Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. In this Photoshop tutorial, we will learn how to combine multiple stock photos into unreal scenes using Adjustment layers, masking, and brush.

Preview of Final Results

Tutorial Resources

• Preset: Custom
• Width: 4000
• Height: 6000
• Resolution: 300
• Color Mode: RGB Color 8-bit
• Background Contents: Transparent

Step 2

Go to File > Place. Select the Man stock and place it into your document.

Step 3

We will now select and cut the window, First create a layer mask and go to use Pen Tool (P). After we selected window go Right Click > Make Selection. Feather Radius set to 0.5 check Anti Aliased and Operation to New Selection and hit OK. Once we have done that, we now need to remove the background. Foreground set to Default (D) and hold ALT + DELETE.

Step 4

Next we will open Earth. After you open the image, use Rectangular Marquee Tool(M).

Step 5

After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Put the Earth down of all the layers we “ve created. Then position the image with the transform tool (Ctrl / Cmd + T). Hold Alt + Shift and resterize like image below.

Step 6

Select Earh layer and add Adjustment Layer "Hue/Saturation"

Step 7

Add another one Adjustment Layer "Curves"

Step 8

Next place a Stars, go to File > Place and reduce the size by holding the left click on one of the 4 cubes and dragging inside then press Enter.

Step 9

Create a layer mask to delete a line between Stars and Earth. Use Round Brush Tool (B), Set Size to 400px and Hardness to 0%, after that create a layer mask with foreground color black. Now that we can paint. Always use a layer mask because if you make a mistake you can correct it, if you use Erase Tool without a layer mask then you cannot correct it.

Step 10

Create new Adjustment Layer "Hue/Saturation"

Step 11

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves"

Step 12

Next, open a Moon File > Open. Use a Crop Tool (C) And simply swipe from the bottom up then press Ok, as shown in the image below.

Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) and select it. After the selection area has been created, simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V).

Set as shown in the picture below

Step 13

Now, create a layer mask to delete the background behind the moon. Again use Brush Tool (B) and Soft Round, size set as you want.Foreground Color to black and paint, Blend Mode change from Normal to Pin Light, this is what it should look like.

Step 14

Next, File > Open > pkg_cosmos2 and select cosmos2_0005. Press Ctrl+A and simply copy (Ctrl / Cmd + C) and Paste (Ctrl / Cmd + V) it to our work canvas. Crete a layer mask and delete a part as in the picture below with Brush Tool (B) Soft Brush and foreground color black.

Step 15

In the next step, we will add a little color to the moon to make it look more realistic. Go to Adjustment Layer icon and select "Hue/Saturation"

Step 16

Add Adjustment Layer "Curves"

It should look like this

Step 17

Now add a bit of shadow to the parts of the man that are too bright because it doesn’t look realistic, it doesn’t fit the background. Select a Man layer and create new layer, then we use a Brush Tool (B) select Soft Brush and you can choose any size. Then choose black color and paint, but try not to paint directly on the object but only to the edges quite a bit, as shown in the picture below. When you're done, check the Clipping Mask icon.

Step 18

We have two more steps left for the end, we will add a new one Adjustment Layer "Levels"

Step 19

Next, add Adjustment Layer "Color Lookup" and select 3DLUT File to FuturisticBleak.3DL. Change Blend Mode to Darken with Opacit to 30%.

And finally, everything should look like this. First you insert the images, then we do the color correction with the Adjustment Layers.

Final Results

Download the PSD

View of Planet.zip