Photoshop Tutorials

How to Create an Amazing Space Battle Scene in Photoshop

How to Create an Amazing Space Battle Scene in Photoshop
In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create a sci-fi artwork with spaceship, planets and galaxy. You'll learn how to compose and manipulate some space elements together as well as blend them correctly and effectively. You can also learn to create some different kinds of lighting, work with groups, use brushes, masking and more.

Preview of Final Results

space16-final

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Create a new document and fill it with white. I make the width is a bit larger than the height. Make a new layer and press G to active Gradient Tool. I choose Radiant Gradient with color #000a18 and # 53657d:
space1

Step 2

Open planet stock. Hide the black background and press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Alt/Option+E to merge all transparent layers. We will have result:
space2
Use Move Tool ( V key to active it) and drag planet into our document, place it at the picture bottom:
space2a
Duplicate this planet twice, resize and transform it to be smaller ( use Cmd/Ctrl+T to do it) and position them at the two edges of picture:
space2b
Call big planet as "planet 1" and smaller ones as "planet 2", "planet 3". On planet 2 layer, go to Filter-Blur-Gassian Blur and set radius as 2 px:
space2c
Choose planet 3 layer, press Cmd/Ctrl+F to repeat this filter ( Gassian Blur) with it:
space2d

Step 3

Make group for all planet layers ( make them selected then press Cmd/Ctrl+G) as I want to edit them together. Change the mode of this group from Pass Through ( default mode group) to Normal 100%:
space3
Now I use an adjustment layers to change color of these planets. On planet 1 layer, go to Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Color Balance:
space3a
Because the mode of group changed to Normal 100% so this Color Balance layer only affects the layers inside this group ( planet ones).
space3b
I want to increase a bit of contrast of planet 1 so I make a new layer above this one with Clipping Mask and use Linear Gradient with default color ( black and white):
space3c
space3d
Change the mode to Soft Light 100% and add layer mask for this layer. Use soft black brush to remove and reduce dark contrast on some parts we've just painted on. Look at the layer mask to see how I masked it:
space3e

Step 4

Open nebula stock. Drag it into our canvas and place it under planet group. I only take a part of this stock:
space4
I copy a part from nebular image and place it on the right side :
space4a
I use layer mask to clear rough edges of it:
space4b
Call these layers as "nebula 1", "nebula 2".

Step 5

Make group for them as we did with planets and remember to change the mode of this group to Normal 100%. I add some adjustment layers to make color of nebula fit the rest of picture. Curves:
space5
Color Balance:
space5a
space5b

Step 6

Open starry sky stock. Move it above nebula group and under planet ones, resize it to get the look below:
space6
Change the mode to Screen 50%:
space6a
Duplicate this layer and move it to the right. Use layer mask and soft black brush to remove rough edges of this part:
space6b
space6c

Step 7

Move galaxy stock into our picture, place this layer on the top and resize it to be smaller. Situate it in the center of sky :
space7
Change the mode to Screen 100% and erase unwanted parts with layer mask:

Pages: 1 2 3

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34 comments on “How to Create an Amazing Space Battle Scene in Photoshop”

  3. This tutorial is absolutely terrible! It does not explain how to do most of it and just assumes that you know how to.

    Reply

    1. I don't think the link is broken, it looks like the picture has been removed from that site :(

  18. I have problems with step 2... "merge all transparent layers." I can not do that!...How to remove black background photo of the planet? I mean, the planet without the black background

    Reply

  20. Why i can't see whole tutorial ?
    i can't see more that step 6.
    I can't see ships, asteroids, and high light at middle.
    Help me. :P

    Reply

  26. yeah, I'm stuck at Step 2, how do you hide the black background. The source file I get is a .jpg file, not .psd file.

    Reply

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