In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a scene with an underwater landscape in Photoshop. You will learn how to create a fantastic underwater scene with a beautiful girl. The technique used in this lesson will help you create your own paintings in the style of Matt Paint.
Stages of the lesson
In this lesson we will create an emotional underwater scene with a girl. We will apply the basic techniques of creating photomanipulations. We will work with masks, brushes, apply some filters and textures, as well as carry out color correction. You will need Adobe Photoshop CC to complete this tutorial. Some of the filters used in this tutorial may not be available in Photoshop CS. Do not forget about a cup of coffee. Ready..?
The final result:
Step 1
First, let’s create a new document. To do this, open the original image with the underwater scene in Photoshop (Ctrl + O). We use this image as a background for our underwater scene.
Let’s convert the layer with the background to a new layer, to do this, double-click on the thumbnail of the layer with the background, so that the window appears New layer (new layer). Name this layer, say, an underwater landscape.
Now we need to change the position of the sun’s rays, which are located on the left side of the scene. To do this, press the keys (Ctrl + T) to activate the tool Free transformation (free transform tool). Next, right-click on the transformation area and in the window that appears, select the option Flip horizontally (flip horizontal).
Finally, let’s go Image – Image Size (image> image size). Set the size to 1800 px in width and 1200 px in height.
Step 2
Open the original image with the Cathedral in Photoshop. Move this image to our working paper.
Change the blending mode for the cathedral layer to Overlap (overlay). Apply scaling to the desired size. Displace the cathedral, arranging it so that the dome of the cathedral is exposed to the rays of light.
Decrease Opacity (opacity) layer with a cathedral to about 20%.
Now we need to hide certain sections of the image of the cathedral. To the cathedral layer, add a layer mask. Let’s go Layer – Layer Mask – Show All (layer> layer mask> reveal all). Choose a tool Brush 
(brush tool (B)), install a soft round brush stiffness (hardness) 0% and Opacity (opacity) about 15-20%, brush color is black. Paint over the window, lower and left parts of the cathedral and a little ceiling. The areas of processing with a brush on the layer mask are highlighted in red in the screenshot below.
Result after mask correction:
Step 3
Next, we will change the color of the underwater scene by adding blue tones. Create a new layer on top of the cathedral layer (Shift + Ctrl + N). Name this layer, say gradient. Set the foreground color to # abd9f1 and the background color to # 3d87cb. Choose a tool Gradient 
(gradient tool (G)), Linear gradient (linier gradient) from foreground color to background color. While on a new layer, click in the upper middle of the image and, while holding the mouse button down, drag the gradient down to the lower point.
Change the blending mode for the gradient fill layer to Soft light (soft light) and also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer up to 75%.
Step 4
Next, we will add water texture to the scene. Create a new layer on top of the gradient fill layer. Name this layer, say, texture. Set the foreground color to blue # 155ea5 and the background color to # a0d2ec. Let’s go Filter – Rendering – Clouds (filter> render> cloud) to fill the layer with a cloud texture.
Next we go Filter – Other – Minimum (filter> other> minimum) to apply the Minimum filter to the cloud texture layer.
Change the blending mode for the water texture layer to Soft light (soft light) and also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer up to 20%.
Step 5
Next, we will add a model image to our scene. Open the original image with the model. Choose a tool Pen 
(pen tool (P)). Using the pen tool, separate the model image from the background.
Step 6
Add the highlighted model image to our working paper. Apply scaling to appropriate sizes. Position the image of the model in the center of our scene under the rays of light.
Step 7
In the next few steps we will draw hair to our model. First choose a tool Pen (pen tool (P)). Draw contours. The contours that you see in the screenshot below are just an example, therefore, you do not need to exactly repeat the same contours that are given as an example.
After creating the contours, go to the bookmark Contours (path) Window – Outlines (window> path). In dropdown menu Contours (path) select option Save contour (save path).
In the window that appears, save the outline as Contour 1 (path 1). We need to preserve our outline so that we can use it again in other steps.
Create a new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N) on top of the model layer. On this layer we will draw the hair. Name this layer let’s say Hair 1 (hair 1). Choose a tool Brush (brush tool (B)), set a round brush, brush size about 7 px, stiffness (hardness) 0% and Opacity (opacity) 100%. In the settings panel of the brush (F5), in the setting Form Dynamics (shape dynamics), set Control (control) Pen pressure (Pen Pressure). Set the foreground color to # 1e1210. Next, open the menu again. Contours (path menu) and in the drop-down menu select the option Run stroke contour (stroke path). In the window that appears, select the tool Brush (brush tool) as a stroke tool, and also tick the box Simulate pressure (simulate pressure).
Duplicate layer Hair 1 (hair 1). Shift the duplicate layer with hair down the back. Choose a tool Free transformation (free transform tool (Ctrl + T)) and using Deformations (warp), change the shape of the hair.
Go to layer Hair 1 (hair 1). Add a layer mask to the specified layer, for this we go Layer – Layer Mask – Show All (layer> layer mask> reveal all). Hide part of the hair that is highlighted in red in the screenshot below.
Do the same with the duplicate hair layer. Add a layer mask to the duplicate layer to hide the hair fragments on the left hand.
Step 8
Create another layer (Shift + Ctrl + N) between the original layer. Hair 1 (hair1) and duplicate layer with hair. Name this layer let’s say Hair (hair 2). Using the contours of the hair that we previously saved, add brightness to the hair. Stroke, Stroke Color # 8e2c10.
Set the blending mode for this layer to Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) layer of about 8-10%. This will give your hair a reddish-brown tint.
Step 9
Create another new layer on top of the layers with painted hair. Name this layer Hair 3 (hair 3). Using a brush of small diameter 3-4 px, brush color # 662f16, add brightness to the hair, painting the hair with brush strokes.
Given the color saturation, set the blending mode for this layer to Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) layer 5-7%. This will add brightness to the hair.
Step 10
Finally, create another new layer on top of the layer. Hair 3 (hair 3). Once on a new layer, once again paint over the outlines of the hair with a brush of 1 px, the brush color is light brown.
Given the color saturation, set the blending mode for this layer to Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) layer 15%.
In the same way, add more hair locks to the model.
Result at the moment lesson. Select the model layer and all layers with painted hair. Press the keys (Ctrl + E) to merge them all into one layer. Name this layer let’s say Model (model).
Step 11
Next, we will carry out a small retouch of the skin and the dress of the model. Let’s go Filter – WITHamera raw (filter> camera raw). Before applying the filter, convert the layer with the model into a smart object, for this we go Layer – Smart Object – Convert to Smart Object (layer> smart objects> convert to smart object). Apply the settings below:
Taking into account the filter settings, the result should be as in the screenshot below:
Hide the effect of this filter around the hair, brushing on the filter mask.
Step 12
Next, we will make a color correction of the model in order to combine it with the entire underwater scene. First create a new fill layer as a clipping mask for the model layer. Let’s go Layer – New layer-fill – Colour (layer> new fill layer> solid color). Set the fill color to # 01848c.
Change the blending mode for the filled layer to Soft light (soft light), Opacity (opacity) 100%.
Using a soft round brush, Opacity (opacity) approximately 20% and stiffness (hardness) 0%, hide the fill correction over the hair area on the mask layer.
Note translator: Colour brushes the black.
Step 13
Create another new fill layer as a clipping mask. Fill color # 0d6b6a. Change the blending mode for this filled layer to Soft light (soft light), Opacity (opacity) approximately 40%.
Step 14
Next, create a new layer as a clipping mask on top of the two filled layers. Name this layer let’s say Texture 2 (texture 2). Apply a filter to this layer. Clouds (cloud), for this we go Filter – Rendering – Clouds (filter> render> cloud). Use the color shades that are shown in the screenshot below.
Next we go Filter – Other – Minimum (filter> other> minimum) to apply the Minimum filter to the cloud texture layer.
Hide part of the filter effect on the layer mask. The brush processing area is highlighted in red.
Step 15
Now duplicate the underwater landscape layer. We use a duplicate layer as the texture for the model image. Move the duplicate layer to the top, placing it on top of the layer Texture 2 (texture 2). Convert this duplicate layer to a clipping mask (Ctrl + Alt + G).
Set the blending mode for this duplicate layer to Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) layer is approximately 45%. On the layer mask, hide the texture over the model’s face and shoulder. The processing areas with a brush are highlighted in red in the screenshot below.
Step 16
Create another new layer on top of all other layers (Shift + Ctrl + N). Name this layer Light highlights (highlight). We will add highlights to the model image. Change the blending mode for this layer to Overlap (overlay) and fill with 50% neutral gray (# 808080).
Choose a soft round brush in white. Add highlights to the face, hands and dress of the model. The result of the brush processing mode Normal (normal).
The final result for the mode Overlap (overlay) Opacity (opacity) 100%.
We can duplicate this layer to enhance the glare created.
Step 17
Now go to the model layer. Let’s go Layer – Layer Mask – Show All (layer> layer mask> reveal all) to add a layer mask to the model layer. Brush on the mask layer area of the dress, hair and other areas, as needed.
Note translator: 1. color brushes the black, opacity brushes low. 2. The author paints the dress to make it translucent 3. The areas of processing with a brush are highlighted in red.
Step 18
Next, we will add light highlights on the image of the cathedral. Create another layer on top of all other layers. Name this layer Light highlights (highlight 2). Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (soft light). Using a brush, add light highlights to the image of the cathedral. The result of the brush processing mode Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) layer 100%.
Given the color saturation, the result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 19
In conclusion, we will perform a general color correction of the entire scene. Create a new fill layer. Let’s go Layer – New layer-fill – Colour (layer> new fill layer> solid color). Set the fill color to # 0d6b6a. Change the blending mode for this filled layer to Soft light (soft light), Opacity (opacity) layer of approximately 60%. Switch to the fill layer mask and use the soft black brush to hide the fill effect around the light rays. The brush processing area is highlighted in red.
Step 20
Create another fill layer. Fill color # 070816.
Change the blending mode for this filled layer to An exception (exclusion), Opacity (opacity) layer 100%.
Step 21
Next, go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Brightness / Contrast (layer> new adjustment layers> brightness / contrasts) to add brightness / contrast to the entire scene.
Switch to the adjustment layer mask Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrasts) to hide the correction in the area that is highlighted in red in the screenshot below.
Step 22
Add another adjustment layer. Selective color correction (selective color). Blend mode Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) approximately 70%.
Step 23
Finally, add another adjustment layer. Gradient map (gradient map).
The blend mode for this adjustment layer Normal (normal) Opacity (opacity) approximately 35%. Switch to the adjustment layer mask Gradient map (gradient map) to hide the correction in the center of the image, which is highlighted in red in the screenshot below.
Step 24
We have almost completed the lesson! Next, we will add a bubble effect around the model image to add dynamics to the underwater scene. First we create our own brush Bubbles. Create a new document (Ctrl + N) with the following approximate dimensions of 500 px in height and 500 px in width. Choose a tool Ellipse
(ellipse tool (U)), create a black spherical shape. Do not forget to turn off the visibility of the layer with background (background layer), for this, click on the eye next to the layer thumbnail.
Brush the sphere as shown in the screenshot below. The brush processing area is highlighted in red. Next, right-click on the shape layer in the layers palette and in the drop-down menu select the option Rasterize layer (rasterize layer).
In the end we go Editing – Define a brush (edit> define brush preset). Name the new brush, say, Bubble (bubble).
Step 25
Next we add the bubble effect to our scene. Create a new layer below the adjustment layer. Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) in the layers palette of the main working document (Step 21). Select the Bubble brush that we created in the previous step, and then go to the brush settings panel (F5). Set the following settings for the brush, which are shown in the screenshot below.
While on a new layer, paint bubbles, brush color # 76b2be. Try to vary the size of the brush for a variety of bubble sizes.
Finally, go to the topmost layer in the layers palette, press the keys (Shift + Ctrl + Alt + E) to create a merged layer from all visible layers. Name this layer Final (final). Let’s go Filter – Sharpness – Contour Sharpness (filter> sharpen> unsharp mask) to add some sharpness to the final image.
I hope that you liked this lesson, and you learned something new for yourself. Thank you for attending the lesson, and I wish you a good time at this lesson.
The final result:
PSD lesson
