Create an Explosive Galaxy Scene in Photoshop

“Everybody has a little bit of the sun and moon in them. Everybody has a little bit of man, woman, and animal in them. Darks and lights in them. Everyone is part of a connected cosmic system. Part earth and sea, wind and fire, with some salt and dust swimming in them. We have a universe within ourselves that mimics the universe outside. None of us are just black or white, or never wrong and always right. No one. No one exists without polarities. Everybody has good and bad forces working with them, against them, and within them. In this photoshop tutorial we will learn how to create a Galaxy scene. First we cadded a background photo, then add planet and asteroids. Also added some Adjustment Layers and more stars and texture. For last effect wee added 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 photo Go to File > Place and select Stars. Then place it to our work canvas. Then 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

Next, place another photo Go to File > Place and select Planet. Then place it to our work canvas. Then 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.

Now create a layer mask and use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color black and paint over planet...

Step 4

Add Adjustment Layer "Hue/Saturation"

Step 5

Now create a new layer and convert it to Smart Object. Then use Pen Tool(P) select Shape, Fill select none and for Stroke select white color with size 2px. Next draw a line on the top of the planet, as shown in the picture below.

Right click on layer and select Blending Options, then select outer Glow and set

Blend mode: Screen
Opacity: 100%
Color: 3b83e6
Technique: Softer
Spread: 2%
Size: 32px
Check Antialliased
Range: 59%
Jitter: 33%

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set 4px.

Create another layer and repeat the same process as in the previous steps, take the Pen Tool (P) and draw the rest of the line around the planet with the same settings... Then put all in one group (Ctrl/Cmd + G)

Step 6

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

Step 7

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

Step 8

Next, place another photo Go to File > Place and select Galaxy. Then place it to our work canvas. Then 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 Soft Light with Opacity 25%.

Step 9

Place another photo Go to File > Place and select Galaxy 2. Then place it to our work canvas. Then 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 with Opacity 25%