Video summary

The Making of a Fantasy Photo-Manipulation using Stock Images | Photoshop Tutorial

Main summary

Key takeaways

Art and Creativity

Summary of the video

This tutorial demonstrates how to create a dark, mysterious fantasy photomanipulation in Photoshop by assembling multiple free stock images—including a sky/clouds background, mountains, a white dog, a cliff with an explorer/hikers, and ground elements. It then blends them into a cohesive scene using selections, masks, painting brushes, and color/lighting adjustment layers, adding atmospheric fog and realistic torch glow.

Artistic techniques & creative process shown

Composition / scene building (layer-based photomanipulation)

  • Start a new portrait document (2000×2500).
  • Import and scale the background sky/cloud image, then reposition clouds to frame the scene.
  • Add additional elements as separate layers:
    • Mountains/ground layer (later masked to remove unwanted distant rocks)
    • White dog cutout (main subject)
    • Cliff/explorer layer (using selection masking and cleanup)
  • Use opacity and placement tweaks while arranging layers.

Non-destructive masking & subject isolation

  • Use Quick Selection Tool → create layer masks to isolate subjects (mountains/cliff/dog).
  • Refine masks using:
    • Eraser tool on the mask to soften edges and remove artifacts/highlights
    • Feathering and edge cleanup for smoother transitions
  • For elements that can’t be cleanly selected (e.g., hikers/feet), use:
    • Clone Stamp Tool to remove hikers and their shadow by sampling and repainting.

Color and mood matching (layer adjustments with clipping masks)

  • Build a gloomy look using Levels adjustment layers (often clipped to underlying layers).
  • Match each inserted element to the environment with repeated Levels / Curves / Hue-Saturation adjustments:
    • Darken midtones/shadows to integrate subjects
    • Adjust contrast and color balance (including a blue tint via blue channel curves)
  • Use clipping masks extensively so adjustments affect only the intended layer.

Atmospheric effects (fog using brush packs)

  • Add a fog layer painted with custom fog brushes.
  • Artistic control settings:
    • Brush opacity around 45%
    • Light gray coloring
    • Build gradually (“don’t overdo it”) to keep the effect natural
  • Add additional fog passes:
    • Foreground fog denser near the bottom and lighter toward the top
    • Final fog touches to enhance mystery

Torch / light illusion (glow + directional lighting cues)

  • Create torch glow by painting with a soft brush (hardness 0) in bright orange on a glow layer.
  • Shape perceived lighting:
    • Use Exposure adjustment (clipped) and masking to brighten the explorer’s face/nose
    • Use an inverted mask and paint to restore exposure only where light should hit
  • Colorize glow influence:
    • Apply orange tones with Hue/Saturation (Colorize) around the torch area
  • Match ground illumination:
    • Add an orange tint to the ground under the torch using an adjustment layer masked to the relevant region

Shadows and depth

  • Duplicate the explorer layer to create an explorer shadow:
    • Convert to Smart Object
    • Rotate, reposition, and stretch to align with the ground
    • Use Blending Options → Color Overlay (black) and reduce opacity (around 56%)
  • Fix masking problems by re-editing the shadow mask (brush/opacity tweaks).

Finishing touches (vignette + glow realism)

  • Reduce torch exposure on the dog’s tail (mask + eraser) to keep lighting logic consistent with distance.
  • Add a vignette using Curves:
    • Darken the curve overall
    • Invert mask
    • Paint darkness around edges while leaving the center brighter

Steps and materials (as shown)

Tools

  • Photoshop: Create New document, layer management
  • Quick Selection Tool (with edge detection)
  • Layer Masks
  • Eraser tool on masks + feathering
  • Clone Stamp Tool (use Alt/Option to set the source; configure source on Windows/mac as needed)
  • Magic Wand Tool (to remove specific glow/orange pixels)
  • Brush Tool (soft fog + torch glow painting)
  • Adjustment layers: Levels, Curves, Exposure, Hue/Saturation

Brush packs / materials

  • Fog brush pack referenced: “visuals of julius” (paid)
  • A free alternative is also mentioned in the description.

Creators / contributors featured

  • The channel creator / tutorial author (unnamed in the subtitles; speaking throughout)
  • Visuals of Julius (creator of the fog brush pack referenced for the effect)

Original video