Tutorial Resources
- Anett Frozen Ice Queen – anettfrozen
- Pond – Pixabay
- Forest – Pixabay
- Lilies – Freeimages
- Foliage 1 – Cgtextures
- Foliage 2 – Cgtextures
- Foliage 3 – Cgtextures
- Water plant – Cgtextures
- Water lily PNG – MariaSemelevich
- Bugs PNG – MariaSemelevich
Step 1
Create a new document via Cmd/Ctrl + N or File > New at 3000 pixels wide and 1875 pixels height, resolution 200 Pixels/Inch.
Step 2
The first step is to create a background. I found some suitable images, but in each something is not enough, so we take the most interesting parts and will mix them together. Go to File > Place…/Place Embedded and open “pond-438546” image. Resize it with holding Shift key for proportional transformation to the size of the working field, rotate it on -0.55 degrees and flip it horizontally (right – click in transform mode > Flip Horizontal).
Next place another one image – “warsaw-100294”. It is not necessary to much increase the size of the image, just try to compare the perspectives of these images and rotate it on -0.55 degrees, flip it horizontally.
Step 3
Add a layer mask to image “pond-438546” by clicking on the “Add Layer Mask” button in the layers panel (Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All). Select the Brush tool (B) then set the brush size to 300 pixels and hardness to 0%. Paint over center of image like shown in the image below.
Double-click on layer mask thumbnail and choice “Mask Edge…”. In window that appears set View: On White, check box on “Smart Radius” and Radius around 2.3px, Shift Edge to -20. Use brush in this window and brushed all edges of trimmed trees. It takes away the haze from use a soft brush and you get a good contour without any noticeable transition between textures.
Step 4
Move “warsaw-100294” layer below pond layer. Use Cmd/Ctrl + Opt/Alt + Shift + E to create a merged copy of whole image and convert this to Smart Object (right click on layer > Convert to Smart Object or Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object). To correct the image I used the filter “Camera Raw” because this filter has excellent opportunities for correction of material without the use of a whole bunch of adjustment layers. Go to Filter > Camera Raw or use shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A. First you need to change the white balance. Set Temperature to +7, Tint to +5. Next reduce Exposure to -0.55, add a bit to Contrast: +8, Highlights: -100, Shadows: +100, Whites: +23, Blacks: +43, Clarity: +23.
Go to tab “Sharpness” (black & white triangles) and set following values – Luminance: 21, Luminance Detail: 50, Amount: 20, Radius: 1.0, Detail: 25 and hit OK to apply changes.
Step 5
Draw your own light/shadow map how we need it. To do this, you can use Screen/Multiply layers and work with Brush Tool (B), but I do not need much change the contrast of the image, so I just use one “Overlay-neutral” layer. Hold Opt/Alt and click on “Create a new layer” icon. In window that appear, set Mode: Overlay, checked “Fill with Overlay-neutral color (50% gray)”. Use Dodge Tool (O) and Burn Tool (O) to create shadow and light. Set the settings to each tool like shown in the image below. Try to darken highlights on left leaves and lighten very dark parts of the image. On image below red shows the shadows, cyan – where must be a light.
Step 6
When I finished with the background, I added a lilies image (818382_82358191) in a working document slightly increasing its size and flip it horizontally. Try to find a harmonious arrangement of plants and the prospects for the overall composition. Do not be afraid to add details (as this image). This diversity of backgrounds and create a harmonious composition.
Add a layer mask (“Add Layer Mask” button in the layers panel or Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All) to this image and with black color brushed all cut and unnecessary parts. Try to mix these images on a layer mask by reducing brush “Opacity”.
Step 7
Now back to the trees and to give them some attention. On the leaves were bright white highlights and should weaken their intensity. Create a new layer by press “Create a new layer” icon or use Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N, change Blending Mode to “Multiply”. With Eyedropper Tool (I) set from leaves shadow foreground color and with soft round brush (Size: 100 – 200px, Opacity: 20%) brushed all highlights on both sides of image. If you find that the foliage looks a bit smoky, decrease “Fill” of this layer (in my case Fill: 80%).
Step 8
After I created the necessary background, I can add the model. This does not mean that we are done with background. Place into working document image “anett_frozen_ice_queen_by_anettfrozen-d4kdpjw”. Use Pen Tool (P) to create a flat path of a model. Make selection from path by clicking on “Make Selection” button on tool properties panel. Set Feather Radius to 0 and click OK. Add a layer mask (“Add Layer Mask” button or Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection) to remove background.
Step 9
To get rid of the background on the lace use “Mask Edge…” (as in Step 3) and brushed lace several times. Set check box on “Smart Radius” and Radius around 1.6px, Shift Edge to -10. After that you stay need cleaned some parts manually in order not to lose the details. Use Brush Tool (B), right-click to get the Context Brush Panel. Select the Hard Round brush preset, and set the brush Size 50 – 100px and Hardness to 100%. Clean up bird cages and model’s crown on a layer mask.
Step 10
After cleaning the model, I added a bit of correction to an image to improve the quality of the photo and adjust the color of the image. Use “Camera Raw” filter (Filter > Camera Raw or use Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A) with there settings: Exposure: +0.15, Contrast: -10, Highlights: -2, Shadows: 0, Whites: -5, Blacks: 0, Clarity: +19.
Go to tab “Sharpness” (black & white triangles) and set following values – Luminance: 30, Luminance Detail: 50, Color: 30, Color Detail: 50, Color Smoothness: 50, Amount: 20, Radius: 1.0, Detail: 25 and hit OK to apply changes.
Step 11
Let’s go back to the background. We will clearly see where our main character, and now you can remove unwanted parts in this image. Create a two new layers (“Create a new layer” icon on a Layer panel or Layer > New > Layer… > or Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N). For a first layer set Blending Mode to “Darken”. Take a Clone Stamp Tool (S), set Sample: Current & Below, use water as the clone source. Change stamp size depending on the details that you want to remove. On “Darken” layer remove the water lilies near the model (several groups of water lilies in the foreground is better to leave) and on “Normal” layer remove texture of bubbles. Arrange the layers as shown below.
Step 12
The next step, I added new water lilies. Open image “water_lily_png_by_mariasemelevich-d8qe44z” and with Lasso Tool (L) select leaves of water lilies. Move it into working document with Move Tool (V). To keep the image quality I suggest you convert this piece into Smart Object (right click on layer > Convert to Smart Object or Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object). Reduce it’s size by using Free Transform Tool (Cmd/Ctrl + T or Edit > Free Transform). Everything else is to your taste and wishes. You can arrange the lilies where you want. To make a larger number of lilies duplicate it (Cmd/Ctrl + J or Layer > Duplicate layer or hold Opt/Alt when use Move Tool (V)) and flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal).
Step 13
Do the same with flowers of water lilies. In the image below you can see how I placed water lilies. Try not to overdo it and create a harmonious arrangement. The lower right corner of the lilies I do not do, because in that place there will be a plants bush in the foreground. When you’re happy with location. Select all the layers and will integrate them in a single layer by selecting layers and hit Cmd/Ctrl + E or go to Layer > Merge Layers/ Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object.
Step 14
Background ready and now we add depth of field. You will integrate all layers into one (except model layer) and work with it (Cmd/Ctrl + E, then convert it in Smart Object), or create a merged copy (Cmd/Ctrl + Opt/Alt + Shift + E) and convert it to Smart Object. I used the second method, in case you suddenly need to make a change in the overall composition. Now the depth of field. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set Radius: 5.5 pixels.
Select Smart filter layer mask, Take a Gradient Tool (G) with default black & white gradient, Mode: Linear and gradient on it, roughly from the bottom to the waist of a model.
Step 15
Add the main spot of color. It is necessary to focus the viewer on the main character. Add adjustment layer “Gradient Fill” with following gradient #020202 > #3e2d56 > #816e8a > #c4b3c7 > #ecdaef, Mode: Radial, Scale: 200%, Reverse. Set Blending Mode to “Soft Light”, Opacity around 72%, Fill around 73%.
Create a new layer above gradient layer and set Blending Mode to “Soft Light”. Take a Brush Tool (B) with form: soft round, Opacity: 30%, color: # 19294a. Brushed background trees in the left – center side of image.
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