[Photoshop Tutorial] - Surreal Fantasy Art

Lorelei · #1 March 14th, 2007, 21:35

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Surreal Art tutorial by Lorelei © www.loreleiweb.com
If you wish to reproduce this tutorial on other websites, a link back to www.loreleiweb.com/forum is required. Thank you!
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Ok, this is the image we will be eventually making:

It's a very easy fantasy art doodle, or rather just manipulation using some basic techniques yet achieving interesting effect.

1. Make a new canvas, 500*500.
2. Get a nice picture of ocean with foam at the shore. We used this one:

3. The most interesting effect is achieved when a picture was taken at angle, but we will create this effect artificially, by pasting the ocean photo unto our canvas and pressing Ctrl + T to rotate it a little, as shown on the photo below:

4. Next, take a photo of a girl, we use Becca from deviantArt, but you might want to use your own photo. Copy the canvas.

5. Paste the girl unto the ocean layer and then press Ctrl + T to rotate the layer with the photo and place it along line with the ocean shore, more or less, same degree.

6. Using wither magnetic tool, or eraser tool, delete the background from the layer with the girl. If the edges are not perfect, don't worry about it, as eventually it will look as the girl was just swept away to the shore, it won't matter and we will cover it with other layers.

7. Duplicate the layer with the ocean, and put the second, copied layer, on top of the layer with the girl.
8. Take the eraser tool with soft brush (we used 80 px) and remove the top layer with the ocean from the girl, however, (and this is important!) leave the edges covered with the upper layer, which will create the illusion of the girl actually been partly covered with teh water.

You should get something like this... I'd recommend to cover the legs with the water and not her face, or whichever part of the body looks as if it lays ON the sand.

9. While the upper layer of the ocean is still selected, Go to Levels Panel (Ctrl + L) and reduce redness as shown below...

...and adjust the Green channel as well, to give the water a deeper hue.

The water should get a little darker and bluer, however, reserving their natural look.

10. Duplicate the upper layer of the ocean, and using the copy that is not on top, go to Filter >> Blur >> Radial Blur and apply maximum Zoom blur, however, placing the blur starting point at the place where the girl is located in your canvas. The idea is to make an illusion of rays shining from under the girl.

Click OK. This is what you got:

11. While this layer is still selected go to Image >> Adjustments >> Brightness / Contrast and make the image darker / add contrast by apply the settings as shown below.

12. Reduce the opacity of the upper (blurred) layer to 80% or a little less.

13. Take the eraser tool and remove the blurred later from girls face and body, once again, better leave the edges of her body covered with the upper layer, rather than overdo the eraser too.

This is what we got...

14. Now, go to Filter >> Render Lightening effects, and add omni-spot light with the settings shown below, to both blurred and not blurred ocean layer.

15. Take some good resolution photo of broken glass.

copy and paste the glass on top of your composition and play with the layer's overlay settings. It would really depend on your initial photo and how dark the broken glass layer is. Pin Light or Hard Light would normally be good, but try whichever settings look best to achieve the following result:

Be sure that the broken glass cracks do not "lay" on the face, or other parts of your composition that you want to be visible.

16. Now for the final touch.
Flatten the image, and press Ctrl + L to go to levels menu. Reduce redness..

...and play with the blue level channel to give it more depth.

And, here it is, your final result:

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, feel free to ask any questions and post your results.

Lorelei · #2 May 6th, 2007, 18:53

another artwork i did using this technique:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/47446200/

Dilfill · #3 May 8th, 2007, 19:22

wow thats wonderful liza I like it! all have to try it out soon!

Lorelei · #4 May 8th, 2007, 19:45

wow, thanks dilfil! very kind of u, i am looking forward to seeing ur result, hope u will share it here

Black Sliver · #5 May 8th, 2007, 19:52

Great, like it and her

so long..
Andy

Millionaire · #6 May 8th, 2007, 20:18

the effect and style are really nice, but imo the choice of the stock
isn't really nice. She's lie-ing under the ice and it seems that she really
doesn't care!

Krill · #7 May 8th, 2007, 20:26

i really like that effect,Lorelei! it is certainly different! nice job.

Dilfill · #8 May 8th, 2007, 20:38

hmmm I cant semm to find a good quality of broken glass....

ocean_cruiser · #9 May 8th, 2007, 20:43

Just use the one from Lorelei's tutorial than......

Dreleen · #10 May 8th, 2007, 21:34

Very cool indeed!