Images used in the lesson:
Final image
Step 1. Start by creating a new document. 1000Х1500 pixels
Insert a landscape image into your document, place it in the same way as in the image below:
Now we need to blur our background, later it will play its role in creating the depth of the image.
To do this, go to Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur). Apply a Gaussian Blur of Radius 5 pixels.
Let’s add a couple of adjustment layers. Make it a habit to add a clipping mask to your adjustment layers, so the effect will only apply to the layer directly below them.
In this case, we need to add adjustment layers. Color balance (Color balance) and Levels (Levels). All settings are listed below:
Correction layer Color balance (Color balance):
Light (Highlights): -15 / -4 / -15
Mid tones (Midtones): +6 / -4 / -30
Shadows: +8 / +13 / +1
Adjustment Layer Levels (Levels):
23 / 0.94 / 243
Fig. 04
Fig. 05
Step 2. Now insert the reading girl into the document. Her image can also be found in the resources for this lesson.
Separate it from the background using any method convenient for you (I did it with the help of Lasso 
– Lasso).
Now apply adjustment layers Color balance (Color balance), Color / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) and Levels (Levels) – settings below. Be sure not to forget the clipping mask for each adjustment layer.
Correction layer Color balance:
Light (Highlights): -11 / -2 / -6
Mid tones (Midtones): +4 / +12 / -26
Shadows: -5 / +1 / -13
Color / Saturation adjustment layer (Hue / Saturation):
Color (Hue): 0
Saturation: +15
Brightness (Lightness): 0
Correction Layer Levels (Levels):
51 / 1.00 / 244
Step 3. Now place the stones in your document.
Place them under the girl so that she sits on them.
Now duplicate the layer with stones and hide the appearance of a duplicate.
Add adjustment layers Color balance (Color balance) and Levels (Levels).
Correction layer Color balance (Color balance):
Light (Highlights): -4 / -1 / -26
Mid tones (Midtones): +6 / +9 / -28
Shadows: +4 / +5 / -4
Adjustment Layer Levels (Levels):
29 / 0.90 / 215
Step 4. Make a duplicate of the stone layer visible. This layer is clearer, because we did not erode it. Duplicate the adjustment layers you applied to the gems layer. Now apply them to the second layer with stones.
Add a layer mask to the duplicate layer with stones and using soft black Brushes 
(Brush) hide the bottom of the stones. So your stones will be clear at the top and gradually become blurred downwards.
Step 5. Create a new layer and name it “light from the book.”
Stretch radial gradient(radial gradient) from the center of the book. Lower layer opacity up to 30% and apply a layer mask. Use soft black brush , to hide the light that comes on the book.
Step 6. Insert a balloon in your paper.
Rotate and resize it to fit the image:
Apply adjustment layers to the balloon layer. Color balance (Color balance) and Color / Saturation (Hue / Saturation):
Adjustment layer Color / Saturation (Hue / Saturation):
Color (Hue): 0
Saturation: -35
Brightness (Lightness): 0
Correction layer Color balance (Color balance):
Light (Highlights): +9 / +9 / -29
Mid Tones (Midtones): -9 / +15 / -40
Shadows: +25 / +19 / +15
Step 7. Repeat the sixth step, but add other balloons, select the correct settings for the adjustment layers for each:
Step 8. Open a photo with the sky and crop it:
Create a duplicate layer with the sky. Use Levels in order to enhance the contrast of the image. Next we go to Select> Color Range (Select> Color Range). Select “sampled colors” and click on the blue sky. Click OK.
Your selection should contain as much sky as possible. Invert selection – Select> Invert (Select> Inverse). Now the clouds are highlighted.
Go back to the original sky layer (which you didn’t increase contrast). Copy clouds (Ctrl + C) and paste them into the document (Ctrl + V):
Create layer mask 
and using soft medium black brush, hide the edges of the clouds:
Change the size of the clouds and deform them so that they fit the book. If necessary, apply a layer mask to make the clouds look like they were just on the pages of a book.
It’s time to apply adjustment layers. Color / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) and Levels (Levels):
Color / Saturation adjustment layer (Hue / Saturation):
Color (Hue): 0
Saturation: -100
Brightness (Lightness): +29
Correction Layer Levels (Levels):
32 / 1.25 / 213
Step 9. Insert the Firework 1 image into your document.
You have noticed that the fireworks are on a black background. To hide it, change the layer blending mode to Screen (Screen). Use the mask to hide the edges and unnecessary parts.
Do the same with the second firework image:
Step 10. Cut out the reptile’s tail and insert it into the image:
Change the tail size and deform it, so that it looks like the tail comes out of the pages of the book:
Step 11. Use the same technique to insert the claws of a reptile to make it appear that it crawls out of the book. Apply adjustment layers Levels and Hue / Saturation, so that the parts of the reptile correspond to the rest of the image:
Step 12. Now open the photo of the trail from the plane. Via Color range (Color range) separate the trace from the background and paste it into your working paper:
Use the layer mask to hide unwanted areas:
Now apply adjustment layers Color / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) and Levels (Levels):
Adjustment layer Color / Saturation (Hue / Saturation):
Color (Hue): 0
Saturation: -100
Brightness (Lightness): 0
Adjustment Layer Levels (Levels):
39 / 0.69 / 151
Place the layers with the aircraft trace and its adjustment layers in a separate group, name it “aircraft trace”. Duplicate the group and move all the layers in the group slightly higher than the original. Lower the group opacity to 35%. Thus, we will achieve a more magnificent trail.
Step 13. Insert in the working document image of the airplane. Change its size and place it so that it fits well into the image, and so it seems that it is he who leaves a smoky mark:
Apply adjustment layers to this layer. Color balance (Color balance) and Levels (Levels):
Correction layer Color balance:
Light (Highlights): +22 / +19 / -18
Midtones: +26 / +19 / -15
Shadows: -13 / +9 / +6
Correction Layer Levels (Levels):
22 / 1.00 / 229
Step 14. It’s time to work on the lighting.
You have noticed that the girl does not cast shadows, she seems to be separate from the stones. To fix this, create a new layer, name it “the shadow of the girl.” With soft black brusheswith low opacity, draw a shadow under the girl’s feet.
Make sure that this layer is above the layer with the girl and the stones, but below the layers with the airplane and the trace from it.
Step 15. Now you need to add beautiful lighting.
Create a new layer, name it “yellow glow”.
Stretch a few radial gradient color from # fae305 to transparent.
Change the blending mode for this layer to Overlay and lower the opacity to 30%.
Repeat this technique, but now radial gradients from blue to
transparent and from orange to transparent.
Step 16. Create a new layer, name it “dim / lighten.” Go to Edit> Fill> 50% gray (Edit> Fill> 50% gray).
Change the layer blending mode to Overlay. Now you can paint on this layer with white and black colors, thereby darkening and lightening certain areas of the image.
In the image below, you can see the “darkening / lightening” layer in the normal blending mode, and below – already with the Overlay. I also lowered the opacity of this layer to 70% to make the effect softer.
Step 17. Create a new layer, name it “vignette”. Use very large and soft brush with low opacity to darken the edges of the image. Thus, you will create a light frame around the girl and focus on the center of the composition:
We did it!
You can see the final result below. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, I’m happy to hear your feedback on the technique and the result.
Author: Tom
