Click to enlarge the image. Used images: Download Moon shape(image created with the Photoshop tools) Icicles - Sergei Furtcev Cloud 1(Ruslan Olinchuk), Cloud 2(Image*After), Cloud 3(Sergei Perov) Stars - Yuriy Mazur
Building - Image*After Bokeh - Regularjane Landscape 1 - Anders Bjerré Pedersen Landscape 2 - author Sundstrom(nickname) Create a new Photoshop document, adjust resolution - 180px/inch, 2000px height and 1600px width. You may choose different size, but some tutorial settings are depending of image size and resolution. Insert Mountings landscape to the top part of the image. Correct Selective Colors adjustments. I used adjustments layers to correct different layers settings, such as Selective Colors, Levels, Hue/Saturation, etc... You may find how to use adjustments layers here or just change image/layer settings in the section of Photoshop: Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast, Levels, Curves, etc... So, in order to apply adjustments from screen shot below, go to Image > Adjustments > Selective Color. Download landscape image for the bottom part of landscape. You may see wire lines. In order to delete them, create a new empty layer and draw lanes above the black lines, use regular round brush with the Shift key to make lines straight:
Load selection for the lines layer, then you make them invisible or delete. Return to the original landscape layer, go to Edit > Fill > Content Aware Process the top edge of the layer with the soft Eraser Tool to create smooth connection with the mountains image. Now you may merge both layers. Make active Quick Mask Mode, click icon, go to Edit > Fill > Black color, you should get red masked area. Choose regular white round soft brush and create silhouette like on the image below, use large soft brush for the front areas.
Release the Quick Mask Mode. You should get selected area like on the image below: Correct levels of selected area, Image > Adjustments > Levels: Create a new layer and fill selected area from previous step with white color. Make this layer invisible, we will use it in future steps:
Make Quick Mode Mask active again. Fill Mask with the black and white gradient (white should be in the top part). Release Quick Mask to get top part selected.
Apply these levels settings for selected area. Return to the white spot layer. Make it visible for now. Apply Dissolve Blending Mode to this layer and Opacity 50%.
Merge this layer with the new empty layer and apply Overlay Blending mode to it. Correct Opacity of this layer to make white dots less visible, around 15-20%.
Erase red shaded area of the dots with the soft Eraser tool. Insert bokeh image.
Apply Screen Blending Mode to this layer. Add Layer Mask and erase Mountains area.
Correct Levels of the bokeh layer: Insert Castle image, separate it from background. Activate Quick Mask Mode. Fill it with black and white gradient(white color on the right side). Release Quick Mask Mode, you should have selected the bottom right corner of the building.
Apply Levels setting to the selected area of the building: Add Gradient Map Adjustment layer to the castle image, choose it from drop down menu after clicking the icon Right click to Gradient Map adjustment layer and choose "Create clipping Mask". Apply Opacity 88% to the adjustment layer. Use these colors for the Gradient Map:
Pages: 1 2 3 4 All content is Copyright 2011 Alexandra Fomicheva and may not be reproduced without permission.
Here is result of all previous actions: Now you may merge all created layer and duplicate merged layer. Make active duplicated layer, go to Image > Auto Contrast. Apply Opacity 85% to this layer. Add Layer Mask and fill it wit the black and white gradient(whit color in the bottom part).
Insert Moon image. Correct Levels and Color Balance for the Moon shape.
Duplicate Moon Layer, apply Fill = 0% and apply inner shadow layer style effect. Apply these setting for inner shadow effect: Make Moon layers invisible for a while. Go to Select > Select All. Go to Edit > Copy Merged. Create empty layer above the Moon layers and paste merged background. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur 10-18px. Go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation, Increase Saturation a bit.
Correct levels for this layer as well: Make Moon layers visible again. Load selection for the original Moon layer. Keep selection, then add Layer mask to the blurred layer. Apply Hard Light Blending Mode to the Blurred&Masked layer Erase other ares of this layer with the soft brush except selected spot below:
Insert Icicles image. In order to remove black background, go to Select > Color Range. Click black area with the eyedropper.
Then go to Select > Invert Selection. Select Refine Edge: Here is result of removing black background:
Select the part of icicles and paste them into a new layer. Make the original layer with icicles invisible for a while. Here is the part copied in previous steps.
in order to transform the shape of icicles, go to Edit > Transform > Warp Transformation > Arch. Do not finish the transformation on this point. Then move left and right edges by using Skew transformation.
Erase marked areas to make icicles smaller and correct top edge. Here is result of erasing:
Duplicate icicles layer and apply Ocean Ripple Filter to the duplicate. Apply Auto contrast to this duplicated layer. Change Blending Mode to Lighten for this layer and Opacity 70%.
Duplicate icicles layer once again, apply Fill = 0% and Inner Shadow. Add Layer Mask to this layer and fill it with black & white gradient from one mark to another like on the image below: Pages: 1 2 3 4 All content is Copyright 2011 Alexandra Fomicheva and may not be reproduced without permission.
Create a new layer and draw dark blue textured connections with the small Clone Stamp Tool. Set the sampling point by positioning the pointer in moon texture area and Alt-click to take a texture sample. You may use the similar way to create top icicles as previously. But I placed small fragments of icicles to create the whole top icicles arch. I've copied pieces of the ice from the original icicle layer and placed them to the top edge of the moon. In order to create more shiny and transparent effect for the top icicles, apply Screen Blending Mode. Add Inner Shadow effect to the icicles layers.
Here is the next portion of icicles with the inner shadow settings, you may correct the shape of icicles with the Eraser Tool.
Correct levels for this layer of icicles: More icicles with the similar settings:
Add one large icicle to the top of the Moon, add Inner shadow effect as well.
Correct levels of this layer: Insert the cloud, you may find how to separate clouds from background here or here. Add Inner shadow effect to the layer:
And correct the Color Balance: Correct Color Balance of this layer. Duplicate the second cloud layer, apply Fill = 0%.
Apply Inner shadow effect to the duplicated layer. Insert 3-rd cloud. Correct levels for this cloud:
Load selection for the Moon shape and all icicles. Use Ctrl + Shift combination by clicking layers thumbnails. Pages: 1 2 3 4 All content is Copyright 2011 Alexandra Fomicheva and may not be reproduced without permission.
Go to Edit > Copy merged. You will copy whole shape of the Moon with the icicles. Here is the copied shape, place it into a new layer.
Keep active this merged Moon Layer and apply inner glow effect: Now load selection only for the Moon shape(without icicles) and fill selected area with the same color as the inner glow. Fill selected area of the layer with Inner Glow effect
Then merge the layer of moon silhouette and icicles dark blue glow with the new empty layer. Go to Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. Move flipped layer down. Go to Edit > Transform > Distort. Move transformation points just like in the image below:
Right click the layer and choose "convert to smart object". Add layer mask and fill it with the black and white gradient to make the bottom edge of the shadow more translucent. May active Quick Mask Mode. Fill Quick Mode with the Black and White gradient just like on the example. Release Quick Mask Mode, apply Gaussian Blur filter to the selected bottom part of the Moon shadow Smart Object.
Add solid Color Adjustment Layer to correct shadow shade. Apply Color Blending Mode to the Adjustment Layer. Go to Select > Select All. Go to Edit > Copy Merged. Paste whole merged scene to the new layer. Go to Image > Auto Contrast.
Duplicate merged scene, and Black and white settings to the duplicated layer with following settings: Apply Multiply Blending Mode and Opacity 24%.
Load selection for the whole scene again, Copy Merged, place merged layer into a new layer. Apply Lens Flare Filter to this duplicate: You may correct Opacity of the layer to change Flare intense.
You may also insert some stars background to add stars effect. Correct levels for the inserted sky. Apply Screen Blending Mode to the sky.
Load selection for the Moon and erase moon area of the starring sky. And here is the result! Pages: 1 2 3 4
All content is Copyright 2011 Alexandra Fomicheva and may not be reproduced without permission.