Photoshop Tutorials

Create a Firing Medieval Scene with Disintegration Effect in Photoshop

In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create a firing medieval scene with a disintegration effect. You'll learn how to combine stock images, use debris brushes, work with fire, make a cool atmosphere and create lighting effects.

What you'll be creating

We'll start this tutorial by adding the background and blur it to create a depth of field. Then we'll add the knight and apply the debris brushes to him to create a shattered effect. Later we'll add the fire and create a glowing light for it. After that, we'll make the fire effect on the knight as well as use several adjustment layers to change the whole contrast and color. We'll finish it up with more light and fire sparks. You'll need Photoshop CS3 or newer to follow this tutorial.

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Create a new document in Photoshop with the settings below:
moment1

Step 2

Open the castle stock. Drag it into our white canvas using the Move Tool (V):
moment2
To add some depth to the scene, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius to 6 px:
moment2a

Step 3

I used an adjustment layer and set as Clipping Mask to desaturate the background. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation:
moment3
moment3a

Step 4

I used a Curves adjustment layer (Clipping Mask) to darken the castle background:
moment4

Step 5

Place the knight image in the middle section of the image and remove the background using a layer mask.
moment5

Step 6

Change the brush kind to the debris ones. Take the brushes you like and start painting on the arms to shatter these areas. I turned off the Curves adjustment layer of the castle to let you see the effect more clearly:
moment6

Step 7

To add more debris, on a new layer, use a debrish brush with any colors (I choose white) to paint on the knight body.
moment7
Turn off this layer. Hold down Cmd/Ctrl and click the debris thumbnail layer to load its selection:
moment7a
On the knight layer, right click this selection and choose Layer via Copy. Move the copied part onto the one of the shoulders.
moment7b

Step 8

Apply the same method to make more disintegration effect for the knight, use a layer mask to erase any unwanted debrises. Here is my result:
moment8
Turn on the Curves adjustment layer of the background.
moment8a

Step 9

Select all the knight and debris layers and press Cmd/Ctrl+G to make a group for them. Change this layer mode from Pass Through (default group mode) to Normal 100%. On the top of the layers within this group, make a Curves adjustment layer to darken the knight and the disintegration effect:
moment9
On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to refine the light and shade on the knight to fit the background. You can see the results on the layer mask and on the picture:
moment9a
moment9b

Step 10

Use a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to reduce the redness of the skull and other details:
moment10

Step 11

To reduce the lightness on the top of the skull, make a new layer and use a soft brush with the color #958673 to paint there. Change this layer mode to Multiply 100%:
moment11

Step 12

Place the fire image in the foreground and change the mode to Screen 100%. Use a layer mask to remove any white edges remained.
moment12
moment12a

Step 13

To add a glowing effect to the fire, make a new layer under the fire one. Use a soft brush with the color #281b01 to paint on the bottom right of the image and change the mode to Linear Dodge 100%.

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24 comments on “Create a Firing Medieval Scene with Disintegration Effect in Photoshop”

  3. why I cant go to last page? there's something wrong with my browser or this tutorial is not free?

    thanks
    budie

    Reply

  10. "Remove the background using a layer mask."

    How the hell do i do that?? Newbie here so no idea how to do that.. Please don't make any steps like that in any tutorial.

    Reply

  14. Hi team I reckon this may be a really good project however I just do not understand a word
    shame really but I guess I am too old to learn but best of luck to those who can

    Reply

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