Surreal landscape in Photoshop

Final result

Source materials:

Step 1

First create a new document (600X600px). Fill the background with black.

Step 2

Next, go Filter – Noise – Add noise(filter> noise> add noise). Add noise 20%, select option According to Gauss (Gaussian), check the box Monochrome (monochromatic).

Step 3

Create a new adjustment layer. Levels (levels). Apply the values ​​shown in the screenshot below to get a beautiful starry effect.

Step 4

Create a new layer, name this layer ‘cloud’. Next, go Filter – Rendering – Clouds (filter> render> clouds). Then, reduce the opacity of this layer to 15%.

Step 5

So, being on a layer with clouds, let’s go Image – Correction – Levels (image> adjustments> levels). Apply the values ​​shown in the screenshot below to enhance the contrast of the clouds.

Step 6

Create a new layer, name this layer ‘radial gradient’. Drag the gradient from the center of the document, the gradient type from yellow (ffe400) to transparent.

Next, change the blending mode for this layer with a radial gradient to Overlap (overlay). Then duplicate this layer twice.

Step 7

Create a new layer, name this layer ‘circle’. Using tool Oval area (Elliptical Marquee), create a selection in the center of the image, fill this selection with black color. Next, apply layer styles. Inner shadow (inner shadow) and External glow (outer glow). Settings are shown on the screenshots below.

Step 8

Download the image of the mountains. Cut out a part of the image of the mountain, then move the selected image of the mountain to our working paper, placing it in the lower right part of the composition:

Step 9

Repeat the previous step using another image of the mountains. Erase the edge of the image of this part of the mountains to create a smooth transition with the first part of the mountains.

Next, for two images with mountains, apply Levels (levels). Apply the values ​​that are shown in the screenshot below.

Step 11

Open the House image. Create a selection around the house image, and then copy / paste the copied house image onto our working paper. Place the house layer below the mountain layers in the layers palette.

Step 12

Next, on the image with the house, apply the correction Levels (levels). The settings are shown in the screenshot below:

Step 13

Add 2 more buildings images. Apply correction to these images. Levels (levels), the settings are the same as in the previous step.

You may need to reduce the saturation of the images to match the images with the entire scene. Building, Building 2

Step 14

Now, with the tools Clarifier / Dimmer (dodge / burn tool), create chiaroscuro on each layer with mountain and building. Create a feeling that from the planet, as a source of light, light enters the objects of our scene. Therefore, the most clarified areas will be located closer to the yellow light, and dark areas away, respectively.

Do not overdo it in this step, use Exposure (exposure) brush about 50%.

Step 15

Create a new layer, name this layer ‘yellow light’. Using a large soft yellow brush (ffd800), paint over the areas where you used the brightener tool.

Next, reduce the opacity of this layer to 10%. This should give the lighting a light yellowish tint, which is created by the planet:

Step 16

Open the image of the Swan. Create a selection, and then copy / paste this image onto our working paper. Place the image of the swan on the right side of the composition:

Swan

Step 17

Next, on the swan image, apply a correction Levels (levels) with the same settings that you used in the previous steps. Also apply tools Clarifier/ Dimmer(dodge / burn).

Also, using a yellow shade brush, paint over the swan, as shown in the screenshot below, as if the swan ‘heats up in the rays of light’:

Step 18

Next, create a shadow from the swan falling on the mountain. To create a shadow, first duplicate the swan layer. Then, mirror duplicate layer vertically (flip vertically). Place the duplicate layer below the layer with the original image.

Next, go Editing – Transformation – Deformation (edit> transform> warp). I applied the deformation to the duplicate layer so that the shadow best fit the shape of the mountain.

Apply to duplicate layer blending options (blending options), then apply the option Overlay colors(color overlay), set the color to black.

Next, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (filter> blur> gaussian blur) and apply a blur radius of 3px. Reduce the opacity of the duplicate layer to 75%.

In conclusion, the further the shadow is from the swan, the more vague and subtle it will be. Set a soft brush with low opacity. Next, using an eraser, partially process the bottom of the shadow.

Step 19

Next, apply an adjustment layer. Gradient Map (gradient map), layer opacity 20%:

Step 20

Finally, apply an adjustment layer. Color Balance (color balance) to add a little blue hues, as well as a feeling of sullenness to the whole composition. The settings are shown 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

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