How to Create a Fantasy Photo Manipulation With Adobe Photoshop

In this Photoshop tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a fantasy gate using a variety of photo manipulation techniques.

You’ll learn how to combine several stock images to create a fantasy scene, how to change the color, paint the light effect and more.


Final Image

gate 1


Tutorial Details

  • Program : Photoshop CS3+
  • Estimated Completion Time: 60 minutes
  • Difficulty : Intermediate

Resources


Step 1

Create a new 2200×1500 px and fill with white. Open the forest image and drag this image into the white canvas using the Move Tool (V).

gate 1


Step 2

Open the gate image. As it has a transparent background, so simply use the Move Tool to drag it onto the forest background and place it in the middle section.

gate 1


Step 3

Click the second icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to add a mask to this layer. Use a soft black brush to erase the bottom of the gate and blend it with the ground.

gate 1


Step 4

Create a new layer (set as Clipping Mask ), change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray.

gate 1

Activate the Dodge Tool (O) with Midtones Range, Exposure about 20-30% to brighten some details around the gate contour and bottom. You can see how I did it with Normal mode and the result with Overlay mode.

gate 1

gate 1


Step 5

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map and pick the colors #0d0501 and #0a437b .

gate 1


Step 6

Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to change the whole scene to a dark cyan.

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Step 7

Add a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the whole scene. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the part inside the gate and the ground.

gate 1

gate 1


Step 8

Use another Curves adjustment layer to darken the edges of the forest. Paint on the middle so it won’t be or less be affected by this adjustment layer.

gate 1


Step 9

Drag the road image into the main canvas and use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl+T) to scale it down to fit the size of the gate. Convert this layer to a Smart Object .

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Add a mask to this layer and use a hard black brush to erase the parts outside the space between the gate.

gate 1


Step 10

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and change the radius to 3 px. On the filter mask, use a soft black brush to erase the foreground of the road, leave the blur effect visible on the background only.

gate 1

gate 1


Step 11

To make a light reflection from the road on the gate, create a new layer on top of the layers and use a soft brush with the color #f78c36 to paint around the contour inside the gate. Change this layer mode to Overlay 100% .

gate 1

gate 1


Step 12

Duplicate this layer to make the light effect stronger.

gate 1


Step 13

Make a new layer and change the mode to Color 100% . Use the same brush to paint gold light effect on the surface of the small rocks on the forest ground.

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Step 14

Cut out the bird and add him to the middle of the gate.

gate 1


Step 15

Create a Color Balance adjustment layer and alter the Midtones and Highlights settings. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the middle of the bird’s tail and the wing’s part on the gate.

gate 1

gate 1


Step 16

Create a Gradient Map adjustment layer on top of the layers and pick the colors #e10019 and #00601b . Lower the opacity of this layer to 20% . On the layer mask, use a soft black with the opacity about 10-15% to reduce the dark red on some details around the middle section.

gate 1

gate 1

gate 1


Step 17

Add a Color Balance adjustment layer and change the Midtones and Highlights values.

gate 1
gate 1


Step 18

Use a Curves adjustment layer to bring more light to the middle of the whole scene. Paint on the both sides so it won’t be affected by this adjustment layer.

gate 1


Step 19

Make another Curves adjustment layer to darken the edges a bit. Paint on the middle to keep its brightness.

gate 1


And We’re Done!

I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial.

gate

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