In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a breathtaking landscape with fabulous islands, an old ship and a surreal Moon in the background. You will learn how to combine multiple images, how to apply filters to create a twilight scene, and learn about the basics of Mat Paint.
Final result
Source materials:
Step 1
Let’s get started! Create a new document of 1920? 1080.
Step 2
Open the stock image ‘Mountain landscape’. Move this image to our working paper:
Step 3
Add a new adjustment layer to the mountain landscape layer. Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / Contrast). Let’s go Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Brightness / Contrast (Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Brightness / Contrast).
Step 4
Switch to the layer mask of the adjustment layer. Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / Contrast) and using a soft black brush (brush size approximately 200px), hide the correction, which is highlighted in red in the screenshot below:
Step 5
Next, open the stock image ‘Sky’. Move this image to our working paper. Apply the transformation according to the size of the document. Change the blending mode for the sky layer to Multiplication (Multiply).
Step 6
To the layer with the sky, add a layer mask. Using a large soft brush (about 300px or more), hide the image in the tree area at the bottom of the document. The result of processing on the layer mask can be seen in the screenshot below.
Step 7
Open the stock image ‘Stars’. Move this image to our working paper. Next, to the layer with the stars, add a layer mask. With the help of a large soft brush, walk along the contour of the mountains.
Step 8
Change the blending mode for the star layer to Lightening (Screen).
Step 9
It’s time to add an image of the moon to our working paper. Position the image of the moon, as shown in the screenshot below. Change the blending mode for the layer with the Moon to Lightening (Screen).
Step 10
As you can see, the image of the moon is too big, and the color of the moon does not match the surrounding landscape. We have to fix it. First, add a layer mask to the layer with the moon. Next, using a soft round brush (100-200px), hide the bottom of the image of the moon.
Step 11
Next, we will color the image of the moon. Add a new adjustment layer to the moon layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) as a clipping mask.
Step 12
The image of the moon should be brighter. Hold down (ctrl) + select the layer with the moon and the adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation). Duplicate selected layers.
Step 13
Add a new layer. Choose a tool Gradient 
(Gradient), gradient color from # 362f2d to transparent. While on a new layer, drag the gradient, as shown in the screenshot below, notice the red arrow as a guide.
Step 14
Change the blending mode for the gradient layer to Overlap (overlay).
Step 15
Create a new layer. Choose a soft round brush (size 370px), brush color # 6dcff6, brush opacity 70%. Gently draw a glow around and next to the image of the moon. I also added a few brush strokes along the edges of the mountains.
Step 16
Change the blending mode for the glow layer to Soft light (soft light).
Step 17
Next, you will learn about the matte technique. Create a new layer. Choose a soft round brush, brush size 40px, brush color # 929397. Paint over the edges of the mountains / vegetation. This is a very important step! It will look like a fog, and give the picture a mystical atmosphere!
Step 18
Change the blending mode to Soft light (Soft light) and it will be great!
Step 19
Duplicate the fog layer.
Step 20
Create a new layer. Set the brush size to 100px, the brush color is the same. Paint over the lowlands of the mountain landscape.
Step 21
Change the blending mode to Multiplication (Multiply (Surprise!:])
Step 22
Fine! Continue in the same spirit! Next, add an adjustment layer. selective color correction (Selective color). Choose a color Red (Reds).
Step 23
Next, select a color. Greens (Greens).
Step 24 * – Selective
Fine! Now, select all the layers and copy the merged data. Let’s go Editing – Copy merged data (Edit – Copy merged), and then paste on a new layer.
Next, go Filter – Filter Gallery – Styling – Edge Glow (Filter> Filter Gallery> Stylize> Glowing edges).
Change the blending mode for this layer to Lightening basics (Color Dodge), layer opacity 75%.
Step 25 – First Island
Create a new folder (if you want). Create a new layer. Choose a hard brush, brush size 42 px, brush color black. Using a brush, draw an island with a rock contour at the bottom of the island. The shape of the island, you can draw at your discretion. Experiment with the island!
Step 26
Add a layer mask to the layer with the painted island. Using a soft black brush, paint over the top of the island. I also hid too prominent sites in the lower part of the island.
Step 27
Open the stock image ‘Scala’. Move this image to our working paper. Apply the transformation to the rock layer as shown in the screenshot below. Transform a layer with a rock into a clipping mask to a layer with a painted island.
Step 28
The image of the rock is too saturated. You need to fix this. Add a new adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue saturation) as a clipping mask. Decrease the saturation value to -47.
Step 29
In addition, the image of the rock is too bright. Add a new adjustment layer Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask.
Step 30
Next, select a soft white brush (brush size is approximately 30px). Create a new layer as a clipping mask for the layer with the painted island. Draw light highlights on the island!
Step 31
Reduce the layer opacity to 18%.
Step 32
Create a new layer as a clipping mask. You must draw the shadows on the island. Using the same brush, but this time set the brush color to a dark gray shade (# 131312). Draw shadows on the left side of the island.
Step 33
Change the blending mode for the layer with the shadow on Multiplication (Multiply), layer opacity 50%.
Step 34
Create a new layer as a clipping mask. Using the same brush, draw more saturated shadows. It is very important!
Step 35
Add a layer mask to the shadow layer. Soften shadows that are too hard using a large soft brush (370px).
Step 36
Great job! Now you need to change the blending mode for this layer with the shadow on Multiplication (Multiply), layer opacity 80%.
Step 37
Add an adjustment layer to the island layer Color Balance (color / balance) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 38
Wow You have already done a great job! Next, paste the image of the bell tower onto our working paper.
Step 39
Add layer mask to layer with bell tower 
. Hide the excess areas of the bell tower.
Step 40
Add an adjustment layer to the layer with the bell tower. Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 41
Next, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 42
We need to add brightness to the image of the bell tower. Add a new adjustment layer Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask.
Step 43
Hide the correction on the layer mask of the adjustment layer Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast). Consider the location of the light source.
Step 44
Open the stock image ‘Unusual Tree’. Move this image to our working paper:
Step 45
Using a layer mask, hide the sections of the tree that are highlighted in red in the screenshot below:
Step 46
Add an adjustment layer to the tree layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 47
Create a new layer as a clipping mask for the tree layer. Choose a soft round brush, brush size 100 px, brush color # 1e373b. Carefully draw the shadows on the tree.
Step 48
Change the blending mode to Multiplication (Multiply), layer opacity 80%.
Step 49
Add an adjustment layer to the tree layer Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 50
Some parts of the tree are too light, therefore, you should fix it with a mask.
Step 51
Next, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask to add light shades to the tree. Set the following settings:
Step 52
Hide the correction on the layer mask of the adjustment layer Color Balance (Color balance).
Step 53
Change the blending mode to Lightening (Screen), layer opacity is 67%.
Step 54
Fine! Next, add an adjustment layer. Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 55
Create a new layer (no need to convert to a clipping mask) Choose a brush splatter, brush size 59 px, brush color # baf3f0 color. Paint over the edge of the trees.
Step 56
Create a new layer, select a soft brush, brush size is 1 px, the color is the same. Paint the contour of the rock, bell tower, trees.
Step 57 – Second Island
When creating the second island, I used the same technique. You can repeat all the actions from Step 25. You can show only one island, or add as many islands as you wish! Start creating a second island with a black base. Brown tint is used to create a depth of field.
Step 58
Once again, open the stock image with the rock. This time, select another part of the cliff image so that the pattern of the cliff texture is not repeated. Move this image of the rock, converting to a clipping mask to the layer with the second island.
Step 59
Reduce the saturation of the rock texture using a correction layer. Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation).
Step 60
Using a soft brush, paint the shadows (change the blending mode for the layer with the shadows to Multiplication (Multiply) and light highlights (keep blending mode for this layer Normal (Normal).
Step 61
Once again draw shadows and highlights, just choose a smaller brush.
Step 62
Next, to the layer with the second island, add an adjustment layer Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 63
To change the color, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask.
Step 64
Create a new layer as a clipping mask for the layer with the second island. Using a soft black brush, brush size (300px), paint over the shadows at the top of the island. These will be the shadows of the tree.
Step 65
Add a stock image ‘Unusual Tree’.
Step 66
Using a layer mask, hide the extra areas of the tree.
Step 67
Add adjustment layer Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 68
Next, add an adjustment layer. Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 69
Create a new layer as a clipping mask for the layer with the second island. Using a soft brush, color brush # 4081b7, paint the shadows on the tree. Change the blending mode for this layer to Multiplication (Multiply).
Step 70
Using the same brush, paint the highlights on the tree. Reduce the layer opacity to 26%. (do not forget to create a new layer as a clipping mask).
Step 71
Create a new layer as a clipping mask. Choose a splatter brush, brush size 59 px, brush color # baf3f0. Paint over the edges of the trees. Next, change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (Soft Light).
Step 72
Next, using a soft brush of 1px, the color of the brush is the same, draw a light outline. I also prepared an outline on which the plants would hang.
Step 73 – Draw Dangling Plants
Create a new folder. Using a soft 1px brush, brush color # 4c7373, draw a long liana over the drawn light outline that was drawn as a guide.
Step 74
Using the same brush, draw dangling lianas. The red arrows will serve as a guide.
Step 75
Do the same with the second liana.
Step 76
Using the same technique, draw the hanging vines at the lowest point.
Step 77 Ship
Add a ship image to our scene.
Step 78
Add a correction layer to the ship layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) as a clipping mask to reduce the saturation of the ship image. Set the following settings:
Step 79
Add adjustment layer Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask. Set the settings that are shown in the screenshot below. Change the blending mode to Lightening (Screen) –to create a feeling that the light reflects from the moon!
Step 80
Use a mask.
Step 81
Next, add an adjustment layer. Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Use a mask. Now the effect looks like a shadow.
Step 83
Add the adjustment layer again Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast) as a clipping mask. Set the following settings:
Step 84
Add the adjustment layer again Color Balance (Color balance) as a clipping mask. Set the settings that are shown in the screenshot below.
Step 85
Create a new layer. Choose a soft brush, brush size 1px, brush color light blue. Carefully paint the contours of the ship and ropes.
Step 86 – Foliage in the Foreground
Add foliage to the foreground, placing it in the upper left corner of the picture.
Step 87
Next, apply a filter to the foliage layer. Gaussian blur (Gaussian blur). Let’s go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> blur> Gaussian blur). Set the blur radius 5.3:
Step 88
Add an adjustment layer to the foliage layer. Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) as a clipping mask to reduce the saturation of the ship image. Set the following settings:
Step 89
Now hold down (ctrl) + select the layer with foliage, as well as the adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation), then duplicate the selected layers.
Step 90
Next, using transformation (ctrl + T), mirror the duplicate layer with the foliage horizontally. Move the duplicate foliage layer to the right side of the scene, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 91
Wow You are doing great! Add a new layer. Using a soft round brush, the brush size is 300 px, brush color # 6dcff6, paint over the scene as shown in the screenshot below. It will be a glow.
Step 92
Next, being on a layer with a glow effect, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> blur> Gaussian blur).
Step 93
Change the blending mode for the glow effect layer to Soft light (Soft light), the opacity of the layer is 41%.
Step 94
Create a new layer. Choose a soft white brush with a 800px brush size. Click on the image of the moon. Next, change the blending mode for this layer to Soft light (Soft light).
Step 95 – Final Color Correction
It’s time for color correction. Now the colors of the paintings are unsaturated and too light. Let’s fix it! Add adjustment layer Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast). Reduce the layer opacity to 70%.
Step 96
Next, add an adjustment layer. Color Balance (Color balance) for combining color shades.
Step 97
Add the adjustment layer again Brightness / Contrast (brightness / contrast). It’s necessary.
Step 98
Next, add an adjustment layer. Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) to enhance shades of green
Step 99
This is the final step! Add adjustment layer Color Balance (color / balance) to create a truly magical look!
Congratulations, we have completed the lesson!
Final result
Link to the PSD file of the lesson
