You will know, how to make this epic photomanipulation in medieval-fantasy style. I'll show you, how to mix stock, use transforms and how to change colors on further photomanipulations. You will know, how to use blurs and colors in making perspective in photomanipulations. I'll show as well, how to use Topaz Clean 3 plug-in in works.

What you'll be creating

Composition "Field of glory" is showing dropped sword in the background of battlefield. I'll show how to use adjustment layers, how to make fog in the picture and how to use Topaz Filter. You'll need Photoshop CS5 or newer to follow this tutorial. You'll need Topaz Clean 3 plugin to Photoshop as well.

Tutorial Resources

• Fire stock - CGtextures
• Caimari - pixabay
• Grass Clumps 04 - Wolverine041269
• Golden Run Sword - Fantasystock
• Grass 10 - Wolverine041269
• Lateral foliage - eveblackwoodstock
• Battlefield Skies - missstark
• Magic fire 02 - Ayelie-stock

Step 1

Create new file. Go to File > New... (Ctrl + N)

Step 2

Place "caimari" stock to created file.

Step 3

dd new adjustment layer with Hue/Saturation. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use marked shortcut.

Step 4

Add new layer (Layer > New > Layer... , Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Use big, soft round brush, choose #232827 color. Draw flat shadow on mountains.

Step 5

Change blending mode of this layer to Soft light. Decrease opacity to 12%.

Step 6

Duplicate created layer with shadow - drag it and drop to new layer symbol or go to Layer > Duplicate layer.

Step 7

Change blending mode of this layer to "Normal" and change opacity to 15%.

Step 8

Add new layer (Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Use big, soft round brush, choose #c6b69b color. You'll create lights on mountains - draw some strokes on the edges of mountains.

Step 9

Change blending mode of this layer to Overlay.

Step 10

Add new adjustment layer with Hue/Saturation - you'll gently decrease lights on stock image. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use marked shortcut.

Step 11

Add new adjustment layer with Color Balance. You'll add blue tone to shadows. (Layer > New adjustment layer > Color Balance or use marked shortcut).

Step 12

Add new adjustment layer with Color Balance (Layer > New adjustment layer > Color Balance or use marked shortcut).

Step 13

Place "Battlefield sky" stock - drag it and drop to your file.

Step 14

Use hard round brush and mask area with mountains.

Step 15

Add new layer. (Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Use big, soft round brush, choose #a9a9a9 color, set brush opacity to 50%. You'll create lights on mountains - draw some blurred dots on the edges of mountains, where light goes. For better effect on the left top, You can use #2e2e2e color and draw a few dots.

Step 16

Change blending mode to Color Burn and decrease opacity to 27%.

Step 17

Duplicate created layer - drag it and drop to new layer symbol or go to Layer > Duplicate layer.

Step 18

Change blending mode to Screen and decrease opacity of this layer to 6%

Step 19

Add new layer. (Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Use big, soft round brush, choose #c8b998 color. You'll create lights on mountains - draw strokes on the edges of mountains, where light goes.

Step 20

Change blending mode to Linear dodge (Add), decrease its opacity to 22%.

Step 21

Place "Grass clumps 04" stock to your file. Set it as is shown. Create ground! Here's no need to worry about color adjustments.

Step 22

Place "Golden Rune Sword", transform it as is shown.

Step 23

Mask sword with hard round brush.

Step 24

Add new adjustment layer with Color Balance. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Color Balance or use marked shortcut. Then, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Step 25

Then, add new adjustment layer with Hue/Saturation. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use marked shortcut. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Step 26

Add new layer (Layer > New > Layer... , Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Follow the light source and draw shadows on sword hilt. Use small, soft round brush with dynamic pressure size, set #232827 color and draw gently strokes. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Change blending mode of this layer to Linear burn and decrease its opacity to 55%.

Step 27

Add new layer (Layer > New > Layer... , Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Choose big, soft round brush and set its opacity to 20%. Use the same color as before. Follow the light source and draw shadows on blade. Avoid shading edges of blade. Shade also decoration above sword hilt - see the picture. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Change blending mode of this layer to Multiply.

Step 28

You'll create lights on sword hilt. Add new layer (Layer > New > Layer... , Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Set 50px soft round brush and choose #daccae color. Decrease opacity of brush to 60%. Follow light source. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Change blending mode to Screen, decrease its opacity to 79%.

Step 29

Place "Smoke0387_L" to your file. Transform it as is shown. For free transform one point, use Ctrl and drag it as you want.

Change blending mode of this layer to Screen

Add new adjustment layer with Hue/Saturation. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use marked shortcut. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Click on "Smoke0387_L" layer and go to Filter > Sharpen... > Sharpen".

Step 30

Place Magic fire to your image. Transform it and change blending mode to Screen.

Step 31

Mask top of the stock. Click on white canvas on the left of layer thumbnail and use big, soft round brush.

Step 32

Duplicate layer with fire - drag it and drop to new layer symbol or go to Layer > Duplicate layer.

Step 33

It will be necessary to mask top of stock more. Click on white canvas on the left of layer thumbnail and use big, soft round brush.

Step 34

In your color picker set colors: #c8b998 and #232827. Then, add new adjustment layer with Gradient Map. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Gradient Map or use marked shortcut.

Change blending mode to Soft light.

Step 35

Back to bottom of stack of layers. Duplicate "Battlefield sky" stock and drag it on the top of stack. Right click on layer mask thumbnail and choose " Delete layer mask".

Step 36

Add new mask to this layer. Click on shortcut or go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal all... Use big, soft round brush with dynamic opacity. Mask randomly parts of clouds, to achieve fog effect.

If you want, you can use other trick to achieve fog effect. Click on mask thumbnail and go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Effect wouldn't be as nice as drawn by hand, but this way is more faster!

Step 37

Place "grass 10" stock to your file and transform it as is shown.

Step 38

Make it blurry - like on not focused part of image. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur...

Step 39

Add adjustment layer with Hue/Saturation - green on this stock is too bright and saturated. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use marked shortcut. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Add adjustment layer with Brightness/Contrast - you'll adjust brightness to whole picture. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Brightness/Contrast or use marked shortcut. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Step 40

Place "Grass clamps" again. Transform it as is shown.

Step 41

Make it blurry - like on not focused part of image. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur... .

Step 42

Less focused things should be darker. Add adjustment layer with Brightness/Contrast. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Brightness/Contrast or use marked shortcut. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Step 43

Duplicate most recent "Magic fire" layer - drag it and drop to new layer symbol or go to Layer > Duplicate layer. Then, drag it on the top of stack.

Step 44

Duplicate this layer (duplicated) (drag it and drop to new layer symbol or go to Layer > Duplicate layer) again. Then, change blending mode of this layer to Color dodge.

Step 45

Place lateral foliage to your file.

Mask the brightest parts of the foliage - use soft round brush.

Make it blurry - like on not focused part of image. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur...

Add adjustment layer with Hue/Saturation - green on this stock is too bright and saturated, we want to have dark, gothic mood here. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use marked shortcut. Next, right-click on this layer and choose "Create clipping mask" (Alt+Ctrl+G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

Step 46

Place again Magic fire stock and set its blending mode to "Screen". Free transform it as is shown.

Step 47

Add new layer (Layer > New > Layer... , Shift + Ctrl + N or marked shortcut). Choose big, soft round brush and draw glow from the fire. Use #f4aa0a color.

Change blending mode of this layer to Soft light, decrease opacity to 20%.

Step 48

Next steps will be optional - You can stop here, or just follow tutorial further to achieve other color effect.

At first, You'll cool down colors on your picture by Photo Filter. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Photo Filter or use shortcut.

Now, add more blue tones to work. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Color Balance or use shortcut.

Decrease saturation. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/Saturation or use shortcut.

Fix yellows and reds, by using Selective color adjustment layer. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Selective Color or use shortcut.

Now you'll create on your image purple tones. Add Channel mixer adjustment layer go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Channel mixer or use shortcut.

Change blending mode of this layer to Soft light, decrease opacity to 52%.

Add ambient lights - In your color picker set colors: #c8b998 and #232827. Then, add new adjustment layer with Gradient Map. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Gradient Map or use marked shortcut.

Change blending mode of this layer to Lighten, decrease opacity to 10%.

Create vignette filter. Add new adjustment layer with Gradient fill. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Gradient fill or use marked shortcut.

Change blending mode to Multiply, opacity to 12%.

Add some curves. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Curves or use marked shortcut.

Step 49

We are done with color adjustments for this moment. Now, I'll show You, how you can use here "Topaz filter". Select whole image (Select > All). Then go to Edit > Copy Merged (Shitf+Ctrl+C). Then, paste copied image.

Step 50

Go to Filter > Topaz Labs > Topaz Clean 3. Set it as is shown. Choose Curly smooth preset and set Strenght to 1.

Step 51

You can leave picture as is now, or add some color changes, to make effect more smoother - if You want, in your color picker set colors: #fff and #46264b colors, add Gradient map adjustment layer (go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Gradient map or use marked shortcut).

Change blending mode to Lighter color and decrease opacity to 39%.

Fix yellows and reds, by using Selective color adjustment layer. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Selective Color or use shortcut.

Final Results

Download the PSD

[vc_column width="1/1" el_position="first last"] [vc_cta_button title="Download" href="https://downloads.photoshoptutorials.ws/Medieval Battlefield.zip" color="btn" size="btn-large" icon="none" target="_self" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Medieval Battlefield.zip | 107 MB" width="1/1" el_position="first last"] [/vc_column]

Tutorial by msRiotte

Thank you for following this tutorial! If you want to see more of my proffesional works go tomsriotte.pl. If you like my manips - here is the showcase: art.msriotte.pl.

- msRiotte.