In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a New Year picture with two cute kittens. You will learn how to combine multiple source images to create one single scene, how to apply a texture, create a lighting effect, and more. Let’s try and let your New Year be as happy as these two fluffy kittens!
The final result:
Note: The author used paid materials. In the archive you will find an alternative version of the images to perform the lesson.
Step 1
Create a new document in Adobe Photoshop. Set the settings that are shown in the screenshot below.
Step 2
To create a dark background, go Layer – New Fill Layer – Color (Layer> New Fill Layer> Solid Color), set the fill color to # 08142e:
Step 3
Open the original image with the house. Using tool Move 
(Move Tool (V)), move this image to our working paper:
Click the second icon at the bottom of the layers panel to add a layer mask to the house layer. Using a black hard brush, remove the background on the image with the house, as shown in the screenshot below:
Step 4
To remove the unwanted shadow from the house, create a new layer as a clipping mask. Choose a tool Stamp 
(Clone Tool (S)) and use this tool to remove the specified shadow:
Step 5
Create a new layer, change the blending mode to Overlap (Overlay), opacity (Opacity) layer 100%, and also put a tick in the box gray fill 50% (fill with 50% gray):
Choose a tool Clarifier 
(Dodge Tool (O)) to add light highlights on the outline of the house. You can see the result of my brush processing under the mode Normal (Normal) and the final result under mode Overlap (Overlay):
Step 6
The house looks unfinished, so create a new layer on top of the light effect layer that we added in the previous step. Go to the house layer and use the tool. Polygonal Lasso 
(Polygonal Lasso Tool (L)), select the right side of the house (to the right of the observer).
Press the keys (Ctrl + C) to copy the selected part of the house, and then press the keys (Ctrl + V) to paste the copied part to a new layer. Mirror the glued part of the house, for this we go Editing – Transformation – Flip Horizontal (Edit> Transform> Flip Horizontal). Move this fragment to the left side of the house.
Step 7
To the layer with the left side of the house, add a layer mask to combine with the whole house:
Step 8
Select the house layer and the layers that belong to the house, and then press the keys (Ctrl + G) to group the selected layers into one group. Change the blending mode for the layer with the group from the mode Skip (Pass Through) to mode Normal (Normal), layer opacity is 100%. Inside the created group, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color Balance) to color the house:
Step 9
Next, add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) to darken the scene:
Switch to the mask for this adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) and with the help of a soft black brush, hide the correction of the curves on the selected areas, leaving the effect of darkening only on the edges of the image:
Step 10
Open the original image with a salute. Move this image to our working paper, placing the fireworks behind the house. Change the blending mode for the salute layer to Lightening (Screen), opacity (opacity) layer 100%:
Step 11
Open the original image with kittens. Using any selection tool that you prefer to work with, separate the kittens from the background. Next, move the selected image of the kittens to our working paper, placing them in the foreground:
Step 12
To create shadows on the ground from the kittens, create a new layer below the layer with the kittens. Hold down (Ctrl) + click on the kittens layer thumbnail to load the active selection around the kittens image. Next, fill the selected area with black color and reflect the black fill layer vertically. Move the shadow layer down, placing the shadow under the paws of the kittens:
Decrease Opacity (opacity) layer with shadow up to 40%, and then go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur). Install Radius (radius) blur at 4 px:
Step 13
Create a new layer and use a soft black brush. Opacity (opacity) approximately 30%, additionally draw shadows on the ground:
Step 14
To the kittens layer, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color Balance) as a clipping mask to slightly change the color of the kittens:
Step 15
Add adjustment layer Curves (Curves) to darken kittens:
Switch to the mask for this adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) and with the help of a soft black brush, hide the correction of the curves in the indicated areas, leaving these areas light:
Step 16
Apply tools on a new layer. Clarifier / Dimmer 
(Dodge and Burn Tool) to enhance light and shade on kittens:
Step 17
Open the original image with festive hats, separate them from the background. Move the selected image of hats to our working paper, placing them on the kittens:
On a separate layer, paint the hat shadows with a soft black brush:
Step 18
Group layers related to hats. Inside the created group, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color Balance). Change the settings for Medium tones (Midtones):
Step 19
Darken hats with a correction layer. Curves (Curves):
Step 20
Open the snow texture. Using tool Rectangular area 
(Retangular Marquee Tool), select only the snow part of the image. Move the selected image to our working paper. Change the blending mode for this layer with a snow texture to Lightening (Screen), opacity 100%:
For a layer with a snow texture, apply a filter Gaussian blur (Gaussian Blur). Set the blur radius to 2 px:
Step 21
Using the adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation), reduce the effect saturation:
Step 22
Next, add an adjustment layer. Levels (Levels) to hide the background so that only the snow effect is visible:
Step 23
To a layer with a snow texture, add a layer mask and using a soft black brush, loosen the snow effect, making it more tender:
Step 24
Add a color-fill layer on top of all other layers, fill color # 270e0e. Change the blending mode for this filled layer to An exception (Exclusion), opacity (Opacity) layer 100%:
Step 25
Next, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color Balance). Change the settings for Medium tones (Midtones) and for Light glare (Highlights):
Step 26
Next, add an adjustment layer. Photo Filter (Photo Filter), set the color for this photo filter # 43efc5:
Step 27
Now add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) to enhance the contrast of the whole picture:
Step 28
Create a new layer and using a soft brush, brush color # c06118, add light effects from the light of the windows of the house to the environment: on the ground, on kittens and hats. Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (Soft Light), opacity (Opacity) layer 100%:
Step 29
Next, with the help of a soft brush, brush color # d1bb94, add a glow to the kittens wool so that they look more realistic.
Congratulations! We have completed the lesson! Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Congratulations on the upcoming 2017 New Year!
The final result:
