Create An Emotional Photo Manipulation Of A Sad Angel In Photoshop

Learn how to create a fantasy photo manipulation of a desperate angel in sorrow and bleak rainy scene with Photoshop. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create your winged angel with ordinary stock images, do some retouch and enchantment on the angel with shadows and lighting, then complete it with rain and subtle rays of light. Throughout the tutorial, you'll learn techniques that will help you create better photo manipulations.

What you'll be creating

In this tutorial, we will create an emotional scene of a sad angel in a gloomy and cold atmospheric dreamscape with rain. We will use some essential techniques for doing photo manipulation. We will use masking, brush tool, some filter, color adjustments, and textures all through the steps in this tutorial. Use Adobe Photoshop CC to fully follow this tutorial. Some filters used in this tutorial will not be available in Photoshop CS. Don’t forget a glass of coffee and optionally a pack of cigarettes for your companion. Ready..?

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

In the first several steps of this tutorial, we are going to create a figure of an angel. Start by opening the girl image in photoshop. We will cut out the girl. Take the pen tool (P). With the tool, trace the girl to create a path as indicated in the orange outline.

Cut out the girl from its background.

Step 2

Create a new document (Ctrl+N). Name this new document, say, broken angel. In this document, we will create the figure of angel.

Next, add the girls to the document. Take the free transform tool (Ctrl+T). Scale its size to fit the size of the document properly.

Step 3

Then open the bird image, we will use the bird’s wings for the angel. Take the pen tool (P) and cut out the wings of the bird.

Add the first wing to the broken angel document. Place it above the angel layer. With the free transform tool (Ctrl+T), scale its size to the one needed and move (V) to the position where needed.

Finally, add the second wing. Place it below the angel layer.

Step 4

Now we will do some refinement on the edges of the wings. To do this, take a smudge tool on the tool panel. Choose a very soft round brush (0% hardness) set to about 4pxl size with strength set to about 70%.

Be active on the wing 1. Now stroke the brush on the edges of the wing to create subtle feathers.

Do the same way to the other wing.

Step 5

Next, we will add some shading on the wing 2 on the area behind the angel as outlined in orange color.

Create a new layer (Shift +Ctrl+N) with a clipping mask above the wing 2 layer. Take a very soft round brush (0% hardness) set to about 12-15% opacity. With black color, stroke the brush to paint some shading.

Step 6

In this step, we will add cloth addition to the angel’s robe to cover the starting point of the wing 1. To do this, create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) above the wing 1 layer. Take the pen tool (P). On this layer, create a shape like the one shown in the screenshot and fill (Shift+F5) the shape with any color we want. The dark blue color is the one given as an example.

Cut out the robe of the angel into a single layer. We will use this cut out as the texture for the shape created before. Place the cut out above the shape layer and clip it with a clipping mask. This cut out will cover the shape. Move (V) the cut out to the position needed to get the desired result.

16 comments on “Create An Emotional Photo Manipulation Of A Sad Angel In Photoshop”

Khat'Su says:

January 31, 2021 at 5:54 am

I cant download the psd, link isnt working :(

1. Photoshop Tutorials Staff says:
  
  January 31, 2021 at 9:24 pm
  
  Thanks for letting us know! PSD link has been fixed
dan says:

September 13, 2016 at 4:14 am

This is amazing! Easy-to-follow steps and I created what seems like a masterpiece! Thank you.

Benjamin says:

May 19, 2016 at 7:15 am

I LOVE THIS! I am going to be giving this tutorial a try.

Silk says:

April 17, 2016 at 8:09 am

You have the link incorrect for the rain brush, its: http://elestrial.deviantart.com/art/Rain-35960575 -- Beautiful tutorial.

Lordan says:

April 14, 2016 at 2:30 pm

This is great! And for you to have provided steps showing how it's done....perfect. I'll give this a try, and once I can perfect it, I'll make one for my niece with her image. She's all into angels.

vendle says:

April 9, 2016 at 12:47 pm

Wow, it amazes me that a person can see a final image and then create it basically from scratch on Photoshop. Nice work.

Kim Jackson says:

March 8, 2016 at 5:45 am

What am I doing wrong on Step 6. I cannot for the life of me do that step. I create a new layer, use the pen tool to create the shape, shift f5 to fil. Does wonderful, looks nice, but when I do the step to cut out the robe. Nightmare city. I can't get it done. What am I doing wrong???

Jonathan Gamarel says:

March 6, 2016 at 11:21 am

awesome indeed

Ayaan says:

February 28, 2016 at 3:10 am

Brilliant Work Kindly re-uploaded PSD File its showing error. Thanks this work is really very helpful for me.

1. Photoshop Tutorials Staff says:
  
  February 28, 2016 at 4:40 am
  
  Thanks for letting us know! The PSD link has been fixed
partition says:

February 27, 2016 at 3:34 am

thanks.

پارتیشن says:

February 27, 2016 at 3:30 am

very good.thanks.

Chris says:

February 26, 2016 at 10:12 pm

Very nice, enjoyed this guide.

Anonymous says:

February 23, 2016 at 10:15 am

bellissimo tutorial complimenti

Bert Minor says:

February 22, 2016 at 7:51 am

Would it be ok to share your image on my photography facebook site if I credit you and link to your site?