In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a surrealistic scene using simple stock images, as well as using Photoshop.
Performing all the steps in this lesson, you will learn how to create the mood of the whole scene, and also you will learn how to properly add lighting and sharpness effects to your image.
Let’s get started!
Final result
Source materials:
Step 1
First, create a new document (Ctrl + N) 1370 px in width and 1024 px in height.
Step 2
Open the stock image Stone House, move this image to our working paper. Choose a tool Free Transformation (free transform tool (Ctrl + T), and then apply scaling to the image with the house in accordance with the size of the working document. Position the image with the house, as shown in the screenshot below. See the screenshot for the link.
At the top of the document there is an empty space that needs to be filled. To do this, first select the tool Rectangular area 
(rectangular marquee tool) and with this tool, select the top of the image with the house. Press Ctrl + J to duplicate the selection on the new layer. Move the selected part up to fill the empty space.
Click on the pivot point, then hold the pivot point, pull down a little. Finally, process the bottom of the selected rectangular area on the layer mask to create a smooth transition with the main image.
Step 3
On a separate document, open the stock image Web. We need this image as a sample or source of color shades for the selection of color shades for other images.
So, back to our main document (I called this document Homesick). First, we will color the stone house based on the Web image. Being on the image with a stone house, we go, Image – Correction – Choose a color (image> Adjustment> color match). In the parameter Image statistics (image Statistic) in option A source (source), select the Web image as the source for the hue color.
In the screenshot below, you can see the settings for color correction. Additional explanation: The target (target) or final image is our stone house layer, this layer is part of the psd document we called Homesick. The image with a web is a source of color shades according to which we will carry out color correction of a layer with a stone house.
Step 4
We need to hide the slide, which is visible in the image with a stone house. For this purpose. Choose a tool Stamp 
(clone tool) and with this tool, hide the slide.
How the tool works Stamp (clone tool): select tool Stamp (clone tool (S). While holding the Alt + key, move the mouse over the cloning area, click the mouse to determine the source of the cloning, and then hover over the slide and click again to apply the cloning area.
Continue to choose the source of the cloning, and then apply to the slide, until it is hidden. Try to select samples or source of cloning closer to the area of the slide, which you hide. In the screenshot below, you can see my result:
Create a new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N), place this layer on top of the stone house layer, and then select the tool Brush 
(brush tool). Brush size 3-5 px, brush opacity 20-30%, brush color # 5b5144. Next, using a brush, draw a line to determine the boundary between the mountain areas:
Step 5
In this step, we will add a stone face to our working paper. Open the stock image Face, then, using the tool Pen 
(pen tool), separate the face image from the background.
Step 6
Next, move the face image to our working paper. Apply scaling, as well as position the face image, as shown in the screenshot below.
As in Step 3, perform color correction of the stone face according to the color shades of the web. Finally, after you’ve picked a color, select the tool. Clarifier 
(dodge tool), next, set the settings that are shown in the screenshot below. Add light highlights to some areas on the stone face, where the red arrows show.
Step 7
Next, add a web image to our scene. Place the cobweb layer on top of the stone-faced layer. Using tool Free Transformation (free transform tool), apply scaling to the web, placing the web on the eye socket. With the help of layer masks, hide the extra sections of the web to get the result, as in the screenshot below.
Add spiderwebs to the back of the head.
Step 8
Next, add the texture of the shattered concrete to our scene. For a layer with a texture, change the blending mode to Soft light (soft light), layer opacity is 100%.
Duplicate the concrete texture layer (Ctrl + J), place the duplicate layer in a different place on the face. Apply scaling to the texture, placing it where you see fit.
Step 9
Next, we will add an image of the tower to our stone face. For this purpose, we use the image of the Tower of Pisa. Cut out a part of the tower, and then to the cut out part of the tower, make a color correction in accordance with the color shades of the web image. Arrange part of the tower, as shown in the screenshot below.
Add another part of the tower on the left side of the face.
Step 10
Finally, group all the images (layers) that you used to create the structure of the face. To the created group, add a layer mask and on the layer mask, process the areas around the nose (marked in red)
Step 11
Create a new layer (shift + Ctrl + N), place this layer below the layer with the face group. Choose a soft brush with an opacity of 15% and further, paint it white on the ground above the layer with the image of a stone house. Next, change the blending mode for this layer to Overlap (overlay), opacity 100%.
Step 12
Create another new layer, place this layer on top of the face group layer. Choose a soft brush with an opacity of 10% and beyond, paint it in black on the image of the stone house and the side of the face. Next, change the blending mode for this layer to Overlap (overlay), opacity 40%.
Step 13
Next, we add an image of a man to our scene. Cut out a picture of a man.
Move the selected image of a man to our working paper. Flip horizontally (Flip it horizontally) an image of a man, and then zoom out on a man. Place the image of a man in front of a stone face, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 14
Create a new layer on top of the layer with the image of a man, then convert this layer into a clipping mask to the layer with the image of a man. Once again, select a soft round brush, and with this brush, slightly paint over black on the image of a man.
Step 15
Duplicate the layer (Ctrl + J) with the image of a man. Fill the duplicate layer with black. Turn the duplicate to the left side, then, using the transformation, place the shadow of the man so that it lies on the ground. Finally, set the blending mode for the layer with the shadow on Normal (normal), layer opacity 40%. So, we created a shadow for the image of a man.
Step 16
Starting from this step, we will make a small color correction of the entire image. First, go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Brightness / Contrast (layer> new adjustment layers> brightness / contrast). Using a layer mask, hide part of the color correction, as shown in red in the screenshot below:
Step 17
Create another adjustment layer Vibration (vibrance). The blend mode for this adjustment layer Normal (normal), opacity 55%.
Translator’s Notes: Those who have an earlier version of Photoshop, instead of the Vibration adjustment layer, you can use the adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation).
Step 18
Create another adjustment layer Curves (curve). Using a layer mask, hide part of the color correction, as shown in red in the screenshot below:
Set the blending mode for this adjustment layer to Soft light (soft light), 80% layer opacity:
Create another adjustment layer Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast). Using a layer mask, hide part of the color correction as shown in red in the screenshot below. The blend mode for this adjustment layer Normal (normal), opacity 50%.
Step 19
Finally, create another adjustment layer. Color Balance (color balance). Set the blending mode for this adjustment layer to Normal (normal), opacity 50%.
Step 20
In this step, we will add light to the windows of the stone house. Create a new layer on top of all other layers. Fill (Shift + F5) this layer with black color. Next, change the blending mode for this layer to Lightening (screen). Choose a soft round brush with an opacity of 4-8%, and then, using a white brush, paint over the windows of the stone house to add light to the windows of the house.
Step 21
Finally, merge all visible layers Shift + Ctrl + Alt + E, next, select the merged layer, and then go Filter – Other – Color Contrast (filter> others> high pass):
Change the blending mode for the merged layer to Overlap (overlay), layer opacity is 100%. The result is in the screenshot below:
You can see the final result in the screenshot below. I hope you enjoyed the lesson, I will be glad to hear your comments on the technique of execution and the result.
Final result
Author: Dek Wid
