In this lesson you will learn how to create an exciting medieval scene with a girl leaning on a column. You will also learn how to combine images, including work on light and shadows.
Final result
Source materials:
Step 1. New document
Create a new document, go File – New (File-New). Set the following settings Height (Height) 2000px and Width (Width) 2000px.
Step 2. Neutral basis
You can fill the background with a neutral tint, as shown in the screenshot below, to create the basis for our picture.
Step 3. Model
Next, go File – Post (File – Place), in the appeared window, select the model image.
Step 4. Isolation
Create a selection around the model image using the tool Pen 
(Pen) or tool Lasso (
Lasso tool).
Step 5. Add a layer mask.
Through the bottom toolbar, add a layer mask to the model image.
If you did everything correctly, the result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 6. Add the sky
Put the sky on our working paper.
Color the sky by pressing the keys (Ctrl + U). In the settings, decrease the value Saturation (Opacity) to -50, and the value Brightness (Lightness) to -25.
Step 7. Overlay Mode Overlap
Change the blending mode for the sky layer to Overlap (overlay), and also reduce the layer opacity to 60%.
Step 8. Add mountains
Put the mountains on our working paper.
Step 9. Blur according to Gauss
Next, go Filter – Blur – Blur by Gauss(Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur). Set the blur radius to 5px.
Step 10. Overlay Mode Overlap
Change the blending mode for the layer with mountains to Overlap (overlay), and also reduce the layer opacity to 65%.
Step 11. Add an orange tint.
Create a new layer (Ctrl + Shift + N), change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light), next, choose a soft round brush of warm shades (brownish). Paint over the new layer. Do not forget to vary the pressure of the brush, because shades should be lighter in the middle of the image and darker at the edges.
Do not forget about the light source. The image in the screenshot below in the blend mode Normal (normal).
Layer with overlay mode Soft light (soft light).
Color palette you can use.
Step 12. Add the image of the rock
Add a rock image to our working paper, apply scaling according to the model image.
Step 13. Isolation
Use the same technique that you used to select the model. Once you create an active selection, add a layer mask to hide the extra areas of the image.
Step 14. Color Layer
Place a layer with the sky.
Next, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur). Set the blur radius to 90px.
Step 15. Blend Mode Soft Light
Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light).
Step 16. Add an orange tint
The same thing you did before, create a new layer, select a soft round brush. Using this brush, paint on a new layer on top of the working image. This time use shades of orange and yellow.
The image in the screenshot below in the blend mode Normal (normal).
Layer with overlay mode Soft shine(soft light).
Step 17. Lighting Effects
Using a soft round brush, add lighting effects.
Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light).
Step 18. Add Ruins
Add Ruins to our working paper.
Use the same technique that you used to select the model. Once you create an active selection, add a layer mask to hide the extra areas of the image.
Step 19. Model
Change the position of the model, to do this, press the keys (ctrl + T) to activate the tool Free Transformation (free transform). Reduce the image of the model to match the scale of the entire image.
Step 20. Details
Next, go to the layer mask of the model layer. Hide some parts of the model image.
Step 21. Leather
Create a selection around the skin of the model, without removing the selection, duplicate the selected area on a new layer (ctrl + j).
Step 22. Saturation
Press the keys (Ctrl + U). Reduce the saturation value for a duplicate of the layer with the skin of the model -20.
Step 23. Brighten the skin
To make the skin of the model lighter, you need to again duplicate the layer with the skin of the model (ctrl + j), and then change the blending mode for this layer to Lightening (screen), and also reduce the opacity of the layer to 30%.
Step 24. Eyes
Draw on the model’s eyebrows and eyes to make the girl’s face more alive.
Step 25. Makeup
The makeup will depend on your preferences, but basically you need to add shadows to the eyelids, as well as draw the eye contour.
You can also add a small blush on the cheeks and paint over the lips and draw the outline of the lips.
Step 26. Hair base
To create curls of hair in this case, it would be better if you worked with the tablet. If you do not have a tablet, then you can try to draw hair locks with the mouse and tool Pen (Pen Tool).
Use a soft round black brush to create curls of hair. Do not forget to set the brush to the parameter. Pen pressure (pen pressure), brush size should be 1px.
Finish more hair curls.
Step 27. Hair
So, we have created the basis for the hair, further, we additionally draw the hair to give it a more natural look.
Create a new layer. Choose a soft round brush (brush size 2px), brush color – brown (you can use the same hair color as on the original layer, selecting a color tint with the tool Pipette 
(eyedropper tool). Begin to draw hair locks using wavy movements with a brush; brush pressure should be soft.
First, draw a large curls of hair, then, using different shades, add light and shade to the hair. You can also apply a blur to the ends of the hair.
Step 28. Shadows
Create a new layer between the column layer and the model. On the new layer, draw a shadow from the model. Using a soft round black brush, draw a shadow on the column.
Step 29. Stones
Choose one of the brushes from the Jonas de Ro brush set, paint small yellow flowers. You can also fill in the empty areas with stones using the Stones brush. The result should be as in the screenshot below.
Step 30. Foliage
Using Grass brushes, draw climbing vegetation on the columns.
Step 31. Shadows
The same thing that you did earlier, using a soft round black brush, draw a shadow in the bottom of the image. If you find it necessary, you can add a small Gaussian blur (gaussian blur).
Step 32. Flags
Original images with flags are shown in the screenshots below.
Using tool Lasso (lasso tool), create a selection around the flags, and then add a layer mask to hide the extra areas, leaving only the images of the flags themselves visible:
Press the keys (ctrl + t) to activate a free transformation, to apply the appropriate scaling, and also to select the corresponding position on the image.
Step 33. Give a shabby look.
With the help of layer masks, give old flags. Reduce brush size, brush color is black. On a layer mask, process the sections of the flag so that the flag looks torn.
Repeat the whole process with another flag, apply the filter Motion blur (motion blur) to this flag. Blur angle (angle) 38, Bias (distance) 20px.
Step 34. Add lighting effects
Load the active flag selection, create a new layer, apply a gradient to each flag. Do not forget that each flag must be on a separate layer.
Change the blending mode for this layer with gradient to Soft light (soft light), for the first flag, which is located closer to us, apply layer opacity (opacity) 70%, and the value Fillings (fill) 60%. And for the second flag, set layer opacity (opacity) 30%.
Step 35. Add a brownish tint.
Create a new layer. On a new layer, paint over the model image and columns to add a brownish tint to them.
Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light).
Step 36. Shadows
Create a new layer. On a new layer, using a soft round black brush, paint over the model image, you need to paint over areas that are close to the column. Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light).
The processing area is the right side of the model.
Step 3. Add Shadows
You can create a new layer, this time increase the size of the brush, and also reduce the opacity of the brush to (30%). Paint over the model image to align with the entire scene. Do not forget to change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light), and also reduce the opacity of the layer, if you find it necessary.
Step 38. Details
Create a new layer. Choose a soft round brush, set a yellow tint. Draw light reflection effects. You can also add light shadows with a black brush.
Don’t forget to stain smoothly. Reduce the layer opacity to 50%.
Step 39. Correction Layer
Through the bottom toolbar, add a new adjustment layer. Color search (color lookup), set the ‘fall colors’ option, and lower the layer opacity to 40%.
And we have completed the lesson!
Final result
