This tutorial shows how to develop a futuristic fantasy theme out of a plain background using photo manipulation, photo montage techniques coupled with some painting inside Photoshop.

Preview of Final Results

Download the PSD

Futuristic Matte Painting.zip | 35 MB
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Create an Amazing Futuristic Matte Painting Photoshop Tutorial

Resources

• California Coastline - SXC
• Sky1 - SXC
• Sky2 - SXC
• Sky3 - SXC
• Sky4 - Orangen Stock
• Dark sky - Night Fate Stock
• Building - SXC
• Helipad - SXC
• Base Texture - CGTextures
• Mountain1 - SXC
• Mountain2 - SXC
• Mountain3 - SXC
• Mountain4 - SXC
• Mountain5 - SXC
• Mountain6 - SXC
• Mountain7 - SXC
• Glacier - SXC
• Halong Bay - SXC
• Machu Picchu - SXC
• Yosemite - Dex-Mecha
• Beach - SXC
• Planet - SXC
• Bird Brushes - Adaae-stock
• Bird Brushes2 - Redhead Stok

Step 1: The Idea

When I found the California coastline image I thought to create something interesting with it. I imagined theme and put it on the canvas that you can see below. Some futuristic unconventional building and a huge helipad or aerodrome and some floating mountains or rocks! As I came to a conclusion about what to create I painted it out loosely. I blocked the initial shapes and details using default chalk brushes in Photoshop. Just to give some direction and mood. I encourage you to start by blocking the shapes. Later on we will fill them with photo elements. Please keep in mind you are not just limited to these instructions. They are there to give you some direction. There is always plenty of room for your own creative freedom to improvise things. That is what tutorials are about. So let's get started.