Inspired by the glamourous side of creativity, this month’s tutorial pushes you to step out of your comfort zone when it comes to celebrating creative diversity.
Before
After
Images used for this tutorial are:
Step 1
Open an A4-sized file in Photoshop and name it “Cosmic Space”.
1(a) Drag, drop and resize the dark, grunge texture to fit your artboard and rename the layer as “grunge texture”.
1(b) Set the blend mode to “Multiply” with 55% opacity. Set the fill opacity at 50%.
Step 2
Open “futuristic model” stock image in a new Photoshop window and duplicate the layer. Mask her out with the Magic Wand tool.
2(a) Right-click on the layer to duplicate layer of masked-out model as “futuristic model” into your Cosmic Space file.
2(b) Change her layer’s transparency from “Normal” to “Luminosity”.
Step 3
Use the Custom Shape tool to create a large white triangle in the middle of a new layer. You can create as many small white triangles around the large one as you like.
3(a) Set all triangle layers’ transparency to “Luminosity”. ‘Cmd+click’ all triangle layers and click ‘Cmd+G’ to group them together and keep your layers neat.
Step 4
Place the masked-out model at the centre of the triangle shapes, above the grouped triangles layer. On the model layer, click on “Add vector mask”.
4(a) Use the Brush tool (hardness set at 7%) on white to mask away the bottom of her body. This gives her an ethereal effect from within the triangle.
Step 5
Next, add the cosmic space background above the futuristic model and set the opacity to 40%, fill 80%.
5(a) Add a vector mask for the cosmic space layer and use Brush tool on white, 500 pixels, hardness 7% on the edges of the large triangle.
Step 6
Open the abstract colored banner eps. file in Illustrator to extract any color splashes you like. ‘Cmd+C’ to copy and return to your Photoshop file to paste it in as a ‘smart object’ above all layers.
6(a) Set layer blend mode to “Soft Light”.
Step 7
Duplicate the cosmic space background layer and place it above the model’s layer but this time, set the transparency to “Overlay”, with both opacity and fill set to 100%.
7(a) Click on the model’s vector mask layer and use a soft brush to replace a little of the model’s lower body at the end of the large triangle.
Step 8
Open the vector origami bird flock in Illustrator and copy-paste a few birds into your Photoshop file as ‘smart objects’. Place them anywhere on the artboard.
8(a) & 8(b) Set all the origami bird layers’ transparencies to “Pin Light”.
And there you have it… you’ve created an intergalactic masterpiece!