"The Pain" - Create this Eerie Abstract Photo Manipulation

"The Pain" - Create this Eerie Abstract Photo Manipulation

Learn how to create this eerie abstract photo manipulation called "The Pain". You'll learn how to combine different stock photos to create this scene then apply a cold color tone to it.

Preview of Final Results

The Pain Photoshop Tutorial

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Create a new document with the size of 1333x1000px and fill it with white (or any sizes and any colors you like).

pain1

Open grunge texture 1 stock. Use Move Tool (press V to active it) and drag it into our main document, resize it as shown below:

pain1a

Choose Edit-Transfrom-Flip Horizontal:

pain1b

Then press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U to desaturate this texture. You'll see it turns into black and white:

pain1c

Step 2

Open grunge texture 2 stock. Drag it into our canvas and do the same technique in step 1 ( resize, transform, flip it). You may notice that I only use the center part of this texture for this tutorial:

pain2

Change the mode of it to Multipy 50%:

pain2a

Step 3

There is a part on background that I want to fix. It's a carved circle on the right edge. Create a new layer ( hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N to do it) and press S to active Clone Tool. I use this tool with settings below :

pain3
pain3a

Hold the Alt key on the part of source then clone over this circle. If you're not familiar with this tool you can follow many good tutorials over the web.

Here is my result:

pain3b

No need to be so cleaned with it as we're working on grunge background!

After cloning this part becomes a bit blurred. Don't worry, you just need to sharpen it. Go to Filter-Sharpen-Unsharp Mask:

pain3c

Step 4

Now we're going to add splatter effect for background. Create a new layer and set foreground color to black. Choose dried blood splatter you've downloaded and take one for your taste and draw on background. You can see my choice of brush:

pain4

Move it to the top of picture and change the mode to Soft light 100%. Depending on the boldness of brush you can vary opacity or even duplicate it to get the effect you want.

pain4a

Step 5

Make a new layer and I use the first brush of brush pack to continue painting on the left side of background and I set the mode of it to Soft light 50%. Then I duplicate it and move it to the right.

pain5

Continue with two layers ( or number of your choice) and draw some small splatters. I set one layer to Soft light 50% and another to 100%. You can add layer mask to erase any unecessary parts:

pain5a

Step 6

Create a new layer and set foreground to white. Use cobweb brush, number 1064 ( or your choice) to paint on background, then transform ( hit Cmd/Ctrl+T) to do it, place it at the top right of picture:

pain6
pain6a

Continue with a new layer, I use this brush again and position it at the top left. Remember you should transform it to get a different look from the right.

pain6b

Step 7

Open model stock. Use any tools you're familiar with to make a selection around model, then copy it into a new layer. Move extracted model into our document, place her at the center:

pain7
pain7a

Add layer mask for model and use soft black brush to erase around model to make her blend with background. As you see in the screenshot, I vary brush opacity for different parts of model:

pain7b

Step 8

The model looks so saturated against the background. So I use some adjustment layers with Clipping Mask option to correct the color and brightness of model. Make a Hue/Saturation layer above model layer with settings below ( Layer-New adjustment layer-Hue/Saturation) and down saturation to -100:

pain8
pain8a

As you see, model is desaturated but lost the contrast. So I make a Levels layer ( with Clipping Mask) to fix it. Go to Layer-New adjustment layer-Levels. Change value of midtones and highlights ( down the midtones but increase highlights) :

pain8b

This is result we get:

pain8c

Step 9

I want to change the brightness and darkness on some parts of model and background so I create a new layer and use soft black brush with different opacities. Paint around background edges, model and set the mode to Soft light 50%:

pain9
pain9a

A new layer and I use soft white brush to paint on the bottom left of background as I want to brighten it a bit. I set the mode as Soft light 50%:

pain9b

Step 10

Open cobweb texture. Drag it into our picture and resize it as shown below:

pain10

Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U to desaturate it as we did in step 1 and change the mode to Screen 100%:

pain10a

Add layer mask and erase any rough edges:

pain10b

Step 11

Duplicate this layer twice and place them around model. You can flip or transform it to get your desired effect. You can see my result below:

pain11

Step 12

To make model look like being covered by cobweb, make a new layer and choose color for brush as white. Use cobweb brush, number 927 painting on the left side of model then put the mode as Soft light 100% :

pain12
pain12a

Step 13

Use cobweb brushes again with number 968. Paint on the right side of model:

pain13

Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T to transform it then hit Warp modes:

pain13a

Warp it to make it look like covering model shoulder and arm:

pain13b

Set the mode as Soft light 100% and add layer mask and erase selected part:

pain13c

Step 14

Create a new layer and set foreground color to black. Use a spider from this brush set ( I choose number 1068, you can do your own or you can use spider image) and paint on cobweb area on the top left. Transform it as the screenshot below shows:

pain14
pain14a

Step 15

Create a new layer and choose another spider ( number 200). Transform it and place it on model shoulder:

pain15
pain15a

Look at the model you can see show the shadow done. So we should add an underneath shadow for this spider. Right click this spider layer, choose Blending options:

pain15b
pain15c
pain15d

Step 16

Open wire stock. Extract the one you like and move it into our canvas, remember to resize it to fit the size of background:

pain16
pain16a

Add layer mask to erase the part on model:

pain16b

Step 17

Lower opacity of this wire to 40%:

pain17

Add a Hue/Saturation layer with Clipping Mask for this wire, down saturation and lightness:

pain17a

Duplicate this wire and apply Hue/Saturation layer ( Clipping Mask) with the same settings. Move it down, apply Flip Horizontal and Vertical. Name them as "wire 1", "wire 2":

pain17b

Step 18

To get a look that the wires stabbing through model arms, make a new layer and I use brush with color #898887. Paint with small brush on intersections between wires and model arms:

pain18

Change the mode to Color Burn 40%:

pain18a

Step 19

Open bandage stock. Extract one of them and place it into our picture, transform it as shown below:

pain19
pain19a

To remove the dark parts of this bandage ( from dark background in original) we'll use Blend If tool. Right click this layer, choose Blending options. Hold down the Alt key while dragging black button of This Layer to get the value below:

pain19b

This is what we have so far:

pain19c

Step 20

Duplicate this layer, apply Flip Horizontal and move it to the left:

pain20

Step 21

Name them as "bandage 1", "bandage 2". With bandage 1 layer, I add layer mask and use hard black brush ( remember to choose brush with very big hardness, 90-100%) erase unecessary parts as shown below:

pain21

With bandage 2 I use transform tool ( hit Cmd/Ctrl+T) and choose warp mode to warp it around model head:

pain21a

Add layer mask and use hard black brush on layer mask to clear unecessary parts:

pain21b

Step 22

Now we will group bandage layers to be easier to edit them together. Choose bandage 2 layer, hit Cmd/Ctrl+G to make a group with this layer inside.

pain22

Choose bandage 1 layer and drag it into new group. Name this group as "bandages". Change the mode of this group from Pass Through( default mode of group) to Normal.

pain22a

Step 23

On bandage 2 layer, create two new adjustment layers to change color and reduce saturation of bandages. Because the mode of group is changed to Normal ( no Pass Through) so these two adjustment layers only affect the layers inside this group ( bandages).

pain23
pain23a
pain23b

Step 24

To make the bandages look more realistic, we will add shadow for them. Create a new layer under bandage group. Use soft black brush with different opacities to paint under them.

pain24

Step 25

Now we'll add some blood to model face. Create a new layer above bandage shadow one ( and under bandage group) and set foreground to #c99ca1. Use soft brush to paint along the cheeks. This step is to create some blood stains:

pain25

Step 26

Create a new layer and use glossy blood splatter brushes with color #970314. Use any blood one you like and paint on left model cheek and transform it to be fit.

pain26

Add layer mask to clear any parts you don't find suitable.

pain26a

Create a new layer again and continue painting on the right side of model cheeks. I use a smaller brush and transform it as I usually do.

pain26b

Step 27

In this step we'll add some soaked blood effects on bandage ( blood from the eyes). Create a new layer above bandage group, name it " blood wet" or whatever you like. Use soft brush with color #979314 paint on the eye parts covered by bandage. Change the mode to Soft light 100%:

pain27

Step 28

You can see some highlights on model lips. With this tutorial concept we need to remove it. Create a new layer on the top. I use brush with similar color with model lips ( #bbbebd) and paint on lips. Set the mode as Darken 100% ( it's the best mode in this case).

pain28
pain28a

Make a new layer and continue painting this brush over model lips, but with Soft light mode 100% to make a pale look for lips:

pain28b

Step 29

To remove highlights on model nose I use brush with color #dedede. Paint and put the mode as Darken 100%:

pain29
pain29a

Step 30

I use some adjustment layers to change color of picture.

Go to Layer-New adjustment layer-Gradient Map:

pain30

Change the mode of this Gradient Map layer to Soft light 80%.

Layer-New adjustment layer-Color Balance:

pain30a
pain30b

To reduce the contrast I add a Brightness/Contrast layer ( Layer-New adjustment layer-Brightness/Contrast):

pain30c

Final Results

Download the PSD

The Pain.zip | 28.04 MB

Tutorial by Jenny Le

avatar0 Thank you for reading this tutorial. It's one of my most favorite pieces so I hope you enjoy it too. If you have any questions just leave comment here or contact me via my website. Enjoy photoshopping!

- Jenny

Download Free Presets
Sponsored

Download Lightroom presets and LUTs, absolutely free. Use the presets to add creativity and style to your photos.

15 comments on “"The Pain" - Create this Eerie Abstract Photo Manipulation”

  1. I think the instruction is pretty good however when I enter some of the values for the blood colors they don't look like yours ....not sure if that is because I have an older version or what.

  2. You can turn this artwork into a symbolism of the Hong Kong police force by putting the blood in one eye only.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cross