In this practice you will combine two images to create a new image. You will replace the sky of the castle, and create a reflection on the water using layer masks, adjust color using layer adjustments and lighting using lighting effects. These are many of the same techniques you will use in your project.
Practice files:
File 1
File 2
1. To download 'File 1' & 'File 2' above, right click & select 'Save link as'
2. Save the file to your G: drive > Digital Art > 00 Practice
3. Open Photoshop & File > Open to open your files in the program
4. To see images side by side select from the menu Window > Arrange > 2-up Vertical
5. Using the move tool (v) drag the sky image into the castle image
6. Re-size the sky layer using Free Transform (ctrl t) to be the same size as the castle image
7. In the Layers panel, double click on the background layer and rename it Castle, you can now change to order of the layers.
8. In the Layers panel, drag the sky so it is underneath the castle layer, the sky should now be hidden.
9. Using the Quick Selection tool, click and drag across the castle's sky until the entire sky is selected.
10. We must now inverse the selection so that the castle is selected - right-click and 'select inverse' or (ctrl + shift + i)
make sure your castle layer is selected
11. Make sure your castle layer is selected, then at the bottom of the Layers panel you will see 'Add Layer Mask', and click on it to mask (hide) the original sky and reveal the stormy one.
12. The edge of the mask needs to be adjusted, activate you layer mask by clicking on it and go to Properties > Mask Edge.
13. Here you will see different ways to view your mask edge, On Layers or Overlay both work well.
14. Now use the slider bars to adjust the edge - remember it should look better and not worse when you are done. You can turn preview on and off to see how it looks. select OK when done.
15. Now we need to add a reflection to the water to match the sky. Let's start by duplicating the the sky, right click on the layer and select duplicate - name the layer Reflection.
16. In the Layers panel, drag the Reflection layer above the castle and sky.
17. Reflect the reflection layer by going to Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical
18. In the layers panel, change the opacity of the reflection to about 50% and use the move tool (v) to place the image so the horizon line matches up with the castle's horizon line.
19. Add a layer mask (the icon that is a rectangle with a circle at the bottom of the layers panel)
20. Now in Properties (making sure the layer mask is selected) select Invert - you image should 'disappear'
21. Using a white paintbrush (b) with 0% hardness, paint back the sky so it looks like a realistic reflection. Work back and forth with black and white and different brush sizes until you are done.
22. Adjust the opacity and Blending modes to make the reflection look more realistic.
Practice files:
File 1
File 2
1. To download 'File 1' & 'File 2' above, right click & select 'Save link as'
2. Save the file to your G: drive > Digital Art > 00 Practice
3. Open Photoshop & File > Open to open your files in the program
4. To see images side by side select from the menu Window > Arrange > 2-up Vertical
5. Using the move tool (v) drag the sky image into the castle image
6. Re-size the sky layer using Free Transform (ctrl t) to be the same size as the castle image
7. In the Layers panel, double click on the background layer and rename it Castle, you can now change to order of the layers.
8. In the Layers panel, drag the sky so it is underneath the castle layer, the sky should now be hidden.
9. Using the Quick Selection tool, click and drag across the castle's sky until the entire sky is selected.
10. We must now inverse the selection so that the castle is selected - right-click and 'select inverse' or (ctrl + shift + i)
make sure your castle layer is selected
11. Make sure your castle layer is selected, then at the bottom of the Layers panel you will see 'Add Layer Mask', and click on it to mask (hide) the original sky and reveal the stormy one.
12. The edge of the mask needs to be adjusted, activate you layer mask by clicking on it and go to Properties > Mask Edge.
13. Here you will see different ways to view your mask edge, On Layers or Overlay both work well.
14. Now use the slider bars to adjust the edge - remember it should look better and not worse when you are done. You can turn preview on and off to see how it looks. select OK when done.
15. Now we need to add a reflection to the water to match the sky. Let's start by duplicating the the sky, right click on the layer and select duplicate - name the layer Reflection.
16. In the Layers panel, drag the Reflection layer above the castle and sky.
17. Reflect the reflection layer by going to Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical
18. In the layers panel, change the opacity of the reflection to about 50% and use the move tool (v) to place the image so the horizon line matches up with the castle's horizon line.
19. Add a layer mask (the icon that is a rectangle with a circle at the bottom of the layers panel)
20. Now in Properties (making sure the layer mask is selected) select Invert - you image should 'disappear'
21. Using a white paintbrush (b) with 0% hardness, paint back the sky so it looks like a realistic reflection. Work back and forth with black and white and different brush sizes until you are done.
22. Adjust the opacity and Blending modes to make the reflection look more realistic.
RSS Feed
