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Creating a mystical photo manipulation in Photoshop can be a lot of fun. In this lesson you will learn how to create a magical island, by combining several stock images.
Let’s get started!
Final result
Starting materials
Step 1
Create a new document in Photoshop (Ctrl + N). Width (Width): 1936 px Height (Height): 2272 px. The background is transparent.
Step 2
Open the stock image ‘Dark Sky’ (Ctrl + O) and then move this image to our working paper, as shown in the screenshot below:
Step 3
Add a layer mask to the sky layer and process the layer mask on the bottom of the sky with a soft black brush. The stained area is highlighted in red.
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 4
Next, we change the color of the clouds, for this we go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Gradient Map (Layer> New adjustment layer> Gradient Map). Apply the gradient colors shown in the screenshot below:
Next, add a new adjustment layer. Levels (Level).
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 5
Open the stock image ‘Hill’ (Ctrl + O), and then move this image to our working paper. Apply scaling (Ctrl + T), placing this image as shown in the screenshot below:
Change the blending mode for the hill layer to Blackout (Darken).
Add a layer mask to the hill layer and paint on the layer mask with a soft black brush, as shown in the screenshot below. The stained area is highlighted in red.
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 6
Open the stock image ‘Abandoned Desert’ (Ctrl + O), and then move this image to our working document. Change the blending mode for the desert layer to Lightening (Screen).
Add a layer mask to the desert layer and apply a soft black brush on the layer mask, as shown in the screenshot below. The stained area is highlighted in red.
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 7
Open another stock image ‘Hill’ (Ctrl + O) and then move this image to our working paper. Apply scaling (Ctrl + T), placing this image as shown in the screenshot below:
Change the blending mode for the hill layer to Blackout (Darken).
Add a layer mask to the hill layer and paint on the layer mask with a soft black brush, as shown in the screenshot below. The stained area is highlighted in red.
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 8
Open the stock image ‘Tree’, then move this image to our working document, applying the transformation (Ctrl + T), and also placing it as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 9
Using tool Eraser 
(Eraser tool), clean the bottom of the tree:
Step 10
Next, go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Hue / Saturation (Layer> New adjustment layer> Hue / Saturation), reduce the saturation value to -81.
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 11
Next, we change the color of the entire image, for this we go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Photo Filter (Layer> New adjustment layer> Photo Filter). Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below:
Add a new adjustment layer Curves (Curves):
Use a soft black brush to paint the bottom of the image on the layer mask of the adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) to hide the correction.
Color Balance (Color Balance):
Gradient Map (Gradient Map):
Change the blending mode for the adjustment layer. Gradient Map (Gradient Map) on Hard light (Hard Light), and also reduce the opacity of the layer to 44%, as shown in the screenshot below.
Next, go Layer – New Fill Layer – Color (Layer> New fill layer> Solid color), apply the settings shown in the screenshot below to perform color correction of the image:
Change the blending mode for this filled layer to Soft light (Soft Light), also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer to 31%, and the value Fillings (fill) up to 90%.
Next, add another adjustment layer. Curves (Curves).
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 12
Open the stock image with the flame, choosing the color of the blue flame. Move the flame image to our working paper by applying scaling (Ctrl + T). Place the flame layer below the adjustment layer. Photo Filter (Photo filter) in the layers palette.
Step 13
Next, open the stock image of the skull by moving this image of the skull to our working paper. We will combine the image of the skull with the image of the flame.
Change the blending mode for the skull layer to Lightening (Screen), and then press the keys (Ctrl + Alt + G) to convert a layer with a clipping mask.
Apply the tool Finger 
(Smudge tool) to combine the skull with the flame.
Step 14
Select the layer with the skull and the layer with the flame, and then press the keys (Ctrl + G) to group these layers. Name the created group “Skull”.
Step 15
Open the image of Cosmos, and then move this image to our working document, applying scaling (Ctrl + T). Position the image as shown in the screenshot below:
Change the blending mode for this layer with space to Lightening (Screen) also reduce Opacity (opacity) layer up to 71%, and the value Fillings (fill) up to 81%.
Add a layer mask to the layer with space and on the layer mask using a soft black brush, process the edges of the image. The application area of the brush is highlighted in red in the screenshot below.
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 16
Go to the layer with the group ‘Skull’, right-click on the layer and in the window that appears, select the option Duplicate group (duplicate group). Move the duplicate image with the skull to the area of the image space. Arrange the duplicate as shown in the screenshot below. You can apply scaling.
Step 17
Move the layer with the duplicate skull to the top, placing it on top of the layer with space.
Step 18
Next we go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Hue / Saturation (Layer> New adjustment layer> Hue / Saturation).
Step 19
Create a new layer on top of the tree layer, and then press the keys (Ctrl + Alt + G) to convert this layer to a clipping mask. Change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (Soft light). Name this layer “light highlights”.
Step 20
Choose a tool Brush
(Brush tool), and then using a white brush, draw light highlights on the tree image, as shown in the screenshot below:
Step 21
Create a new layer on top of the adjustment layer. Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation). Select the Zipper brush. Draw a zipper as shown in the screenshot below:
Step 22
Open the Model image. Before we move the model image to our working paper, let’s go Image – Rotate canvas – Flip canvas horizontally (Image> Image rotation> Flip canvas horizontal).
Step 23
Next, press the key (P) to activate the tool. Pen
(pen tool). Create a selection around the model image, and then press the (V) key to activate the tool Move
(Move Tool) and using this tool, move the selected model image to our working document. Name the layer with the girl “model”.
Step 24
Double-click on the model layer to display the window. Layer styles (layer style). Select options Inner shadow (Inner Shadow) and Gradient Overlay (Gradient overlay). Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below:
Step 25
Next, go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Hue / Saturation (layer> new adjustment layer> hue / saturation). Remember to convert this adjustment layer to a clipping mask:
Step 26
Create a new layer. On the new layer, draw light highlights to the model image. While on a new layer, move the cursor over the thumbnail of the layer with the model, hold down (Ctrl) + click on the thumbnail of the layer with the model to load the active selection of the model.
Let’s go Editing – Stroke (Edit> Stroke). Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below:
We do not need the entire white outline, so, using an eraser or a layer mask, hide the extra areas of the stroke. The result that I got.
Next, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian blur).
The result should be as in the screenshot below:
Step 27
Next we will add a shadow to our model. Create a new layer with an opacity of 50%, and then select a black brush. Draw the shadow below the model image.
Step 28
Create a new layer. Using tool Oval area 
(Elliptical marquee tool), create an oval selection, as shown in the screenshot below:
Let’s go Editing – Stroke (Edit> Stroke). Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below:
Next, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian blur).
Change the blending mode for this layer to Linear clarifier (Add) (Linear dodge (Add) and then decrease the value Fillings (fill) up to 43%.
On an ellipse layer, click on the thumbnail of the model layer to load the active selection. Once you have made the selection, hold down the (Alt) + key and add a layer mask to the ellipse layer.
Step 29
Double click on the ellipse layer to make a window appear. Layer styles (layer style). Select options Inner Shadow (Inner Shadow) and External glow (Outer glow). Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below:
Step 30
Repeat the previous technique, draw another ellipse, as shown in the screenshot below:
Step 31
Let’s go Filter – Blur – Blur to Motion (Filter> Blur> Motion Blur). Apply the settings shown in the screenshot below:
Step 32
Go to the model layer. Create a new layer on top of the model layer. Name this layer “light effects”. While on a new layer, press the keys (Ctrl + Alt + G) to convert this layer to a clipping mask for the model layer.
Step 33
Choose a tool Brush(Brush tool). Paint with a white brush in the model area, and then reduce the layer opacity to 80%.
Step 34
Apply the tool Clarifier
(Dodge tool) to draw light highlights on the girl’s cape.
Step 35
Create a new layer on top of all other layers. Name this layer “Vignette”. Next, press the keys (Ctrl + A) to select the entire image, and then go Editing – Stroke (Edit> Stroke).
Press the keys (Ctrl + D) to cancel the active selection. Next we go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur).
Reduce the opacity of the vignette layer to 69%.
AND WE HAVE COMPLETED A LESSON.
You can see the final result in the screenshot below. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
Final result
Author: Muhammad Godc
