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  Tutorials Photoshop Special Effects Night of Spells(Exclusive Tutorial)

Night of Spells(Exclusive Tutorial)

yosia Special Effects Oct 25, 2010

In this tutorial I will show you how to create magic Halloween photo manipulation: Night of Spells

Before we get started you'll need the images below:

Images: (thanks for using Your stock):

Model - download

Pumpkin - download

Rock - download

Forest - download

Landscape1 - download

Landscape2 - download

Waterefall - download

Step 1 - Creating a New Document

Start off by making a new canvas, 1490x1490 pixels. Set the values as in the photo below.

image 1

Step 2 - Extract Model

Start by opening your model stock in Photoshop and extract it from background.

Use the Pen Tool (P) to draw a path around the model's silhouette .

image 2 

Important ! Keep the zoom to about 100% to see clearly all the details.

Click right on the path and choose Make Selection. Select Inverse Shift+Ctrl+I, and copy selected to new layer Ctrl+J, rename this layer to "Model".

image 3 

Step 3 - Skin retouching

Press Ctrl+J to duplicate "Model" layer and rename to "Model retouch", go to Image>Adjustments>Auto Color, reduce the opacity to 35%.

Select both layers "Model" & "Model retouch", then Merge them Ctrl+E, rename it again to "Model".

Duplicate the "Model" layer again, rename to "blur". Now you can add some blur on her skin. Open up the Filter menu Filter>Blur>Surface Blur

image 4 

Add a layer mask to "blur". Invert (than you see nothing) and use a Brush (B) with black foreground and white background color to erase the parts which must remain sharp, for example: eyes, cheekbones, clothes etc...

image 5 

After adding a blur, we set layers adjustments to get interesting lighting and warm colors on the model.

Choose 'Create new fil'l or 'Adjustments layer', select Color Balance

image 6 

Create a Clipping Mask layer on top of this "model" layer.

image 7 

Settings for Color Balance

image 8 

image 9 

image 10 

Now our model looks much better.

Step 4 - Model make-up

Painting Lips - Use hard brush (settings on the picture), set the opacity 50% and flow 50%. choose red color #832205 and paint lips. Then I add some light on the lower lip and lips are finished.

image 11 

Painting cheeks - use the same color as above and paint cheeks, see result below:

image 12 

Step 5 - Model hair

Grab Hard Brush B, apply Shape Dynamics and Other Dynamics and use the following colors: #510702 (shadow), #932f11 (midtones), #ffd76a (highlights).

We still use the brush settings as in step 4. Start with Opacity 100% and Flow 100% to get basic shape of the hair. Now you can change opacity and flow to get different shadow and light hair effects.

image 13 

image 14 

Step 6 - Creation of landscape

It's time to create beautiful backgrounds - use stocks below:

image 15 

Open the "Basic background" image and drag the stock background image to your canvas and make a new group for it Ctrl+G, rename this group to "landscape".

Next open forest.jpg, drag the stock background image to your canvas and place it in the "landscape" group.

Again open the "Waterfall.jpg" and repeat step above.

Add a layer mask to all the images that you put on "landscape" group. Select a Brush (B), set the black color, and start to erase the unnecessary parts. in this way we get a beautiful landscape.

image 16 

image 17 

Open the "Waterfall.jpg" grab the Pen Tool (P) to draw a path around the rock. repeat step 2 (we did the same thing with the model)

image 18 

Open & move rocks to your canvas, place it in the landscape group. Use a layer mask and Brush (B) to fit the rocks in the background.

image 19 

Now we need to flatten layers. select the layers to flatten, (hold key Ctrl), right-click select "Flaten Image".

image 20 

After you merge landscape group - make adjustments in order to get the interesting lighting and colors. I choose autumn colors because I like vibrance colors (you can choose others, for example dark colors like navy, black, etc.)

Create a new adjustments layers and go to Brightness/Contrast, Curves and Hue/Saturation

image 21 

Apply the next settings:

image 22 

image 23 

image 24 

Create New Layer: Layer/New Layer and with the Gradiant Tool (G), add black color from the left to the right on the background and blend in with the layer opacity.

image 25 

Now we create a warm touch of colors in the landscape. Go to Create a new Adjustment Layer, choose Gradient.

image 26 

Select Gradient in the palettes and in the options select Rasterize Layer, set Blending Mode to Soft Light and apply the next settings:

image 27 

image 28 

You get something like this:

image 29 

Now we need to merge "landscape" group. Select "landscape" group in the palettes to merge, Right-click and in the options select "Merge Group"

image 30 

When we have all the layers together, choose the Lasso Tool (L), go to the Feather and set 25px.

Go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur

image 31 

image 32 

We achieve realistic blur.

Step 7 - Landscape - Shadows/highlight

We need highlights and shadows to make realistic artwork so the next step is add light and shadow... here we go!

Set color #f50a0a (you get red lighting), use the soft Brush tool (B), paint one dot with a red color #f50a0a and apply Gaussian Blur as below:

image 33 

Your artwork should look like this:

image 34 

Additionally, we create light on the water.

Use a soft brush with yellow color #ffd76a, apply Gaussian Blur the same as in the step 7.

image 35 

Now You can start to adjust the landscape. The best way to do is to go to New Layer adjustmen and choose Brightness/Contrast, Photo Filter, Color Balance to colour your Landscape.

image 36 

Your artwork should be similar like this:

image 37 

Step 8 - Shadow under the model

Set the black color, paint shadow under the model, set the Blending Mode to Multiply at 40-50%. In this way we created a realistic shadow!

You can also use the Smudge Tool (R) to create a hat with funny end shape.

image 38 

Step 9 - Model - lights and shadows

Using hard brush (settings below), we paint the shadows and light falling on the model. Add lights and shadows on hands, hat, legs etc. Use red color #f50a0a and make red glow.

image 39 

image 40 

image 41 

Use same settings as above, choose the yellow color #ffd76a and start painting yellow glow.

image 42 

Your artwork should look like this:

image 43 

Step 10 - Details

Now we add a few details, the spider on the hat, plants on the hand.

image 44 

image 45 

Use brushes with Spiders and Spiderweb, you can find them on DA:

http://frozenstocks.deviantart.com/art/Spider-Webs-1-132864200

http://henda-stock.deviantart.com/art/Spider-Brushes-34870510

image 46

image 47 

Use a soft brush, set white color foreground and start painting spiderweb around the hat.

image 48 

Step 11 - Add pumpkin

Open the "pumpkin.jpg" file, drag the stock pumpkin image to your canvas. set next to the model and paint light and shadow (use soft brush and rest of the settings as in step 9). So now it looks good.

image 49 

image 50 

Step 12 - Glowing dust

You can create a magical glowing dust around a hat and a hand model. Apply Shape Dynamics and Scattering. Grab Brush (B) and use the following settings:

image 51 

image 52 

image 53 

image 54 

image 55 

Step 13 - Final result

Time for the Final adjustments !

Select all layers (hold the Shift key), right click on the palette and choose Flatten Image.

If You have all Your parts together then you can start to adjust the artwork. The best way to do so is to choose New Adjustment Layer>Gradient and New Adjustment Layer> Levels to give "depth" to your artwork.

Gradient:

image 56 

image 57 

Change Gradient layer opacity at 61%, Fill at 76%. Duplicate the Gradient Layer and change the Opacity at 34%, Fill: 48%.

image 58 

Levels:

image 59 

Change Levels layer opacity at 77%, Fill at 66%

Duplicate the Levels Layer - settings are the same as above.

image 60 

Your artwork should look like this:

image 61 

In next Step Go to Image>adjustments>Brightness and Contrast

image 62 

Merge Layers and Grab the Dodge Tool (O) with the range set to highlights and an exposure of about 10% - 12% with a soft round brush, stroke around the lighter parts of the artwork:

image 63 

Your Final artwork should look like this:

Night of Spells 

That's it, here is the witch, blowing sparkles indeed.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial ! Good luck !

   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Malgorzata Scimborska My name is Malgorzata Scimborska, I am a graphic designer and I come from Poland. I am self-taught when it comes to photomanipulation. I've been developing my skills since early 2006. My style has evolved, recently I started to adding digital painting elements to my artwork. During those years I had the pleasure to work with many clients, the music bands and photographers who helped me test my skills. I hope so to improve my skills and I will experiment more with digital graphic. Currently, I work with Photoshop & Illustrator CS3 and I use Wacom graphic tablet. You can visit my gallery on DA and see my artworks: http://yosia82.deviantart.com/
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