Adobe-Photoshop-Tutorials: Create an Eerie Portrait Photo Manipulation with Photoshop

Eerie Portrait Photo Manipulation Photoshop Tutorial

In this tutorial we are going to create a fantasy scene where a witchy women will be holding a sacred log in her hands. With this tutorial we are going to cover interesting topics like working with textures and blending modes, lighting, advanced image cutting techniques, and typography.

Preview of Final Results

Eerie Portrait Photo Manipulation Photoshop Tutorial

Resources

Model - Flex-Flex
Wall Texture - fudgegraphics
Retro Wallpaper - Texturepack
Forest - silaynnestock
Cracks 1 - Jaydias
Cracks 2 - sd-stock
Fountain - phatpuppy
Dead Tree - wicasa-stock
Dead Tree 2 - diesel-stock
Log - sxc.hu
Stonage Art Brush - qbrushes
Font - ffonts
Snake - madetobeunique
Dead Tree 3 - sxc.hu

Step 1

Create a new canvas in Photoshop with the dimensions Width=2489px and Height=3872.

Step 2

1) Now import the image of the Model into Photoshop and create a mask around the body using the Pen Tool (P). While masking the hair create a rough mask because we will be using different technique to cut the hair with details.

2) Create a rough mask as shown around the hair and open the Refine Edge from Select>Refine Edge and set the output to New Layer and select the Refine Radius Tool and paint the edges of the hair to detect the fine details of the hair.
Then press OK to separate the model into a new layer with fine details.

Step 3

1) Import the image of Wall Texture onto the canvas and place it on the background and add a Gaussian Blur of Radius=1.6px.

2) Now import the image of the Retro Wallpaper in the background and reduce its Opacity to 74%.

Step 4

In this step we will be adding a forest backdrop to the background.

Import the image of the Forest onto the background.

2) Now convert the forest image into black and white using Image>Adjustments>Black & White.

3) Now change the Blending Mode of the forest layer to Overlay and reduce its opacity to 35%.

Step 5

In this step we will be creating cracks in the background using textures.

Import the image of the Cracks 1 onto the background and place it as shown.

2) Now set the Blending Mode of the layer to Overlay.

3) Now reduce the brightness of the cracks layer to -38 using Brightness/Contrast.
-Then similarly add few more cracks in the background to make the background look old.

Step 6

In this step we will be color correcting the model to blend the model in the scene.

With the model layer selected go to Image>Adjustments>Curves and set the curves as shown.

2) Now darken the shadows of the model using the Exposure. With the model layer selected go to Image>Adjustments>Exposure and set the Offset=-0.0102 and Gamma Correction=0.90.

3) Now by using the Hue/Saturation de-saturate the model to -30.

Step 7

In this step we will be creating an adjustment layer of Brightness/Contrast to blend the scene together with even color correction.
-Select Brightness/Contrast from the Adjustment Layers dropdown list at the bottom of the layers pallet, then set the Brightness of the layer to -45.

Step 8

As we can see the edges of the hair is lacking sharp details, hence to achieve the desired effect select the Burn Tool (O) and paint the edges of the hair to get the sharp details of hair.

Step 9

: In this step we are going to create a fountain tub under the women.

Mask out the Fountain into a new layer using the Pen Tool(P).

2) Now import it onto the working canvas and place it under the model as shown.

3) Now color correct the fountain using the Curves.

Step 10

As we can observe that the light is being focused from the top left, we need to create shadow to the fountain tub to match it with the scene's lighting.
-Now select the mask in shape of the fountain tub and create a new layer above the fountain layer and paint some shadow as shown using the Brush Tool (B).

Step 11

In order to illustrate the gap between the background the model we need to create the shadow of the model casting on the background.

Duplicate the model image and convert it into a silhouette using the Levels.

2) Now place the shadow layer under the original model layer and move it slightly towards the right as shown.

3) Since there is some distance between the model and background the shadow doesn't appear sharp hence lower the Opacity of the shadow layer to 70% and add a Gaussian Blur of Radius=22.2px.

Step 12

In this step we are going to clean the texture of the glove's cloth material and make it smooth.

Select a mask in the shape of the gloves as shown using the Pen Tool (P) and separate the selection into a new layer.

2) With the gloves layer selected go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 5.5px.

3) Now by using the Hue/Saturation de-saturate the gloves layer to -14.

Step 13

In this step we are going to use another advanced cutting technique to separate the tree from its background without loosing any details.

Select the Blue Channel from the Channels pallet and go to Image>Calculations and select Blue in the Channels drop-down list. After pressing OK there will be an Alpha layer created in the Channels pallet.

2) With the Alpha layer selected go to Image>Adjustments>Levels and set the levels as shown to make the image a complete silhouette.

3) Now go to Select>Load Selection and select the Alpha from the Channels drop-down list and press OK to select the mask around the tree.

4) With the mask selected erase the sky from the background.

Step 14

1) Now cut a part of the tree into a new layer using the Lasso Tool (L).

2) Now import the branch onto the working canvas as shown on the left side.

3) To create the effect that the branch is near to the scene we need to add a Gaussian Blur of Radius=9.9px to maintain the Depth Of Field (DOF).

Step 15

Now by using the Stonage Art Brush brushes paint the cave painting on the background wall as shown to make the BG look like its since the stonage.

Step 16

In this step we are going to create the sacred log in the hands of the model.

Import the image of the Logs and mask out the middle log in the pile into a new layer using the Pen Tool.

2) Now import the log on to the working canvas and place it as shown to illustrate that the model is holding the log in her hands.

3) Now color correct the log using the Curves to blend with the scene.

Step 17

In this step we are going to create some natural looking broken edges to the log.

Mask out the image of the broken log into a new layer and place it on the top end of the sacred log as shown.

2) With the sacred log layer selected select the mask in the shape of the broken log and erase the edges of the sacred log to get the shape of the broken edges.
-Similarly follow the same procedure to cut the other end of the log.

Step 18

Now by using the Burn Tool (O) burn the edges of the log to elevate the depth of the broken edges.

Step 19

Sacred objects are never complete without inscriptions on them, but here we are going to create a design on the log, which is considered as an inscription in this scene.

Using the Brush Tool draw the design fitting in the log.

2) Now by using the Pen Tool create a mask in the shape of the design we just drew and cut the selection into a new layer.

Step 20

1) Now select the previously created layer of the separated wooden part of the design and convert it into Black/White (Image>Adjustments>Black & White).

2) To show the depth of the design we need to create shadows to the design matching the light in the scene.
-Now paint some shadows to the design as shown using the Soft Brush.

3) Similarly paint shadow to the whole design on the sacred log.

Step 21

Since the sacred objects are considered to be old their edges will get worn-out and gets a dark burnt color, hence to get the same effect here burn the edges of the design using the Burn Tool.

Step 22

Now create a shadow on the log as shown in a new layer to match the lighting of the scene.

Step 23

In this step we will be creating shadow of the log casting on the model and the wall.
1) Duplicate the image of the sacred log and convert it into a silhouette using the Levels.

2) Now place the log shadow layer under the original log layer and move it slightly downward as shown to match the angle of the light rays.

3) With the log shadow layer selected add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 25.1px.

Step 24

In this step we will be creating logo for our scene.

Using the font "Dark Crystal" type in 'S' and 'C' in two different layers.

2) Now by using the Move Tool (V) move the letter 'C' and mount it on 'S' as shown. By doing so we will get a logo which represents all the letters in the word 'SACRED'.
-It might be difficult to find the letters at a glance, so take your time in identifying the letters.

Step 25

In this step we are going to create typography of our logo using the branches of a dead tree.

Follow the Step13 in cutting the background of the tree. Then by using the Lasso Tool cut few branches of the dead tress into a new layer.

2) Now import the branches onto the logo and place them according to the design of the logo.

3) Follow the procedure until we get the shape of the logo.

4) After creating the logo with the dead tree branches add support to the logo by adding two branches on either sides, to show that the logo is hung from a dead tree in the scene.

Step 26

Now import the image of the logo we created in the previous step on to the working canvas and place it as shown.

Step 27

In this step we are going to add a dead tree branch in the scene on the top right corner, which will act as support to the snake that we are going to create in the next step.