Gears Of War Composition

Lets Get Started, Creating Your Document

Create a new document (Ctrl + N) 1024x768 pixels, fill (G) your background layer in black (#000000). Download the stone texture pack and add "stonetexture5.jpg" to your canvas.

Once you've added the texture to your canvas "Desaturate" (Ctrl + Shift + U) the image, then change the levels by going to "Image > Adjust > Levels" (Ctrl + L) using the settings below.

Finally set the stone textures layer opacity to 75%. You should have something like this.

Creating The Text

Before we add our gears of war wallpapers to our canvas we must first create the word we wish to use. The word/text layer we use will be purely for us to use as a guide then later used to create the text shadow. Select the type tool (T), then type out the word "War" in capitals using a big font.

Once you've added your text add a stroke to the text using the settings below.

We now need to merge the text layer with a blank layer. Create a new blank layer above your text layer, then hide your background layer and texture layer and go to "Layer > Merge Visible" (Ctrl + Shift + E). Finally unhide your hidden layers, You should be left with something like this.

Adding The Wallpapers To Your Text

Download all 3 wallpapers from the resources list, then drag "W.jpg" onto your canvas. Resize the wallpaper so it just covers the first letter, lower the opacity abit on the wallpaper layer so you can see where you need to make the appropriate cuts.

Select your desired cutting tool and begin to cut around the main detail in the wallpaper.

Try and keep the letter of the word as readable as possible, when your finished it should look like this.

Once your happy with the result duplicate the wallpaper "W" and set the blend mode to "Soft Light", we do this just to brighten up the colors of the wallpaper.

Repeat the same process above for the two other letters using the other two wallpapers attached.

Once your done with the other two wallpapers hide the white text layer, you should have something like this.

Creating The Text Shadow

Unhide your text layer then add a black (#000000) "Color Overlay".

Next, blur the text by going to "Filter > Blur > Guassian Blur", blur the text by about 2px then shift the text layer down about 5 or 6 pixels.

Now that you've added the shadow, duplicate all your layers apart from your background layer and texture layer. Hide all your layers apart from your duplicated layers then go to "Layer > Merge Visible". You should now have one single layer above all your other layers contain your wallpapered text. Name this layer "War Merged".

Creating The Fire Effect

Create a new layer below your "War Merged Layer" then click the little thumbnail next to your shadow layer whilst holding down the "Ctrl" key on the keyboard. Doing this should load a selection around the text.

Now go to "Select > Modify > Expand", expand the selection by 50px.

Select the "Gradient Tool" (G) with a radial gradient, reset your colors palette (D) then rotate your background and foreground colors (X).

Drag the radial gradient over the selection, you should have something like this.

Were now going to add a number of filters to our new layer, start with the "Plastic Wrap Filter", "Filter > Artistic > Plastic Wrap".

Next, add the "Glowing Edges" filter by going to "Filter > Stylize > Glowing Edges".

After the glowing edges filter add the stained glass filter by going to "Filter > Texture > Stained Glass".

Were now going to blur our layer with a radial blur "Filter > Blur > Radial Blur", use the settings below.

Next, add the wave filter by going to "Filter > Distort > Wave".

Repeat the filter 2 or 3 times.

Set the layers opacity to about 70% then set the blend mode of the layer to "Screen". Now finally were going to add the difference clouds filter. Create a new layer then go to "Filter > Render > Difference Clouds", repeat the filter a couple of times until you have something with plenty of variety in it.

Finally set the cloud layers blend mode to "Color Dodge", then add an ocean ripple. you should end up with something like this.

Adding Some Color

Inside the layers window create a new "Color Balance Layer" in between your "War Merged" layer and the two layers containing the clouds and soon to be fire effect.

When adding the color balance layer use the settings below.

You should now have something like this.

Add a layer mask to your color balance layer then select the "Gradient Tool" (G), with a "Reflected Gradient" using the colors white (#ffffff) for your foreground and black (#000000) for your background, drag the linear gradient over your canvas.

The Result.

Adding The Fiery Debris

Download the "Bling Effects Pack" from the resources list, once downloaded load them into photoshop and add a couple over the fiery effect on a new layer.

Burning The Text

Add a layer mask to your "War Merged" layer, then select a small round brush with an opacity of about 55%.

With your brush and settings all set to go, zoom (Z) into your text then with the color black (#000000) start to brush some of the corners of your text.

You should have something like this.

Adding Some Smoke

Create a blank layer above your stack and fill it with the clouds filter "Filter > Render > Clouds". With the clouds layer selected set the blend mode to "Lighten" and the opacity to about 45%.

Add a layer mask to your top clouds layer then fill the mask with the color black (#000000). Select a soft small brush with the same settings as before, then set your foreground color to white (#ffffff). Now start to brush little patches around your text, the clouds should start to come through the mask leaving a smoke effect.

That's it all done, if you wish you could take the image slightly further and add some flying rocks or maybe some cracks behind the fire in the stone texture.