Today’s Photoshop tutorial shows you how to combine photographs to create a surreal photo manipulation using a combination of creative techniques and tips. Image manipulation can be tricky, especially for beginners, but this tutorial breaks some of he more advanced techniques; making it easy to understand for everyone.
Final Product
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Step 1
Open the hand image
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Step 2
Paste the Galaxy image into a new layer
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Step 3
On the layer with the galaxy image, create a layer mask to paint in the part of the hand image we are going to use
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Step 4
See below for an example of the finished layer mask that should be painted
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Step 5
In a new layer, paste the earth image
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Step 6
Create a new layer and move it beneath the pasted earth image layer (layer 2)
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Step 7
Ctrl+click the ‘Earth’ layer to select the content of the ‘Earth’ layer. Next, make sure you select the layer you just created
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Step 8
Fill the new layer’s selection with white. We will be using this layer to create the glow for the planet
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Step 9
This is Important, press ctrl-d to release the selection or the gaussian blur you are about to apply will not work. Apply a Gaussian blur by navigating to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius value to somewhere between 30px and 70px (depending on the size of your image)
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Step 10
On a New Layer below the last layer, using a soft brush paint white over the area on the hand where we will simulate light reflection from the planet’s glow
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Step 11
Change the Blend Mode to Overlay to simulate the natural light striking the hand from the planet
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Step 12
On a New Layer beneath the ‘earth glow’ layer (or layer 3 in my PSD) paint a shadow with a soft brush
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Step 13
Change the opacity to 50-53%
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Step 14
On the layer above the planet layer with a soft brush paint white on the dark area to fully illuminate the planet
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Step 15
Change the Blend Mode to Overlay
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Step 16
On a new layer, paint black using a soft brush on the upper wrist area to increase the shadow effect
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Step 17
Change the opacity to 15%
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Step 18
Between the earth glow layer (layer 3) and the earth shadow layer (layer 6) create a Color Balance adjustment layer by navigating to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Color Balance. With the Midtones radio button selected (by default) use the following values: Cyan/Red +19, Magenta/Green -9, Yellow/Blue -10
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Step 19
On the layer above the earth glow layer (layer 3) create a Curves adjustment layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Curves). Create a point on the grid in the position shown below
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Step 20
Create a Levels adjustment layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels) using the parameters indicated in the image below
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Final Product
And there you have it. You have just created a stunning surreal photomanipulation in photoshop
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