In this tutorial I’ll show you how to create a Batman-inspired artwork using a variety of photo-manipulation techniques in Adobe Photoshop. We’ll use sky and wall images to create the base scene at the start, and then blend them together using adjustment layers, masking and brushes.
Then we’ll add the moon and the model, and repeat the same techniques to make them part of the scene. We’ll continue to add other elements, such as the branches, smoke, bats and particles. We’ll finish it up with several adjustment layers.
During this tutorial you’ll also learn how to enhance the light and contrast, apply texture, create a dark atmosphere, make depth of field, and more.
Tutorial Assets
The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:
1. Creating the Base Scene
Step 1
Create a new 1700 x 1500 px document in Photoshop with the settings below:
Step 2
Open the sky image. Use the Retangular Marquee Tool (M) to select the sky part:
Drag it into the white canvas using the Move Tool (V). Use the Free Transform Tool (Control-T) to stretch the height a bit.
Step 3
Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the Radius to 6 px:
Step 4
Create an adjustment layer and set it as Clipping Mask to desaturate the
sky color. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation and
change the Saturation value to -96.
Step 5
Make a Curves adjustment layer to darken the sky.
On this layer mask, use a soft round brush with black color (soft black
brush) with the opacity about 20-25% to reduce the effect on the top
middle of the sky. Here are the results on the layer mask and on the picture:
Step 6
Use a Levels adjustment layer to darken the sky more.
On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the sides of the sky as they look too dark at the moment.
Step 7
Open the wall image. Select the wall part using the Polygonal Lasso Tool (L).
Place it in the lower part of the working document and use Control-T to rotate the wall a bit.
Step 8
Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) and reduce the Saturation value to -88.
Step 9
Use a Curves adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to darken the wall.
On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the horizontal
contour on the top of the wall to keep the lightness there (we aim to make the main light source on the top middle).
Step 10
Create a new layer (set as Clipping Mask), change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray:
Active the Dodge Tool (O) with Midtones Range, Exposure about 30-40% to
brighten the horizontal contour of the wall. You can see how I did it
with Normal mode and the result with Overlay mode:
Step 11
To make the highlight on the wall contour stronger and more visible,
create a new layer and active the Line Tool (U). Change the foreground
color to #d9d9da and set Weight to 2 px. Drag a line along this
horizontal contour of the wall.
2. Adding the Moon
Step 1
Open the moon image and grab the moon using the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M).
Drag it onto the top middle of the working document and rotate it using Control-T.
Step 2
Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the Radius to 6 px.
Step 3
Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to
desaturate the moon color. Change the Saturation value to -94.
Step 4
To add some glowing light to the moon, double click the moon layer, and choose Outer Glow and Inner Glow. Set the color of the glow to #fcfcfc.
Step 5
The moon, especially its middle section, still looks a bit dark, so make a new
layer and use a soft white brush to paint over the moon area. Change
this layer mode to Soft Light 100%.
3. Adding the Model
Step 1
Open the model image. Select the model using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, and then place him onto the wall.
Step 2
Make a new layer under the model one. Use a soft black brush with the
opacity about 40% to paint the shadow of the model on the wall.
Step 3
Use a Curves adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to darken the
model. On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the
outside to keep the lightness there.
Step 4
Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and bring the Saturation value down to -75.
Step 5
Create a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray:
Active
the Dodge and Burn Tool with Midtones Range, Exposure about 20-30%
to refine the light and shade on the model. Use the Dodge Tool to bring
more light to the outside and the Burn Tool to strengthen the shade.
4. Adding the Branches
Step 1
Open the branches image. Use the Magic Wand Tool 
to select the branches part, and then place it over the working document and avoid hiding any details of the model.
Add a mask to this layer and erase the branches beside the model.
Step 2
Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and change the Radius to 8 px.
Step 3
Create a Curves adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to brighten the branches.
On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the lower part of the branches to match its light and shade with the background light.
Step 4
Make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay and fill with 50% gray. Use
the Dodge Tool to make the light stronger on the branches, especially the lower
ones.
5. Adding the Smoke
Step 1
Open the sky image again and place it in the lower part of our main document. We’re going to use it to make the smoke.
Add a mask to this layer and use a soft black brush to erase the hard edges and reduce the smoke intensity.
Step 2
Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and decrease the Saturation value to -100.
Step 3
Create a Curves adjustment layer to darken the smoke.
On this layer mask, use a soft black brush with a very low opacity (about 10%) to reduce the effect on the sides of the smoke to make
these areas a bit more visible.
6. Adding the Bats
Step 1
Open the bats image and cut them out from the background using the Magic Wand Tool.
Select the different bats and position them around the model, duplicating if needed. Use Control-T to vary their size to create depth of field.
Step 2
Apply a Gaussian Blur with the Radius set to 4 px to each of these bat layers.
Step 3
Add another bat to the right side of the scene, and then apply a Gaussian Blur and change the Radius to 8 px.
Step 4
Add another bat to the bottom of the image and enlarge its size using Control-T. Apply a Gaussian Blur with the Radius increased to 12 px. This step is to increase the depth of field.
Step 5
Select all the bat layers and press Control-G to make a group for them.
Change this layer mode from Pass Through (default group mode) to Normal
100%. Create a Hue/Saturation within this group and bring the Saturation
value down to -91.
Step 6
Make a Curves adjustment layer to brighten the bats.
On
this layer mask, use a soft black brush to reduce the lightness on the
lower and further bats from the moon as they get less light than the
others.
Step 7
With the bat at the right corner, its body should be a bit darker. To
correct it, make a new layer (set as Clipping Mask), change the mode to
Overlay and fill with 50% gray. Use the Burn Tool to darken this indicated area.
7. Adding the Particles
Step 1
We’ll be adding particles to increase the dark atmosphere for the scene. Drag the particles texture into our main document and change the mode to Multiply 100%.
Don’t worry about the black background—we’ll correct it immediately.
Step 2
Make an Invert adjustment layer (set as Clipping Mask) to remove the dark background and reveal the particles and the scene.
Step 3
Add a mask to the particles layer and erase the particles covering the
moon and the model area. Also reduce the particles’ intensity:
Step 4
Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the Radius to 5 px to soften the look.
8. The Final Adjustment
Step 1
Create a Color Balance adjustment layer on top of all the layers and change the Midtones settings.
Step 2
Make a Gradient Map adjustment layer and pick the colors #ae7272 and #c0dd97. Change this layer mode to Soft Light 100%.
Step 3
Add a Curves adjustment layer to darken the scene.
On this layer mask, use a soft black brush to erase the moonlight area,
the model and the top of the wall to keep the brightness there.
Step 4
Use a Vibrance adjustment layer to enhance the final effect.
Congratulations, You’re Done!
I hope that you’ve enjoyed my tutorial and learned some new techniques. I’d love to hear your feedback, so feel free to leave it in the comment box below.
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