Create a Photo Manipulation of a Polar Bear

Polar bears did very well in warmer times. They didn't die out at all; they didn't die out in the last 10,000 years, nor during the previous interglacial, nor the one before that. So, they're just used as a deceitful heartthrob; you know, to pluck your heartstrings because the polar bears might die out. In this Photoshop tutorial, we learn how to create a water reflection with some ivy and some Adjustment layers. Finally, we used a camera raw filter.

Preview of Final Image

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Now, let’s start by creating a new image file, go to the Menu bar and click File > New, and then input the following values on their respective fields

Width: 1080
Height: 1350
Resolution: 300
Color Mode: RGB Color 8 bit
Background Contents: Black

Step 2

Now, go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and set Amount to 400% and Distribution to Uniform then press Ok.

Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set Radius to 1.3px

Step 3

Go to Channels and select Red. Then go to Filter > Stylize > Emboss and set Angle to 180, Height to 1px and Amount to 500%.

Step 4

Click on Green one Channel and again go to Filter > Stylize > Emboss and change Angle to 90.

Step 5

Now press on RGB Channel and back to Layers and duplicate this layers, press Ctrl/Cmd + J. Zoom out little bit and press Ctrl/Cmd + T to transform it. Go to Menu bar and click on Edit > Transform > Perspective. Stretch bottom part as much possible and press Enter. Something like this and save it to PSD File (Name it Displace).

Step 6

Now open Stock image Bear. Go to File > Open and select Bear. Then press Ctrl/Cmd + J to duplicate it. Then go to Filter > Distort > Displace and select PSD file just we created.

Step 7

Go to Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical then create a layers mask.

Step 8

Now use a Gradient Tool(G) and apply to layer mask with foreground color black/white , look at pictures bellow.

Step 9

Next thing we to do is shadow, so create a new layer and use Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color black and drop flow and opacity to 15% and start painting the line betwen Bear and water reflection.

Step 10

Next we will openButterfly. After you open the image, use Lasso Tool(L) and start selecting butterfly. After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Then position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and resterize like image below. In Photoshop CC only hold Alt to resterize al sides together.

Step 11

Next, we need to create a shadow, hold Ctrl/Cmd and press create a new layer icon. Then use a Brush Tool(B) Soft Round with foreground color black and start painting the shadow but first drop a flow to 10%.

Step 12

Now create another shadow, select Butterfly layer and duplicate it (Ctrl/Cmd + J) then go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation and put Lightness to -100.

Now open a Transform Tool(Ctrl/Cmd + T) and flip it Vertical. To have complete control hold Ctrl/Cmd and move bottom pointers to left side. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and seto radius to 5.2px.

Step 13

Next, select Butterfly layer and create a new Adjustment Layer "Hue/Saturation"

5 comments on “Create a Photo Manipulation of a Polar Bear”

parlindungan says:

March 29, 2023 at 6:04 am

Thank you tutorials

Peter Evans says:

May 13, 2022 at 12:55 am

Lol. I think Claus needs to work on his intelligence and do his own research. Oh yeah that's right the world is, once again, about to disappear, might not have the time OMG.
Awesome work thanks.

Claus Fright says:

August 25, 2021 at 1:21 pm

Really !! Polar bear are doing fine???? Wake up man.

Zain says:

April 7, 2021 at 2:40 am

How beautifull!! Epic work

Yves Peeters says:

September 27, 2020 at 2:02 am

Very well done . Thanks for sharing .