Home Photoshop Drawing Techniques Night Sky

Night Sky

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Added: Nov 08, 2007 Rating:

Level: Experienced Software: Photoshop

Create a new file (File>New) that must have 1024x768 px and 72 dpi.

Using the Rectangle Tool (U), try to represent the first background's layer of the picture to be next.

Make a mouse click on the layer on the layers' panel, applying the following parameters:

Blending Options>Gradient Overlay

Gradient's parameters:

Select now another instrument - the Ellipse Tool (U) to picture a planet.

The layer's parameters: Fill 0%

Blending Options>Gradient Overlay

Gradient's parameters:

Applying the same method, it's possible to represent one smaller planet on our picture.

Apply the same parameters: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay

Gradient's parameters:

Make a copy of the last made layer and select the Free Transform option to place the copy as it is done on the next picture:

Try to divide horizontally in your mind the big planet in two parts and select after that the Pen Tool (P) to represent the layer of the remote horizon, colored with #3899EA

The layer's parameters: Fill 50%

Use next the Pen Tool (P) to represent the first layer, reserved for the forest that would have the black color.

Create a new layer now and select the Brush Tool (B) out of the standard set Dry media brushes and use it on the upper forest's edge.

The Opacity is 23% and the color is black.

Apply for the layer also the next selection: Filter>Blur>Blur

Make a copy of the last made layer and change the color on white. Use the Free Transform selection to lift a little the copied layer. Next use the same brush, but this time of white color to make several patches along the upper layer's edge. Place this layer lower than the previous one on the layers' panel.

The layer's parameters: Blending mode-Soft light

Combine in a group all the layers composing the black forest's silhouette (press on Ctrl button to mark out the necessary layer and keep the left mouse's button pressed when taking down the marked layers on Create a new group option).

Make a copy now of the last made group and select the Free Transform option to turn it over and place it the way it is shown on the picture. Move off the copied group the brush's layer of white color and make a copy of the first brush's black layer. Use next the Free Transform option again to pull it down, applying for it the layer's parameter shown here: Blending mode-Overlay

Create a new layer and use on it a standard brush to represent the primary layer reserved for the mountains' range on the horizon. The color in this case is #0E1552

Place this layer lower than the black forest's layers.

Using the Burn Tool (O), it's possible to represent the mountains' silhouettes.

Continue to use the same instrument and apply another one - Dodge Tool (O) to continue picturing the mountains.

Represent now the shadows.

Make a copy of the mountains' layer and select one more time the Free Transform option to turn it over and apply for it this selection - Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur

Make a mouse click on Create new fill or adjustment layer>Curves on the lowest part of the layers' panel.

Press Alt button and make a mouse's click between the layers of Curves effect and the layer in reflection of the mountains for the effect to be applied in the limits of the mountains' layer.

Make a copy of the last made mountains' layer and place the layer upper than the Curves effect layer (on the layers' panel). Use after that the Dodge Tool (O) to light up a little the mountains tops.

Take now the Brush Tool (B) and the color shown here: #3E9FD8 to represent the horizon's highlight (placing this layer lower than the mountains' layer and the layer of the black forest).

Combine in a single group both groups of black forest, make a copy of it and choose the Free Transform option to turn over the copy and to place it the way it shown below.

It's time to represent the starry sky. It's necessary in this case to create a new layer (Create new layer) and choose the Paint Bucket Tool (G) of black color. Place this layer upper than the previous layers and upper than the layer of the big planet (on the layers' panel).

Apply for the last layer Filter>Noise>Add noise

Apply the layer's parameters: Blending mode-Linear light

Make also a mouse's click on the lowest part of the layers' panel on Add a Mask option. After that it's necessary to select the Brush Tool (B) with blurred edges, diameter - 300 and black color to erase the unnecessary part of our picture.

Try to picture now a meteorite. Create a new layer and choose a standard brush on it - Brush Tool (B) of white color and diameter - 7 to represent a patch and than apply the Eraser Tool (E), Opacity of 30% to clean out a little the meteorite's tail.

Now we have to represent the meteorite's reflection. In this case we'll make a copy of the last made layer and select the Free Transform option to turn over the copy and to place the copy exactly it is shown below. Fill 50% on the copied layers.

Create another new layer (Create new layer) and select on it the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), mark out the necessary area and paint it in this color - #0000FF, choosing for this operation the Paint Bucket Tool (G)

Apply the next layer's parameters: Fill 29%

Blending mode- Color Burn

Using the same instrument - Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), try to mark out the appropriate area and select one more time the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to paint the marked place with #898989