In this Photoshop tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a surreal underwater scene featuring a woman with head of fish and boat. You’ll learn how to combine different stock images together using adjustment layers, masking and brushes, make an underwater environment, enhance color, create lighting effect and more.
The PSD file of this tutorial is available via the PSD Vault VIP members area.
Final Result
Stock Images
Step 1
Create a new 1500×1934 px document and fill it with white. Open the sky image and use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) to select the sky only and drag it into the white canvas using the Move Tool (V). Place it in the upper half .
Step 2
Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves and reduce the lightness a bit. On this layer mask, activate the Brush Tool (B) and select a soft round one with black color. Lower the opacity of this brush to 50% to paint on the bottom of the middle so it won’t become darker (we aim to add the main light source there).
Step 3
Hit Ctrl+Shift+N to make a new layer and use a soft brush with the color #f5e6b1. Paint on the middle bottom of the sky to add some light there. Change this layer mode to Linear Dodge 100%.
Step 4
Create a Color Balance adjustment layer to change the color of the sky. Alter the Midtones settings:
Step 5
To make the underwater area, create a Color Fill layer and pick a dark cyan/blue one (I’ve chosen #0f5164) . Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select the upper of the canvas (the sky area) and on the mask of the Color Fill layer, turn the foreground to white and click Delete to reveal the sky.
Step 6
Make a Curves adjustment layer above the fill layer and set it as Clipping Mask to brighten the top of the underwater area. On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to paint on the both sides tp keep the lightness there.
Step 7
Make another Curves adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to darken the bottom and both sides of the underwater area. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush with the opacity about 10-15% to erase the top middle.
Step 8
To add some details to the underwater area, make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray. Convert this layer to a Smart Object.
Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and fill in the following settings:
Click the second icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to add a mask to this layer. Use a soft black brush with the opacity about 30% to erase the noise on the sky area and reduce the noise visibility of the underwater place.
Step 9
To add more details and texture to the underwater place, open the starry background images pack. Drag the starry1 image into our main canvas and place it in the lower section. Change this layer mode to Screen 100%.
Add a mask to this layer and use a soft black brush to decrease the effect to make it more subtle as shown below.
Step 10
Open the model image with the rising arms and isolate her using the Magic Wand Tool (W) or any methods you’re familiar with. Take the body only and move her into the middle section and resize her to fit the size of our working document. Place the top of the body near the top of the underwater surface.
Add a mask to this layer and use a hard black brush to remove the lower body of the model as it’s not neccessary.
Step 11
Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to desaturate this body part. On this layer mask, paint on the rising hands to keep some color there.
Step 12
Make a Color Fill layer to blend the body with the water and pick the color #1a586a. Lower the opacity of this layer to 40% and on this layer mask, paint on rising hands which above the water to keep their vibrance.
Step 13
Add a Color Balance adjustment layer to increase the vibrance of the rising arms as they’re exposed in the light. Alter the Midtones and Highlights values and on the layer mask, erase the lower section so it won’t be or less be affected by this adjustment layer.
Step 14
Create a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the upper of the body, especially the arms. On the layer mask, paint on the lower /hidden body so it won’t become brighter.
Make another Curves adjustment layer with the same purpose.. The selected areas show where to paint on the layer mask.
Step 15
Make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray. Activate the Dodge and Burn Tool (O) to refine the light and shadow on the body. You can see how I did it with Normal mode and the result with Overlay mode.
Step 16
Make a Photo Filter adjustment layer and pick the color #01a7ec to make the lower body blended better with the water. Paint on the arms so they won’t be affected by this adjustment layer.
Step 17
Open the model images with doll looking. Cut out the model and place her onto the body part with the rising arms.
Add a mask to this layer and use a medium-soft black brush to remove the head and arms as shown below:
Step 18
Create a new layer (set as Clipping Mask) and activate the Clone Tool (S). Use this tool to remove the shadow of the bow of the dress.
Step 19
Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to desaturate this body part. Bring the Saturation values down to -85:
Step 20
Create a Color Fill layer and pick the color #1a586a. Lower the opacity of this layer to 40% to make it blended better with the water.
Step 21
Make a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the top of the body a bit. On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the lower body so it won’t be affected by this adjustment layer.
Step 22
Add another Curves adjustment layer to darken the lower body and both sides of the model. Paint on the top and front of the body to keep its lightness.
Step 23
Make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray. Use the Dodge and Burn Tool to refine the light and shadow on the upper body.
Step 24
Use a Photo Filter adjustment layer and pick the color #01a7ec to blend this body with the rising arms.
Step 25
Open the sea image and use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select the front of the sea and place it above the neck of the model’s body. Use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl+T) to make it much thinner as shown below:
Add a mask to this layer and use a small hard black brush to trim the lower hard edges a bit and reveal a part of the rising arms.
Step 26
Create a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the sea to fit the light from the background. On the layer mask, paint on the lower edge of the sea to so it won’t be brightened after this step.
Step 27
Make a Color Balance adjustment layer to give the sea some light . Paint on the lower edge to reduce the effect of the light on there.
Step 28
Add a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the horizon more. The selected areas show where to paint on the layer mask.
Step 29
Make a new layer on top of the layers and use a small hard brush with the color #d7e7e7 to paint a water line along the lower edge of the sea.
Step 30
Cut out the boat and place it above the sea in the middle section to hide the extra neck part of the model.
Step 31
Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to desaturate the boat. Alter the Master values to -68.
Step 32
Create a Color Balance adjustment layer to give some yellow light to the boat.
Step 33
Add a Curves adjustment layer to bring more light to the top of the boat. On the layer mask, use a soft black brush to paint on the lower area to keep its lightness and shadow.
Step 34
Isolate the fish and place him above the boat, in the space between two hands.
Step 35
Use a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to desaturate the fish. Change the Master values as shown in the following screenshot.
Step 36
Make a Curves adjustment layer to add some light to the contour of the fish to fit the background light. On the layer mask, paint on the hidden area to it won’t be brightened.
Step 37
Create a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill it with 50% gray. Use the Dodge Tool to strengthen the light of the contour of the fish.
Step 38
Make a new layer on top of the layers and activate the bubble brushes. Change the foreground to #d7e7e7 and select a bubble you like (I’ve chosen the number 93 but it’s totally up to you ). Press F5 to change the settings of this brush:
Use this brush to paint bubbles along and around the model, remember to hit [ and ] while painting to vary the brush’s size. You can use the layer mask to reduce the bubbles’ opacity if needed to make the effect more realistic.
Step 39
Create a new layer and increase the brush’s size to paint some bigger bubbles around the underwater area, especially on the edges. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius to 9 px. This step is to increase the depth of the whole scene.
Step 40
Isolate the birds from the birds 1 image and place them in the top left of the sky. Apply a Gaussian Blur of 3 px to the birds layer to make them soft and increase the distance between them and the elements on the foreground.
Step 41
Take different birds from the original image to add to the different positions in the sky. Apply a Gaussian Blur of 3 px to each of these layers .
Step 42
Cut out the bird 2 from the original background and add him to the top of the fish.
Step 43
Make a Color Balance adjustment layer to give the bird some warm color. Alter the Midtones and Highlights values.
Step 44
Create a Curves adjustment layer to darken the bird’s body a bit. On the layer mask, paint on his legs so they won’t become darker after this step.
Add another Curves adjustment layer with the same purpose. On this layer mask, paint on the contour and any details you feel dark enough.
Step 45
Make a new layer on top of the layers and use a soft brush with the color #441f02 to paint on the fish, boat and sky. Change this layer mode to Linear Dodge 100% and use a layer mask to erase the light on the hidden side of the fish .
Step 46
Open the light image. As it has a transparent background so just use the Move Tool to drag the light into the space below the fish and above the boat. Change this layer mode to Linear Dodge 100% and use a layer mask to reduce the rays on the boat and fish.
Duplicate this layer and flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal). Use a layer mask to reduce the light rays so they appear more subtle.
Step 47
Make a new layer on top of the layer and activate the Gradient Map with default colors (black and white). Select Radial Gradient and drag a line from the top to the bottom .
Change this layer mode to Soft Light 100% and use a layer mask to reduce the effect on the both sides of the sky a bit. This step is to change the light and contrast of the whole scene.
Step 48
Create a new Color Fill layer and pick the color #121031. Change this layer mode to Exclusion 100%.
Step 49
Make a Color Balance adjustment layer and alter the Midtones and Highlights values. On the layer mask, paint on the water area so it won’t be affected by this adjustment layer.
Step 50
Add a Photo Filter adjustment layer and pick the color #ec8a00.
Make another Photo Filter adjustment layer and pick a light yellow color (#fcdd63).
Create another Photo Filter adjustment layer and change the color to #ec2700. Paint on the top of the scene to keep its color and light.
Step 51
Make a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the top middle of the sky. Paint on the rest to keep the contrast of the whole scene.
Step 52
Create a Vibrance adjustment layer to enhance the final effect.
Final Result
Thanks for view this Photoshop tutorial!