Beginning of a Journey Photoshop Tutorial

“After an orange cloud — formed as a result of a dust storm over the Sahara and caught up by air currents — reached the Philippines and settled there with rain, I understood that we are all sailing in the same boat.” In this Photoshop tutorial, we will learn how to create a cool landscape scene with astronauts. First, we added Background with mountains and fields, then insert a Rocket and planet. Next added some stars and galaxy and helicopter. Finally added Astronauts and apply the Camera Raw filter.

Preview of Final Image

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Now, let’s start by creating a new image file, go to the Menu bar and click File > New, and then input the following values on their respective fields

Preset: Custom
Width: 3080px
Height: 3850px
Resolution: 300px
Color Mode: RGB Color 8 bit
Background Contents: Transparent

Step 2

Now, place Background Go to File > Place and select Background Then place it to our work canvas and position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and rasterize like the image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to rasterize all sides together.

Step 3

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and create layer mask. Next use Soft Round Brush with foreground color black and start painting on field and sky.

Step 4

Next go to open Rocket. File > Open and select Rocket. Use Rectangular Marquee Tool(M). With the Rectangular Marquee tool, drag over the area you want to select. Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the marquee to(release the mouse button before you release Shift to keep the selection shape constrained).

Next, we add Cloud brushes but first we need to import brushes. Select a Brush Tool(B) and right click on background. Now click on the gear icon and Import Brushes (Select a downloaded brush).

Next create a layer mask and use cloud brush with foreground color black and start painting over the smoke...

Step 5

Add Adjustment Layer "Color Balance"

Step 6

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves"

Step 7

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and press Ctrl/Cmd + I to invert. Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color white and paint dark parts.

Step 8

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and press Ctrl/Cmd + I to invert. Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color white and paint highlight parts.

Step 9

Add Adjustment Layer "Exposure"

Step 10

Now lets add some glow effect on rocket. First create a three layers and change blend mode to Linear Dodge (Add). Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color code #e4b470 and paint on rocket with small size on first layer. Then repeat the same process on other layers. For second layer use color #b0642c and for third #f68430. Opacity to all three layers is 18%.

Step 11

Go to open Planet. File > Open and select Planet. Use Rectangular Marquee Tool(M). With the Rectangular Marquee tool, drag over the area you want to select. Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the marquee to(release the mouse button before you release Shift to keep the selection shape constrained).

After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Then position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to resterize al sides together.

Create a layer mask and use Soft Round Brush with foreground color black and delete some parts. Blend mode change to Hard Light with Opacity 70%.

Step 12

Place Rocket 2 Go to File > Place and select Rocket 2. Then place it to our work canvas and position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and rasterize like the image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to rasterize all sides together.

Blend mode change to Lighten.

Step 13

Add Adjustment Layer "Levels"

Step 14

Next, place Galaxy Go to File > Place and select Galaxy. Then place it to our work canvas and position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and rasterize like the image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to rasterize all sides together.

Create a layer mask and use Soft Round Brush with foreground color black and delete some parts. Blend mode change to Soft Light.

Step 15

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and press Ctrl/Cmd + I to invert. Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color white and paint highlight parts.

Step 16

Next, place Moon Go to File > Place and select Moon. Then place it to our work canvas and position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and rasterize like the image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to rasterize all sides together.

Blend mode change to Screen.

Step 17

In next step place Stars Go to File > Place and select Stars. Then place it to our work canvas and position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and rasterize like the image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to rasterize all sides together.

Create a layer mask and with Soft Round Brush delete some parts, Foreground color set to black.

Step 18

Now in this step open Helicopter photo. Use Lasso Tool(L) and select Helicopter. After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Then position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to resterize.

Opacity of layer set to 90%.

Step 19

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and press Ctrl/Cmd + I to invert. Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color white and paint top part of Helicopter.

Step 20

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and press Ctrl/Cmd + I to invert. Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color white and paint bottom part of Helicopter.

Step 21

Add Adjustment Layer "Exposure"

Step 22

Add Adjustment Layer "Hue/Saturation" Blend mode change to "Hue"

Step 23

Now, go to File > Open and select Astronauts. Then use a Pen Tool(P) and start selecting. When we finish the selection press right-click on mouse and “Make Selection” then create layer mask. The simplest path you can draw with the standard Pen tool is a straight line, made by clicking the Pen tool to create two anchor points. By continuing to click, you create a path made of straight line segments connected by corner points.

Step 24

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves"

Step 25

Add Adjustment Layer "Color Balance"

Step 26

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves" and press Ctrl/Cmd + I to invert. Then use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color white and paint right side of Astronauts (Highlights).

Step 27

Next we will open Butterfly. After you open the image, use Lasso Tool(L) and start selecting butterfly. After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Then position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and resterize like image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to resterize al sides together.

Step 28

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves"

Step 29

Add Adjustment layer "Gradient Map"

Step 30

Add Adjustment Layer "Gradient Map"

Step 31

When we finished all this, now merge all layers to one. Select the last layer and hold CTRL/CMD + SHIFT + ALT + E. Now we have a final layer, right click on mouse and select Convert to Smart Object. Then go to Filter > Camera RAW Filter. At its most basic, the Photoshop Camera Raw filter allows you to use the functions of the ACR interface at any time within Photoshop.

Step 32

Now in Camera Raw Filter, set the Value: Basic

Exposure: -0.15
Highlights: -10
Shadows: -10
Whites: +5
Texture: +10
Clarity: +10
Vibrance: +13
Saturation: -8

Color Grading

Midtones: H34 S7

Color Grading

Highlights: H65 S49

Gradulated Filter

Exposure: -0.25
Highlights: -34
Shadows: -15
Whites: -16

Radial Filter

Exposure: +0.35
Highlights: +5
Shadows: +5
Blacks: +5

And finally, everything should look like this.

Final Results

Download the PSD

Begining of a Journey Photoshop Tutorial.zip