How to Create a Gothic Photo Manipulation of a Brave Warrior in Photoshop

Learn how to make this gothic photo manipulation. You will know, how to play with colors on every image, how to draw lights and shadows here and how to manage glows in this work. I will show, how to make a dynamic effect with some stock images and how to turn model into ghostly-like character! :). You will learn the basics of matte painting and will be making better works in the future.

With this tutorial, you can create full of symbols photomanipulation. You can see here brave warrior and dark, ghost-like onk behind him. Can you see the meaning of it? You’ll need Photoshop CS5 or newer and pen tablet (optional) to follow this tutorial.

Tutorial Resources

• Forest– winesmoke
• The Grim Weedwhacker 2– mjranum-stock
• Nordic Warrior 3– liancary-stock
• Stock 01– wen-jr
• Smoke Stock 25– hatestock
• Smoke Stock 20– hatestock
• Celestial Background 45– frostbo
• Celestial Background 43– frostbo

Step 1

Let’s start! Create new file (File > New…). Set size 1828x1332px.

Step 2

Place “Forest” stock to your file. Drag it from the folder and drop it in the middle of the picture.

Step 3

Now, you will change time from day to night. Add new adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment layer > … or marked shortcut) with Brightness/Contrast.

Step 4

Place “Smoke stock 20”. Transform it as is shown.

Step 5

Add new Adjustment layer with “Invert” (Layer > New Adjustment layer > … or marked shortcut). Click on created layer with right mouse button, then choose “Create clipping mask”.

Step 6

Back to “Smoke stock 20”. Change blending mode of this layer to Multiply. Darker parts will be visable, lighter will be removed.

Step 7

With big, soft round brush, mask top of the smoke (which will be connected with dark monk).

Step 8

Place “The Grim Weedwhacker” and mask it with hard round brush. Use soft round bigger brush on the bottom of his clothes.

Step 9

Add new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N or shortcut), click on it with right mouse button and choose, then choose “Create clipping mask”. Pick soft round brush and draw some strokes on mans face.

Step 10

If photo is overexposed, try to fix that. Add new adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment layer > … or marked shortcut). Click on created layer with right mouse button, then choose “Create clipping mask”. Set it as is shown.

Step 11

Let’s fix Brightness/Contrast settings. Add new adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment layer > … or marked shortcut). Click on created layer with right mouse button, then choose “Create clipping mask”. Set it as is shown.

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