Read this tutorial to learn how to create this dramatic fallen angel scene. This tutorial will cover essential photo manipulation techniques such as painting, complex masking lighting effects, and more!

Preview of Final Results

angel68-final

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Create a new document with size of 1000×1000 px and fill it with white (or any color you like). Open desert stock. Use Retangular Marquee Tool to choose the ground part and use Move Tool (V) to drag it into our white canvas. Press Cmd/Ctrl+T to resize and rotate it as shown below:

angel1

You can see that I created a lean angle to get more visual impact.

angel1a

Step 2

Click the second button at the bottom of Layer Pallete to add mask to desert layer. Use black brush with hardness about 10-15% to erase the hard edge of the desert. The aim is to achieve a soft edge so it will be blended better with background. You can see how I did it on layer mask and result on picture:

angel2
angel2a

Step 3

To create some depth for the picture choose Filter-Blur-Gassian Blur and pick radius as 2 px:

angel3

I just want to blur the foreground so on Smart Filter mask I used soft black brush to reveal the rest:

angel3a
angel3b

Step 4

There is a part which does not look good on the ground so hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N to make a new layer above the desert one with Clipping Mask:

angel4
angel4a

Active Clone Tool (S) and use it to remove the part indicated in a previous screenshot:

angel4b

Step 5

I used an adjustment layer to darken the desert. On clone layer, go to Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Curves:

angel5
angel5a

On Curves layer mask I used soft black brush with opacity about 10-15% and 40-45% to reduce the dark effect on the top of the ground (desert):

angel5b
angel5c

Step 6

I made a Hue/Saturation layer (Clipping Mask) to reduce saturation of the ground:

angel6
angel6a

Step 7

Now add a Color Balance layer to change color of the desert:

angel7
angel7a

Step 8

Open sky stock. Use Move Tool to place it on the top of the picture and rotate it as I’m doing below or feel free to transform it to get your desired look

angel8

Remember to position the sky layer under the desert one.

Step 9

To darken some parts of the sky I used a Curves layer with Clipping Mask:

angel9

On Curves layer mask use black brush with varied opacities (mine about 15-20% and 100%) to reduce the dark on some parts of the sky:

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10 responses to “Create an Intense Fallen Angel Composition in Photoshop”

  1. Ken Avatar
    Ken

    This is a great tutorial. The desert and wings stock links don’t work but I found other ones to use.

  2. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    Awesome Post. Lighting is most beautiful. Thanks for the Post.

  3. Mohit Singh Avatar
    Mohit Singh

    So Good Tutorial Photoshop

  4. Sizwe Avatar
    Sizwe

    where can i download files required

  5. Sebastian Avatar
    Sebastian

    Hey Jenny,

    Could I use this tutorial and create a front cover for my bands album? Thanks :)!

  6. milon Avatar
    milon

    please give me download options

  7. Lyte Avatar
    Lyte

    Nice tutorial

  8. Pharrell Avatar
    Pharrell

    I love your tuts Jenny!

  9. Cream Bi Avatar
    Cream Bi

    Beautiful work and tutorial!

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