Composite a Modern Matte Portrait in Photoshop

In this tutorial I’ll show you how to create a mixed media artwork using Photoshop and Illustrator. You’ll learn how to combine different stocks together, work with abstract subjects, create your own design elements and more.

What you’ll be creating

We’ll start this tutorial by adding the landscape, model and deer, then blending them together using adjustment layers, masking and brush. After that we’ll create some abstract effects for the model using Illustrator and stock images. Finally we’ll use several adjustment layers to finish this tutorial. You’ll need Photoshop CS3 and Illustrator CS or newer to follow the process.

Tutorial Resources

• Landscape
• Paper texture
• Model
• Deer
• Forest
• Render
• Flower 1
• Flower 2
• Circles
• Splatter brushes

Step 1

Create a new document in Photoshop with the following settings:

Step 2

Open the landscape image. Use the Move Tool (V) to drag it into our white canvas and use the Free Transform Tool (Cmd/Ctrl+T) to resize it as shown below:

Step 3

Open the paper texture pack. Choose the one you like and place it over the landscape, change the mode to Soft Light 100%:

Step 4

I used some adjustment layers to change the contrast and mood of the whole image. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation:

I used Curves to darken the scene:

Step 5

Place the woman image in the middle of the canvas and remove the background using a layer mask:

Step 6

I used an adjustment layer with Clipping Mask to reduce the model saturation:

I used Photo Filter to change the model color a little:

Step 7

I used Curves to darken the model and on its layer mask, used a soft black brush to remove the dark on the brighter part of her:

Step 8

Place the deer behind the model and remove the background part using a layer mask, also set this layer under the model one:

Duplicate this layer and move it to the right, use a soft black brush (on its layer mask )to erase the left part of him:

Step 9

Make a Color Fill layer (Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color) with Clipping Mask for the duplicated deer layer with white:

On this layer mask use a hard black brush to reveal some parts of the horn:

Step 10

Make the deer layers selected then press Cmd/Ctrl+G to create a group for them. Change the group mode from Pass Through to Normal 100%. Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer within this group for the deer layers:

I used Color Balance to match the deer colors with the rest:

Step 11

It’s time for Illustrator. Open it up and create a new document with the settings below:

Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw a circle with the color #716E72 (remember to make the fill color to None), set the stroke to 8 pt:

Hold down the Alt key and drag this layer up to duplicate it. Use the Free Transform Tool (E) to scale it down a little and place it in the middle. Change the stroke color to a darker one (I chose #3E3D3F):

Duplicate the first circle and resize it to be smaller, put it inside the previous ones:

Draw a circle with the fill set to black and stroke to None and place it in the center of the previous circles

Select all the layers, go to Object > Blend > Blend Options:

Go to Blend again, choose Make (Alt/Option+Ctrl/Cmd +B) and you should have a similar result below:

Press F5 to open the brush panel and click the brush panel options, choose Open Brush Library > Artistic > Artistic_Ink, choose Dry Ink 2:

Save it as an EPS file for the future use.

Step 12

Come back to Photoshop. Browse the circle file and rasterize it with the settings below:

Drag this circle into our main document, place it under the deer group.

Change this layer mode to Linear Burn 100%:

Add a mask to this layer. Take a splatter brush (I chose the number 187) and press F5 to change this brush settings:

Use this brush to erase the circle stroke to get a grunge effect:

Duplicate this layer and place it above the deer group. Move it onto the deer head and use a layer mask with the same brush to get a similar result below:

Step 13

Open the forest image. Use the Retangular Marquee Tool (M) to choose a forest part and place it behind the model. Set this layer under the model layer and above the deer group:

Change this layer mode to Soft Light 100% and use the same splatter brush to mask off the edges :

Take another forest part and place it above the model layer, change the mode to Overlay 100%:

Add a mask to this layer and use the same splatter brush to clear the edges and unwanted parts, leave the effect visible on the model:

Step 14

Place the render beside the model shoulder and blend it with the model using a layer mask:

Use Hue/Saturation to change the render color:

from Photoshop Tutorials http://ift.tt/1RFPCqW
via IFTTT