus, paste the copied layer style on each layer with stones. You can use the Ctrl and Shift keys to simultaneously select multiple layers and speed up the process of pasting.
Step 20
Next, right-click on each layer with stones and select Rasterize Layer Style (Rasterize the layer style). You can use the Ctrl and Shift keys to simultaneously select multiple layers and speed up the work process.
Step 21
Select each layer with stones and press Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor them. Then turn on the visibility of all layers.
6. Distribute the stones in the composition
Step 1
In this section, we will distribute the created stones on the working canvas. Select the “Stones 1” layer, press Ctrl + T and set the width and height to 114%, as shown below:
Step 2
In the same way we transform other stones. Do not be afraid to experiment with other transformation parameters. Here is the result I got:
Step 3
To add depth to the effect with stones, we will apply a blur. Apply filter to several layers with stones Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur) and set Radius (Radius) by 5 pixels.
Step 4
You can apply blur to any layers with stones. Also do not be afraid to experiment with the level of blur. Here is the result I got:
Step 5
In this step, we will perform the final adjustment of the stones: change the position, remove the extra details and copy them.
- To move the stones, select the desired layer, activate Move Tool
(V) (Move), click on the canvas and drag the desired object with the mouse. - If you want to remove some stones, select the desired layer and go Layer – Layer Mask – Reveal All (Layer – Layer Mask – Show All) to add an empty mask to the layer. Then, without removing the selection from the mask, we take Brush Tool (B) (Brush), choose a soft brush and black color, then draw over the stones that need to be removed.
- If you want to transform the stones, select the desired layer, press Ctrl + T and change the width and height parameters on the top property bar.
- If you want to apply blur to the stones, select the desired layer and turn Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur). Set the appropriate value Radius (Radius).
After all the improvements we get this result:
Step 6
Select the “Stones” group, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the “Large stones” and “Very large stones” groups to select them simultaneously, then move all the groups to the very top of the layer panel.
7. Add lighting and focus.
Step 1
In this section, we will work with the lighting and focus of the composition. Select the group “Stones”, go Layer – New – Layer (Layer – New – Layer) to create a new layer, and call it “Dark Edge”.
Step 2
Hit the D key to reset the colors to standard, then go Edit – Fill (Edit – Run Fill). In the window that opens, install Contents (Content) on Foreground Color (Main color), Blending (Overlay) – on Normal (Normal) and Opacity (Opacity) – 100%.
Step 3
Press Ctrl + A to select the entire document, and go Layer – Layer Mask – Hide Selection (Layer – Layer Mask – Hide the selected area) to create a mask according to the shape of the selection. Then left-click on the chain icon between the thumbnail and the mask to disconnect them.
Step 4
Without removing the selection from the mask, press Ctrl + T and set the width and height to 89%, as shown below:
Step 5
Without removing the selection from the mask, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur) and set Radius (Radius) 180 pixels.
Step 6
Set the opacity of this layer to 83%, then go to Layer – New – Layer (Layer – New – Layer) To create a new layer, call it “Light Source”.
Step 7
Hit D to reset colors to standard, go to Edit – Fill (Edit – Run Fill). In the window that opens, install Contents (Content) on Foreground Color (Main color), Blending (Overlay) – on Normal (Normal) and Opacity (Opacity) – 100%.
Step 8
Press Ctrl + A to select the entire document, and take Rectangular Marquee Tool
(M) (Rectangular selection). Click the right button on the document, select Transform Selection (Transform the selected area), on the top property bar, set the center of the transformation at the center in the top row and height – by 50%.
Step 9
Now go Layer – Layer Mask – Reveal Selection (Layer – Layer Mask – Show Selected Area) to add a mask to the shape of the selected area. Then right click on the mask on the layers panel and select Apply Layer Mask (Apply a layer mask). Next, apply Filter – Blur – Motion Blur (Filter – Blur – Blur in motion), set Angle (Angle) at 90 and Distance (Offset) – by 1450 pixels.
Step 10
Click the right mouse button on this layer, select Blending Options (Overlay options), activate Gradient Overlay (Overlay gradient) and customize it:
Step 11
Decrease Opacity (Opacity) layer up to 50% and Fill (Fill) – up to 0%.
Step 12
Select the “Model” layer, click on it with the right mouse button and select Blending Options (Overlay options). Activate Gradient Overlay (Overlay gradient) and customize it:
Step 13
Select the “Model brightness” layer and reduce it. Opacity (Opacity) up to 31%.
8. Apply adjustment layers
Step 1
In this section, we will apply several adjustment layers to get the final result. Select the “Light Source” layer, press the D key to reset the colors to the standard ones, go to Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Gradient Map (Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Gradient Map) and call the adjustment layer “Overall Contrast”.
Step 2
Change layer blend mode to Overlay (Overlap) and reduce the opacity to 41%.
Step 3
Move on Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Levels (Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Levels), call the new adjustment layer “Total Brightness”.
Step 4
Double click on the thumbnail of the adjustment layer and on the panel Properties (Properties) customize it:
Step 5
Now go Layer – New Fill Layer – Solid Color (Layer – Fill New Layer – Color), call this layer “Common Color” and select color # 455665.
Step 6
Change layer blend mode to Color (Chromaticity) and turn Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Saturation (Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Saturation), call the new adjustment layer “Total Saturation”.
Step 7
Double click on the thumbnail of the adjustment layer to open the panel Properties (Properties). We configure it as shown below:
Step 8
Now press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E to merge all visible layers on a separate new layer, then Ctrl + Shift + U to discolor it. Then go Filter – Other – High Pass (Filter – Other – Color Contrast) and set Radius (Radius) by 2 pixels.
Step 9
Change the blending mode of this layer to Hard Light (Hard Light) and call it “Sharpness.”
Congratulations, you have successfully completed the lesson! Here is the final result:
If you want to get a more interesting result, I advise you to watch my Dark Knight action game, with which you can add rain and splash effects.
