In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create a fantasy photo manipulation featuring a wonderland with giant mushrooms and butterflies. First, we'll build the base scene using a sky and ground images.  Later, we'll add the trees, road, castle and blend them together using adjustment layers, masking, and brushes. After that, we'll add the model, mushrooms, and butterflies. We'll use several adjustment layers to complete the final effect. 

Preview of the Final Result

Tutorial Resources

• Sky
• Castle
• Ground
• Road
• Root
• Trunk
• Fancy trees
• Model
• Mushroom 1
• Mushroom 2
• Mushroom 3
• Mushroom 4
• Butterflies

Step 1

Create a new 2000x1333 px document and fill it with white. Open the ground image and use the Magnetic Lasso Tool (L) to isolate the mossy green and drag it into the white canvas using the Move Tool (V). Place it in the bottom half of the canvas and convert it to a Smart Object. 

Step 2

Duplicate this layer and set it below the first one. Move it to the right and use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl+T) to distort this part as shown below. 

On each of the ground layers, click the second icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to add a mask to these layers. Activate the Brush Tool (B) and  select a hard round one with black color. Use this brush to erase some of details of the ground . 

Step 3

On the first ground layer, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius to 6 px.  On the filter mask, use a soft black brush to erase the softness on the background and midground, leaving the blur effect visible on the foreground. 

Step 4

On each of the ground layers, make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill it with 50% gray.

Activate the Dodge Tool (O with Midtones Range, Exposure about 20-25% to brighten the details on the contour of the ground parts to fit the light on the background (we'll add it in the next steps). You can see how I did it with Normal mode and the result with Overlay mode.

Step 5

Select the ground layers and the dodge ones and hit Ctrl+G to make a group for them.  Change the group mode to Normal 100% and on top of the layers within this group, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves  and decrease the lightness. On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the dark effect on the right of the background and midground to reveal the lightness there. 

Step 6

Open the road image and use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to take the road part only and place it above the  ground. Flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal) and move it to the right of the ground. Use Ctrl+T to transform the road part a bit.

Step 7

Add a mask to this layer and use a hard black brush to remove the hard part of the bottom of the road and leave the top visible on the right, also use a medium-hard brush to blend the road with the ground.

Step 8

The road looks too dark compared with the background so create a Curves adjustment layer to brighten it. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush to remove the highlight on top of the road so it won't become too bright.

Step 9

Make another Curves adjustment layer to brighten the part near the middle section of the ground a bit. On the layer mask , paint on the rest so it won't be affected by this adjustment layer.

Step 10

Open the sky image and use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) to select the sky part only and place it in the upper half of the canvas. Set this layer below the ground group and flip it horizontally to make its light fit the light on the ground and road. Convert this layer to a Smart Object.

Go to Filter > Noise > Dust & Scratches and fill in the settings below. This step is to soften the sky a bit. 

Step 11

Make a Color Balance adjustment layer to brighten the sky and increase the warm yellow light . Alter the Midtones and Highlights values:

Step 12

Open the castle image. As it has a transparent background so just the Move Tool to drag it into our working document and place it in the right of the canvas.  Set this layer below the ground group. 

Step 13

Apply a Gaussian Blur of 3 px to the castle's layer. This step is to separate the castle with the ground and help to increase the depth of the scene.

Step 14

Create a Color Balance adjustment layer to change the castle's color a little.

Step 15

Make a Color Fill  layer and pick the color #eecf9f. Lower the opacity of this layer to 40% to give the castle some warm dreamy effect .

Step 16

Add a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray. Use the Dodge Tool to paint some light on the castle to fit the light of the sky.

Step 17

Open the tree root image and cut it out from the background. Place it in the left of the ground. 

Add a mask to this layer and use soft black brush to remove the hard edges on the top and blend the bottom with the ground. 

Step 18

Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to change the root's color a bit. On the layer mask, paint on the hidden side of the root to make it blended better with the ground. 

Step 19

Create a Curves adjustment layer to darken the hidden side of the root. On this layer mask, paint on the contour part of the bottom to reveal the lightness there.

Step 20

Make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay and fill with 50% gray. Use the Dodge Tool to paint more light on the contour of the root to make this part brighter.

Step 21

Place the tree trunk image above the root one and use Ctrl+T to distort it to fit the position of the root. 

Add a mask to this layer and use a hard black brush to remove the background around the trunk and a soft black brush to blend the trunk with the existing root. 

Step 22

Create a Curves adjustment layer to darken the hidden side of the trunk. On the layer mask, paint on the contour of the trunk so it won't be darkened by this adjustment layer.

Step 23

Make a Color Balance adjustment layer to give the trunk some more green.

Step 24

Open the fancy trees image and isolate them from the background. Drag them into our main document using the Move Tool  and place them along the road. Use Ctrl+T to change their form and sizes a bit to fit the direction of the road. 

Step 25

We'll make shadow for these trees on the road except the biggest one with shape of  heart as its shadow will be hidden from the viewer. Make a new layer below the tree with shape of diamond and hold Ctrl and click its thumbnail layer to load its selection. Fill this selection with the color #1a1a03. Convert this layer to a Smart Object and flip it vertically. Move it below the bottom of the tree and use Ctrl+T to change its form to fit the light's direction.

Lower the opacity of this layer to 60% and apply a Gaussian Blur of 0.5 px to soften the shadow a little.

Step 26

Make shadow for other trees using the same method but don't apply the Gaussian Blur filter to the shadow of the smallest tree as it's too thin.

Step 27

Create a group for these trees and change the group's mode to Normal 100%. Add a Color Balance adjustment layer to give them some more warm yellow.

Step 28

Make a Curves adjustment layer to bring more light to the trees. On the layer mask, use a medium- soft black brush to paint on the hidden side of the tree's top to make a shadow area there.

Create another Curves adjustment layer to give the trees more dreamy light. Paint on the shadow areas so they won't be affected by this adjustment layer. 

Step 29

Cut out the model and place her in the midground. 

Create a new layer below the model one and make shadow for her as done with the trees.  I've lowered the opacity of the shadow layer to 70% and applied a Gaussian Blur of 1 px to this layer. Also add a mask to this layer to reduce the opacity of the top of the shadow a little. 

Step 30

Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to change the hair's color a bit. On the layer mask, paint on the skin so it won't become redder after this step. 

Step 31

Add a Curves adjustment layer to darken the model a bit.

Step 32

Open the mushroom 1 image and take the one on the left (from the viewer) to add to the hidden side of the big tree on the left.  Add a mask to this layer and use a medium soft black brush to blend its bottom with the ground. 

Step 33

Make a Color Balance adjustment layer to make the mushroom more yellow.

Step 34

Create a Curves adjustment layer to darken the mushroom as it's hidden from the light. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush with opacity about 5-10% to reduce the light on the front of the mushroom.

Step 35

Add the mushroom 2 to the position besides the mushroom 1 but nearer the background light. Use a layer mask to blend this mushroom with the ground.

Step 36

Create a Color Balance adjustment layer and alter the Midtones values.

Step 37

Make a Curves adjustment layer to darken the mushroom. On the layer mask, paint on the top right of the mushroom to reveal some lightness there.

Step 38

Add a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray. Use the Burn Tool to darken some details on the top and the stem of the mushroom. 

Step 39

Cut out the mushroom 3 from the original background and add it to the right corner of the ground. Use a layer mask to blend the mushroom with the mossy ground. 

Make shadow for this mushroom as done with the other elements.

Step 40

Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to reduce the yellow cast of the gills below the cap. On the layer mask, paint on the rest of the mushroom so it won't be affected by this adjustment layer.

Step 41

Make a Color Balance adjustment layer to change the color of the stem and cap a bit. The selected areas show where to paint on the layer mask.

Step 42

Add a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the left of the mushroom to fit the main light source. Paint on the right to keep its lightness.

Step 43

Make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray. Use the Dodge and Burn Tool to change the light and shadow of the stem.

Step 44

Add the mushroom 4 to our main document after cutting it out from the original image. Duplicate this layer and arrange the mushrooms besides the big mushroom on the right and in the space between the mushrooms 1 and 2. Use a layer mask on each of these mushroom layers to blend them with the existing ground.

Create a new layer below the small mushroom on the right and make shadow for it as done with the others. 

Step 45

Make a group for these mushrooms layers and add a Color Balance adjustment layer and alter the Midtones settings. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush with the opacity about 10-15% to reduce the effect on the stem of the mushrooms.

Step 46

Add a Curves adjustment layer to darken the mushrooms. On this layer mask, use a soft black brush with the opacity about 30-40% to reduce the effect on the front of the mushroom as it's illuminated by the light.

Step 47

Create a new layer below all of the mushroom layers. Use a soft brush with the color #1a1a03 with the opacity about 40%  to paint a soft shadow for the mushrooms on the hidden side on the left.

Step 48

Open the butterflies image and take different butterflies to add to the sky area. I've added a big one to the foreground and apply a Gaussian Blur of 6 px to it .

Step 49

Apply a Gaussian Blur of 4 px to each of the small butterffy layers in the lower positions.

Step 50

Create a Curves adjustment layer for the biggest butterfly to increase the haze on its lower body a bit. On this layer mask, paint on its top to reduce the effect there. 

Step 51

On each of the smaller butterflies on the sky, make a new Color Fill layer and pick the color #e4d7c2. Lower the opacity of these fill layers to 30% and 35% or any values you feel good. 

Step 52

Make a group for the butterfly layers and add a Curves adjustment layer to increase a dreamy effect for them. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush with the opacity about 30-50% to reduce the hazy effect on the one on the foreground and on the wings of the biggest butterfly or any details if needed.

Step 53

Create a Gradient Map adjustment layer on top of the layers and pick the colors #480404 and #006020. Lower the opacity of this layer to 20%.

Step 54

Make a Color Balance adjustment layer and change the Midtones and Highlights settings. 

Step 55

Add a Photo Filter adjustment layer and pick the color #f5c88d. 

Step 56

Create a Curves adjustment layer to increase the contrast of the whole scene.

Make a Vibrance adjustment layer to enhance the final effect:

Final Result

Download the PSD

Wonderland Tutorial.zip