Turn any photo into a dot grid artwork with these Photoshop actions. You'll get great results with dots that change size. They get larger in brighter areas and smaller in darker areas. Free download available.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a dark and mysterious landscape using a range of photo manipulation techniques. You’ll learn how to combine different stock photos into a cohesive scene, create a misty atmosphere, adjust color, work with lighting, and more.
What you’ll be creating
We’ll start this tutorial by creating a rocky scene using a landscape and some rock images. We’ll also vary the rock opacity to generate a depth of field. Later we’ll add the statue and knight and blend them using adjustment layers, masking, and brush. Then we’ll create the misty atmosphere using a color fill layer. Finally, we’ll adjust color, refine the contrast, and enhance the lighting effect. You’ll need Photoshop CS2 or newer to follow this tutorial.
Tutorial Resources
Step 1
Create a new document in Photoshop with the following settings:
Step 2
Open the landscape image. Use the Move Tool (V) to drag it into our white canvas and place it, as shown below:
Click the second icon at the bottom of the Layers Panel to add a mask to this layer. Use a basic, soft brush with black color to erase the sky and the rock and leave only the ground visible:
Step 3
I used an adjustment layer with Clipping Mask to reduce the ground saturation. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation:
Step 4
I used Color Balance to add some red to the ground:
Step 5
I used a Curves adjustment layer to darken the ground:
Step 6
Move the rock 1 image to the right side of the scene using the Move Tool.
Remove its background using a layer mask:
Duplicate this layer and flip it horizontally using Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Move it to the left:
Step 7
Make all the rock layers selected and press Cmd/Ctrl+G to create a group for them. Change this group mode from Pass Through to Normal 100%. Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer on the top of the rock ones to desaturate them:
Step 8
I used Curves to darken the rocks:
Step 9
Place the rocks 2 images behind the rock 1 ones and lower its opacity to 50%. Set this layer under the rocks 1 group.
Use a layer mask to remove the hard edges and the rock on the right side:
15 comments on “Create a Dark and Mysterious Landscape Matte Painting with Photoshop”
Awesome !!
LOVE that you used The Golden Circle; I was stationed in Iceland for a year, I've actually been there!
can anyone give me free download link of photoshop??
the neverending story
Tom Lambell-Brown
(photoshop tutorial) Click. Drag. Done.
this tutorial helps me a lot .. thank u <3
Who else loves this ?
Me!!
Nice tutorial.
Thanks to share this tutorial
Jenny, thanks once again for sharing your amazing vision. I have several of your tutorials and they are just fabulous. Best wishes for continued success!
Superbe magnifique ambiance
I like ??
Yes! :)
I like that