How to Create a Retro Surreal Photo Manipulation using Photoshop

How to Create a Retro Surreal Photo Manipulation using Photoshop
How to Create a Retro Surreal Photo Manipulation using Photoshop
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Once you’ve done that another menu would open; click on “Load Brushes”.

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Now that it is open, click on the brush set: Bubbles by hawksmont and click Open. Now you’ll see that this brush set is loaded on your brush contextual menu when you right click on the canvas. Okay, now let’s create a new layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) and then name it “Bubbles 1”. Put this above the “water” layer. Choose the following brush from the Bubbles by hawksmont set:

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After that, input the following for the Brush tool (B):

  • Brush size: 40px
  • Hardness: Default
  • Opacity: 100%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: ffffff

Then let’s start painting:

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Next, create another layer and name it “Bubbles 2”. Use the same brush from the Bubbles by hawksmont set.

Activate the Brush tool (B) and input the following:

  • Brush size: 20px
  • Hardness: Default
  • Opacity: 100%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: ffffff
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STEP 6: Add the birds

Now, let’s add the birds, to start open “Bird Brushes II” by lpdragonfly and load them on Photoshop. Once loaded, create a new layer and put this layer above all the layers on our canvas; name it “Birds”. Activate the Brush tool (B) and choose the following brush from the “Bird Brushes II” by lpdragonfly set:

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After that, activate the Brush tool (B) again and input the following:

  • Brush size: 1000px
  • Hardness: Default
  • Opacity: 100%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: 000000

Now let’s paint:

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After that, reduce the opacity of this layer to make the viewers believe that the birds are a bit far. Reduce the opacity to 70%.

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STEP 7: Create the scary fish

Now we’ll add our fish! To start, open “Scary Fish” by xNickixstockx. Once opened, activate the Move tool (V) and drag it to our canvas. Once in there rename this layer to “fish”.

You’d definitely notice that this is a large image so we would need to transform and resize it. Activate the Transform tool and resize it as shown on the image below:

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Next, activate the Magnetic Lasso Tool (L) from the Lasso tools and create a selection area around the fish then duplicate it and erase the original layer. You’ll see that the fish was removed from its background. See image below:

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Now that that’s done, let’s move on to adjusting the color of our fish to make it blend in with the water. Click on the fish’s layer and go to Image > Adjustments > Color Balance. Input the following once the box opens:

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5 comments on “How to Create a Retro Surreal Photo Manipulation using Photoshop”

  1. I know this tutorial is an old tutorial and that some of the stock photos are gone, but I really like the tutorials on this website by Michael Manalo. I can follow along using other stocks and the artworks are beautiful.

  2. It would have been much more helpful as a beginner if I could see what the layers looked like on the right side of the screen. As it was, the lasso tool at the very beginning working with the water lost me. Please don't assume you're dealing with experts when directing these tutorials!

  3. I'm beginner , so I'm stuck on sky. When I put them on main picture (canvas) they are so small , and when I resize sky, resolution is changed and it looks really ugly. Any help ?

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