How to Create an Underwater Vessel Scene in Photoshop

Imagine yourself exploring the underwater world in a submersible. In this Photoshop tutorial, you will learn in easy and simple steps on how to create a surreal underwater scene that makes you feel like you’re in a submersible. This tutorial is easy to follow and is intended for beginners. It is based on blending modes and through a few adjusting layers you can quickly and easily master basic techniques. No complicated selections.

Preview of Final Results

Tutorial Resources

1. Coral

2. Coral Reef

3. Helicopter

4. Turtle

5. Lens Flare

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

1. Preset: Custom

2.Width: 4000

3.Height: 6000

4.Resolution: 300

5.Color Mode: RBG Color 8 bit

6.Background Contents: Transparent

Step 2

Go to place Helicopter, click on File > Place

Step 3

Next, We will create a new layer mask to make a selection. Go to use a Pen Tool (P) .

And start marking the windows on the helicopter, after marking the windwos go Right Click> Make Selection. Feather Radius set to 0.5 check Anti Aliased and Operation to New Selection and hit OK.

After that make foreground color to default D (Black and White) and hold ALT + DELETE. Repeat this process several times until all the windows have been cut.

Step 4

Next, we will make a new adjustment layer “Hue/Saturation”

Next add new Adjustment layer “Curves”

Now add another one Adjustment Layer “Photo Filter”

Step 5

In this step we will open Coral. After you open the image, use Rectangular Marquee Tool(M).

Step 6

After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Put the Coral down of all the layers we “ve created. Then position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and resterize like image below.

Step 7

Now we add Coral Reef, After you open the image, use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) and select it. After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V).

Use Round Brush Tool (B) to delete unnecessary part. Set Size to 1000px and Hardness to 0%, after that create a layer mask with foreground color black. Now that we can paint the top of the picture. Always use a layer mask because if you make a mistake you can correct it, if you use Erase Tool without a layer mask then you cannot correct it.

Blend mode change to Hard Light with Opacity 90%.

Step 8

Next, open a Turtle and use a Quick Selection Tool, set to 70px, Hardness to 100% and Spacint to 25%. Hold left click and mark slowly. If you do not mark well, press ALT + LEFT Click and correct. Repeat the same procedure several times. There are more ways to select, but I chose this one because it is the simplest, you can choose Pen Tool, Brush Tool, Magic Wand Tool or some other tool. For this picture, Quick Selection Tool is the simplest.

In this step we only change the Blend Mode to Hard Light , the opacity will be 100%.

Step 9

Now let’s add some light, Create a new layer and change Blend mode to Overlay with Opacity 57%. Activate the Clipping Mask use Brush Tool (B). A light source is one of the most basic techniques without which an image would not look realistic.

Select the Round Brush Tool and set the size between 1000-1500px, Hardness to 0%. Set foreground color to white at the edges where there should be light, see the image below. If it’s easier for you, you can eventually activate the Chipping Mask (depends on yours). Select Layer > Right Click > Clipping Mask.