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Step 6 - Ground and grass
Now we’re going to add the ground. The first picture used it’s a simple ground with sand taken from a photo of a beach.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
The grass is taken from different photographs. First, create a new layer for the grass and position it behind low the layer with the model. Select and cut different parts of grass then mix them to create a field of grass like the image below.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
This layer with the grass should be positioned between the layer with the model and the layer with the ground. Create a new layer and position it above the layer with the model and add some grass to cover the back of the models feet.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
Finally, carefully add some grass and stone over the edge of the grass and the ground to hide the hard edges. It’s important that you inspect the edges thoroughly to hide any imperfections.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
Step 7 – Add more roots
Now we’re going to add roots and flowers in the close-up. If you have read all the previous steps, you’ll have no trouble doing this. As mentioned before, it is very important that you choose good photos to work with. The photos should be high quality and in focus from foreground to background. If you use low resolution images, the finished results will look poor.
With this in mind, use a variety of photographs of flowers, roots, and trunks. Cut them out carefully with the lasso or quick mask tool and paste in the photo manipulation. Use the same coloring technique with the color balance tool (Image > Adjustments > Color Balance) that we used several times earlier.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
To complete the blending of these images, we’re going to add to the ground. There are two ways to do this:
- This is the one that I explained at the end of step 5. Using the drop shadow in the layer style menu (Layer > Layer Style > Drop Shadow).
- Selecting the layer with the ground and using the burn tool in the areas where the shadows fall.
Step 8 - Dust
Now we are going to create some dust next to the feet of the girl. Use a picture with a cloudy sky then select one cloud using the lasso tool.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
Copy it and paste in our document then choose Image > Adjustments > Levels. Move the middle input slider to the right to darken the cloud.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
Then use the eraser tool in the edge of the cloud with a soft edge brush. Finally, choose Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and add the blur from left to right about 7 or 8 pixels. Position this layer behind the layer with the model. Duplicate the layer then move the new layer above the layer with the model. On this new layer, use the levels tool again but this time move the central input slider to the left to brighten the cloud.
The last retouching work will be to add red and yellow tones by using the color balance tool (Image > Adjustments > Color Balance).
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
Step 9 - Final Roots
We’re going to add the final roots. We need them to be positioned in a zigzag shape on the body of the model. To make this effect, we will need a combination of root photos like shown in the image below.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
As always, the first step will be to select and match the different colors and lights of the roots using the levels tool (Image > Adjustments > Levels) and the color balance tool (Image > Adjustments > Color Balance). use the eraser with a soft edge to erase all that you don’t need and to give the ends of the roots a faded effect (so that they can be connected easily afterwards). Here is an example of combining different roots to create a large root:
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
It’s less difficult than it looks. Just be patient to find good images of roots and combine them using the same technique.
Step 10 - Some details
To make our photo manipulation more attractive we are going to add more details like flowers, petals, and a
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
bird. I chose photos with objects that are easy to isolate. This will speed things up and ensure good results.
Step 11 - Adjustments Layers
To complete the photo manipulation, we’re going to add some adjustments layers. Select the upper layer then choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation. Reduce the saturation by about –10 or to your likings. Experiment with using other adjustment layers to alter the color and effect of the final image.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
Final Result
Making a complex photo manipulation like this is not difficult if you follow the a few principles of photo manipulation. Some important principles are:
- Choose good photos to start with.
- Make sure that the lighting and color of the objects in your composition match.
- Don’t rush. Take your time to find good images to work with and carefully blend them together. Ensure that there are no artifacts or unclean edges.
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Photoshop Cs5 Tutorials For Beginners |
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