In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a bright and mysterious scene using blending modes and other techniques. This lesson is easy to perform, and even novice Photoshop users will be able to cope with it. You will learn about my technique of combining blend modes, which will help you to quickly recreate the impressive effects and avoid difficult corrections.
Today we will create a fiery photomanipulation of fire. To complete this tutorial, you will need Photoshop SC4 or higher. So let’s get started!
The final result:
Step 1
Open the original image with the road. Select the entire image (Ctrl + A), and then press the keys (Ctrl + C) to copy the selected image. Go back to our working paper and press the keys (Ctrl + V) to paste the copied image. Using tool Free transformation (free transform (Ctrl + T)), position the image to create the sky, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 2
Open the original image with the Ripper in Photoshop. Create a selection around the Ripper’s figure. You can use the tool Fast selection 
(Quick selection tool) or tool Pen 
(Pen Tool). After you create the active selection, press the keys (Ctrl + J) to duplicate the selection on the new layer. Select the entire image (Ctrl + A), and then press the keys (Ctrl + C) to copy the selected image. Go back to our working paper and press the keys (Ctrl + V) to paste the copied image. Transform the Ripper layer into a smart object so that we can carry out the correction without losing pixels (to do this, right-click on the layer and in the appeared window select the option Convert to Smart Object (Convert To Smart Object). Using tool Free transformation (free transform (Ctrl + T)), position the image of the Ripper, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 3
Create a new layer (Ctrl + N). Transform this layer into a clipping mask to the layer with the Ripper, to do this, hold down the (Alt) key and click between the two layers. Now the contents of the upper layer will be visible only through the pixels of the lower layer. Change the blending mode for this layer to Overlap (Overlay) and use a large soft white brush to add the reflecting light on the right side of the Ripper image.
Step 4
Create a new layer. Choose a tool Stamp 
(Clone Tool). Hide the white pixels in the Ripper’s face area by cloning the dark areas.
Step 5
Open the original texture of cracked earth. Select the entire image, copy / paste on our working paper. Convert the texture layer to a smart object. Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), position the texture as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 6
Add a layer mask to the texture layer, for this we go Layer – Layer Mask – Show All (Layer> Layer Mask> Reveal All). Now set the foreground color to black, to do this, press the key (D). Click on the layer mask and then press the keys (Ctrl + Backspace) to fill the layer mask in black and hide the texture. Now using a soft white brush Opacity (Opacity) 100%, paint over the wooden handle of the scythe to restore the image.
Step 7
Change the blending mode for the cracked earth texture layer to Multiplication (Multiply), so we hide all the light areas of the texture, keeping only the black cracks.
Step 8
Create a new layer. Set the dark orange color (# 882a00) as the foreground color. With a brush, Mel, Opacity (Opacity) 80%, brush size 2 px, paint over the cracks, adding a reddish glow. Name the new layer “crack crack”.
Step 9
Duplicate the “crack crack” layer (Ctrl + J). Double click on duplicate layer to apply blending options. Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below to add a little glow.
Step 10
Open the original texture of Fire 1. Select the entire image, copy / paste onto our working paper. Convert the texture layer to a smart object. Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), position the texture as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 11
Change the blending mode for the fire texture layer to Lightening (Screen). Now only fire will be visible.
Step 12
Duplicate the fire texture layer. Move the duplicate layer slightly to the left.
Step 13
Group all the layers of fire in one group (hold down (Ctrl) + select the layers, and then press (Ctrl + G)). Set the brush Fire. To the layer with the created group, add a layer mask and with the help of a soft black brush and black brush Fire, hide the hard edges of the texture with fire on the layer mask of the layer.
Step 14
Open the original texture of Fire 2. Select the entire image, copy / paste onto our working paper. Convert the texture layer to a smart object. Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), position the texture as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 15
Change the blending mode for the fire texture layer to Lightening (Screen).
Step 16
Add a layer mask to the Fire texture layer and use the black brush to hide the hard edges of the texture.
Step 17
Duplicate the Fire Texture layer 2 to enhance the sparks effect.
Step 18
Duplicate the Fire 2 texture layer again. Using the tool Free transformation (free transform), position the effect of fire, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 19
Group all three layers with the texture of Fire 2 into one group. Name the new group Iskra. You can add a layer mask to the created group and with the help of a black brush hide the extra areas of the fire texture or extra fragments of sparks.
Step 20
Duplicate the Fire 1. Texture layer. Position the texture as shown in the screenshot below. Change the blending mode to Lightening (screen).
Step 21
Add a layer mask and with the help of the Fire brush and a soft brush, hide the hard edges of the texture.
Step 22
Duplicate the layer we processed on the layer mask in Step 21. Slide the duplicate slightly downwards to completely cover the wooden part of the spit handle.
Step 23
Once again duplicate the fire layer, only this time move the duplicate fire layer up along the spit handle to increase the brightness of the flame.
Step 24
Group the layers that you created in Steps 21-23. To the layer with the created group, add a layer mask to hide the extra fragments of textures.
Step 25
Unzip the archive with effects. Copy / paste one of the effects on our working paper. Arrange the image with the effects as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 26
Change the blending mode for the layer with effects on Lightening basics (Color Dodge). Add a layer mask to hide the bottom of the image.
Step 27
Select another image with effects. Position the image as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 28
Change the blending mode for this layer with effects on Lightening (Screen).
Step 29
Add adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation), convert this layer to a clipping mask to the layer with the effects that we just added. Move the slider Color tone (hue) to the end to the left.
Step 30
Download the zipper brush. Create a new layer, draw white lightning. The location of the lightning should be as in the screenshot below. Lightning is difficult to see because of the bright ambient light.
Step 31
Double click on the zipper layer to apply the blending options. Set the settings that are shown in the screenshot below.
Step 32
Create two more new layers. Draw two different zippers. Double click on each zipper layer to apply the blending options. Apply the same settings that we used in Step 31.
Step 33
Group the lightning layers into one group. To the layer with the created group, add a layer mask to hide the extra lightning fragments.
Step 34
Create a new layer, set the Smoke brushes. Draw a smoke effect on the Ripper’s hand with a brush Smoke, brush color is white – add a layer mask to hide hard edges.
Step 35
Create multiple layers. Add smoke effects to different parts of the image, as shown in the screenshot below. If the smoke effect is too saturated, reduce the opacity of the layer. Group all layers with the effect of smoke into one group.
Step 36
Open the original texture with highlights. Copy / paste this texture onto our working paper and don’t forget to convert the texture layer into a smart object. Arrange the texture with highlights, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 37
Change the blending mode for the layer with highlights to Lightening basics (Color Dodge). Add a layer mask, hide glare / sparks to get the result, as in the screenshot below.
Step 38
Duplicate the texture with highlights. Place a duplicate texture on the wooden handle of the spit. If necessary, hide the extra areas of the texture using a layer mask.
Step 39
Open the original texture with cracked earth. Copy / paste this texture onto our working paper. Convert the texture layer to a smart object.
Step 40
Change the blending mode for the texture layer to Multiplication (Multiply). Add a layer mask to hide areas of the texture outside the outline of the Ripper image.
Step 41
Create a new layer and with the help of an orange chalk brush (# 8c1a12), paint over the cracks.
Step 42
Double-click on the cracked paint layer to apply the blending options. Apply the following settings, which are shown in the screenshot below.
Step 43
Create a new layer, change the blending mode to Overlap (Overlay). Using a soft brush with an opacity of 10%, the brush color is white, paint over the cracks to make them brighter.
Step 44
Create another new layer, change the blending mode to Overlap (Overlay). Set the foreground color to # 5e0600. Using the same soft round brush with an opacity of 20%, paint over the cracks again to make them look glowing.
Step 45
Create a new layer, change the blending mode to Lightening basics (Color Dodge). Set the foreground color to # ff1100. Paint over the cracks again with a soft brush to add a fiery glow.
Step 46
Group all the cracked layers together (cracked texture layers and cracked paint layers). Duplicate the created group. Place a duplicate group with cracks over the head of the Ripper. Zoom out a bit. To the group duplicate layer, add a layer mask to show the cracks in the head area only.
Step 47
Group all the groups and layers that you have created at the moment and related to the image of the Ripper.
Step 48
Create a new layer (or two). Install the Brush Birds. Draw two flocks of black birds.
Step 49
Open the original image with a cross. Copy / paste the cross image onto our working paper. Transform a layer with a cross into a smart object. Place the cross as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 50
Add an adjustment layer to the cross layer Curves (Curves) as a clipping mask. In the settings window, pull the curve down to darken the cross. Group the cross layer and adjustment layer Curves (Curves) in one group. Name the new group “Cross”.
Step 51
Duplicate the “Cross” layer. Apply scaling to the duplicate layer with a group using free transform, placing the duplicate image, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 52
Open the original image with the house. Create a selection around the house image. Copy / paste the selected image of the house on our working paper and do not forget to convert the layer with the house into a smart object. Position the house as shown in the screenshot below. Decrease Opacity (opacity) layer up to 60%.
Step 53
Create a new layer and with the help of a yellow brush (# f5dd16), paint over the window of the house indicated in the screenshot below. Group the house layer and the light layer in the window into one group.
Step 54
Create a new layer and use the Smoke brush to draw a smoke effect over the top of the house and crosses.
Step 55
Using the Flame brush, the brush color is dark orange (# b45c24), draw the flames in the areas that are indicated in the screenshot below.
Step 56
Open the original image with a dead tree. Copy / paste the tree image onto our working paper. Transform the tree layer into a smart object. Position the tree on the left side of the scene so that only a few branches are visible.
Step 57
To the tree layer, add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) as a clipping mask. In the settings window, drag the curve down to darken the tree.
Step 58
Open the original image with skeleton 1. Copy / paste the image of the skeleton onto our working paper. Convert the skeleton layer to a smart object. Apply scaling to the skeleton, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 59
To the skeleton layer, add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) as a clipping mask. In the settings window, drag the curve down to darken the skeleton.
Step 60
Create a new layer and with the help of a chalk brush, draw a rope on which the skeleton is hung.
Step 61
Open the original image with skeleton 2. Copy / paste the skeleton image onto our working paper. Convert the skeleton layer to a smart object. Arrange the skeleton, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 62
To the skeleton layer, add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) as a clipping mask. In the settings window, drag the curve down to darken the skeleton.
Step 63
Let’s add some lightning to our scene. Create two new layers. On each layer, paint a zipper with a white lightning brush.
Step 64
Unpack the archive with optical effects. Open the image “026.png”. Copy / paste the specified effect on our working paper. Apply scaling as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 65
Change the blending mode for the layer with the optical flare to Lightening (Screen) and then add a layer mask to hide hard edges in the image.
Step 66
The time has come for the final effects. Create a new adjustment layer. Map gradients (Gradient Map). Change the blending mode for this adjustment layer to Soft light (Soft Light). Reduce value Fillings (fill) layer up to 44%. Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below.
Step 67
Create a new layer, change the blending mode for this layer to Overlap (Overlay). Using a soft white brush with an opacity of 10%, paint over the braid to accent it.
Step 68
Create a new layer, change the blending mode for this layer to Lightening basics (Color Dodge). Using a soft white brush with an opacity of 50%, paint over the folds on the Ripper’s Cape, as well as on the silhouette of the house and crosses.
Step 69
Create a new adjustment layer. Curves (Curves). Set the curves as shown in the screenshots below to increase the saturation of the entire scene and add some red tones.
Step 70
Create a merged layer on top of all other layers by pressing the keys (Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E). Change the blending mode for the created layer to Overlap (Overlay). Next, apply the filter Gaussian blur (Gaussian Blur) with a high blur radius, for this we go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur).
We have completed the lesson! I hope you liked this lesson, and you learned something useful for yourself! Have a nice time doing this tutorial.
The final result:
PSD lesson
