Create a Mystical Rising Angel Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

Learn how to create this mystical image of an angel rising to the heavens from inside a castle. This tutorial will show you how to create bright heavenly light and ambient lighting, blend images together to create an angel, and finish it off with a soft focus photo effect.

Tutorial Resources

• Nightstock 701 – Nightstock
• 262-float – wolfcatstock
• HQ Angel Wings Render – ~Requiem-K
• 394 look up – Wolfcatstock
• Winter SnowFlake Brushes PS7 – KeepWaiting

Step 1

Now, let’s start by creating a new image file, go to the Menu bar and click File > New, and then input the following values on their respective fields:

• Preset: Custom
• Width: 2480 pixels
• Height: 3508 pixels
• Resolution: 300pixels/inch
• Color Mode: RGB Color
• Background Contents: Transparent

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Step 2

In this step, we will be creating the stairway inside the castle. To start, open “Nightstock 701″ by Nightstock. Next activate the Move Tool by pressing V on your keyboard and then left-click on the stock image and then drag it to our canvas. Position the stock image as shown on the image below:

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Step 3

Next, we will resize this image to fit our canvas. To start, activate the Transform tool by pressing Ctrl/Cmd + T. Once the Transform tool appears, a series of squares would appear on the sides of the stock image to be transformed. Drag the encircled square to the respective direction as shown below:

The resized image should appear like this:

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Step 4

Now, we would need to image’s angle and to do that we would need to activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd + T) once again. Now, that it is activated, right click on the canvas to prompt the appearance of the Transform tool’s contextual menu. Once it appears, click on Distort.

Now, let’s distort the image:

The result:

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Step 5

Next, we will fix the lighting on this stock image. To do that, select the image and then activate the Curves adjustment tool by pressing Ctrl/Cmd + M. Once it opens, drag the line to the point shown below or you may also input the following values on their respective boxes:

• Channel: RGB
• Output: 125
• Input: 103

The result of that should be similar to the image below:

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Step 6

Now, that we’re done, select all the layers that we’ve made in this step and then press Ctrl/Cmd + G to group them. We would need to group the layers in order to avoid confusion in later steps.
Rename the layer to “Background”, renaming a group is similar to renaming a layer – simply double-click on the words: “Group 1″ (you can find that on the layer window) to prompt a text box to appear and then type in the name you want to put.

Step 7

Now, we will be creating the girl who pretended to be a mortal and now is bewildering the woman below on such a holy sighting. To start, let’s open “262-float” by wolfcatstock. Now, that it is open, activate the Polygonal Lasso tool (L) because we would use this to select the woman and isolate her from her background.

Now, let’s create a selection area around the woman:

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Step 8

Now, that we’ve made a selection area around the woman, activate the Move tool (V) and drag the woman to our canvas. Once on the canvas, rename this layer to “woman”.
Note: Renaming a layer is similar to renaming a group; simply double click on the word: “Layer _” and then input the name you want to put.
After moving the “woman” to the canvas, position her using the Move tool (V) as shown on the image below:

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Step 9

Now, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd + T) and resize the girl as shown on the image below:

The result of that should be similar to this:

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Step 10

Next, let’s adjust the Hue/Saturation of the woman, since her skin is overly saturated. To start, make sure that the woman layer is selected and then go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation or simply press Ctrl/Cmd + U. Once the Hue/Saturation box is open, input the following:

• Edit: Master
• Hue: 0
• Saturation: -50
• Lightness: 0

The result:

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Step 11

Next, we need to fix the lighting on this woman; we’ll need to adjust the light to make her blend with the light coming from above; to start, make sure that the woman layer is selected and then go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. Once open, input the following:

The result:

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Step 12

Now, we’ll further fix the lighting on the woman; to start, left-click on the woman layer and then create a new layer by pressing Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N. Creating a new layer while the woman layer is selected will automatically create a new layer above the selected layer. Once the New Layer box opens, input “darken woman” on the name field.

Next, right click on the “darken woman” layer to open its contextual menu. Once open, click on “Create Clipping Mask”.

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Step 13

Now, let’s ready the Brush. Activate the Brush tool by pressing B on the keyboard. Before we start painting, make sure that the active Brushes are the default brushes. The default Photoshop brushes are shown on the image below, if that’s not what you see, then follow the instructions below:

Right click the canvas while a layer is selected and while the Brush tool (B) is activated and then click on the button highlighted below:

Then click on “Reset Brushes” from the contextual menu.

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Step 14

Now, that that is done input the following settings for our Brush tool (B):

• Brush size: 25px
• Hardness: 0%
• Opacity: 15%
• Flow: 100%
• #: 000000

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Step 15

Note: The #: 000000 is the color of the brush. To change it to that, simply do the following:

Once the Color Picker box opens, input the following on the # box:

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Step 16

Now, zoom in on to the image up to 100%. You can do that from the Navigator Window or by simply pressing Ctrl/Cmd + Z until you’ve reached the desired zoom level.

Now, we’re all set to paint:

The result should be similar to this:

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Step 17

Now, we will be adding the wings that has sprung up from the girl’s back and made the skies opened its holy light upon her. To start, let’s open the stock image: “HQ Angel Wings Render” by ~Requiem-K. Note that this image is a PNG image so that means, we do not have to do anything except activate the Move tool (V) and drag it to our canvas. Now, that it is on our canvas, rename this layer to “wings”. Make sure that you put the wings layer below the woman layer. This is to make sure that the wings would appear at the back of the woman. To do that, you simply just have to drag the wings layer on the layer window below the woman layer. See image below:

Move and position the wings as shown below:

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Step 18

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd + T) and resize the wings as shown below:

The result:

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Step 19

Now, to make the wings blend with the environment, we will need to adjust the lighting on it. To do that, create a new layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) above the wings layer and then name this new layer as “darken wings”. Next, right click on the newly created layer and then click on “Create Clipping Mask”. Activate the Brush tool (B) and then input the following:

• Brush size: 175px
• Hardness: 0%
• Opacity: 15%
• Flow: 100%
• #: 000000

Zoom up to 50%. Now, let’s paint:

The result:

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Step 20

In this step, we will be creating the woman who is bewildered by the holy sight upon her. To start, open the image “394 look up” by Wolfcatstock. Once open, activate the Polygonal Lasso Tool (L) and then create a selection area around the girl.

Step 21

Once you’ve done that, activate the Move tool (V) and drag the selected girl to our canvas. Put her above all the layers that we’ve created. Move and position her as shown below:

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Step 22

Now, rename this layer to “other woman”. Next, we will put her on one of the steps of the stairs and in order to make the perspective look realistic we would have to erase her feet. To do that, activate the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M).

Now, use the Rectangular Marquee Tool as shown on the image below:

After that, once the selection area has been created, delete the area within the rectangular marquee tool by pressing Delete.
The result:

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Step 23

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd + T) and resize the other woman as shown on the image below:

The result:

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Step 24

Now, we would need to make the other woman blend with the depth of field of the background. Therefore we would need to blur her a little, to do that, make sure that the other woman layer is selected and then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and once it opens, set the radius to 1 pixel.

The result:

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Step 25

Next, we would need to darken the other woman, to start, create a New Layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) and then name it “darken other woman”. Make sure that this new layer is above the “other woman” layer. Once you’re done, right click on this newly created layer and then click on “Create Clipping Mask”. Next, activate the Brush tool (B) and then input the following:

• Brush size: 900px
• Hardness: 0%
• Opacity: 15%
• Flow: 100%
• #: 000000

Now, let’s paint:

The result:

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Step 26

Now that we’re done, let’s group all the layers that we’ve created since Step 3. Name this group as “People”. Now, we will create the heavenly light from above. To start, create a new layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) above all the layers and groups that we’ve made and then name it “heavenly light”. Next, activate the Brush tool (B) and input the following:

• Brush size: 2200px
• Hardness: 0%
• Opacity: 15%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Let’s start painting the heavenly light:

The result should be similar to this:

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Step 27

Now, let’s create the heavenly materials falling from the sky. To start, first download the brush set: “Winter SnowFlake Brushes PS7″ by KeepWaiting. Make sure to put this brush set to the following directory: Adobe Photoshop > Presets > Brushes. Next, create a new layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) above the “heavenly light” layer and name it “sparkles 1″. Activate the Brush tool (B) and then right click on the canvas to bring up the Brush tool’s (B) contextual menu. Once up, press the drop-down button.

After pressing it, click on Load Brushes:

Now, locate the brush set that we’ve downloaded and then open them. After loading the Winter SnowFlake Brushes, choose the following brush:

Next, input the following values for this brush set:

• Brush size: 476 px
• Hardness: Default
• Opacity: 100%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Now, let’s start painting:

The result:

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Step 28

Next, create another layer again and name it “sparkles 2″. Activate the Brush tool (B) and input the following:

• Brush size: 476 px
• Hardness: Default
• Opacity: 100%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Then start painting:

The result:

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Step 29

Next, create a new layer once again and then name it “sparkles 3″. Activate the Brush tool (B) and then input the following:

• Brush size: 476 px
• Hardness: Default
• Opacity: 100%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Then start painting:

The result should be similar to this:

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Step 30

Next, create a new layer once again and then name it “sparkles 4″. Activate the Brush tool (B) and then input the following:

• Brush size: 476 px
• Hardness: Default
• Opacity: 100%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Now, let’s paint:

The result:

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Step 31

Next, let’s create a new layer once again and then name it “sparkles 5″. Activate the Brush tool (B) and then input the following:

• Brush size: 476 px
• Hardness: Default
• Opacity: 100%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Then, ready yourself to paint:

The result:

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Step 32

Now, let’s create another heavenly light – make sure to put this above the sparkle layers. To start, create a new layer and then name it “heavenly light 2″. Activate the Brush tool (B) and Reset the Brushes.

Then click on “Reset Brushes” from the contextual menu.

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Step 33

Now, input the following values for the Brush tool (B):

• Brush size: 2200px
• Hardness: 0%
• Opacity: 15%
• Flow: 100%
• #: ffffff

Now, let’s start painting:

The result:

Now, that we’re done, select all the layers that we’ve made for this layer and then press Ctrl/Cmd + G to group them. Name this group as “light and sparkles”.

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Step 33

Now, we will enhance the color and brightness of our image. To start let’s create a Solid Color adjustment layer. From the Layer window, click on the “Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button”.

Once the contextual menu opens, click on Solid Color:

Now, clicking on the Solid Color option will open the Color Picker box. Now, input the following on the #: space.

• #: 000120

Next, change the Blending mode and Opacity to the following:

• Blending mode: Exclusion
• Opacity: 40%

The result:

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Step 34

Next, let’s create a Color Balance adjustment layer from the Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button.

When the Color Balance box opens, input the following:

• Color Levels: 0, -10, -25
• Tone Balance: Midtones
• Preserve Luminosity: Check

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Step 35

Next, let’s create another Solid Color adjustment layer. Input the following on the # space:

• #: 755532

Next, set the following:

• Blending mode: Soft light
• Opacity: 40%

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Step 36

Next, let’s create yet another Solid Color adjustment layer. Set the color to #c09729

Next, set the following:

• Blending mode: Soft Light
• Opacity: 30%
• Fill: 50%

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Step 37

Now, let’s create a Gradient Map adjustment layer from the Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button.

Once open, choose the following gradient:

Next, set the Blending mode and Opacity of the Gradient Map layer to the following:

• Blending mode: Luminosity
• Opacity: 50%

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Step 38

Now, that we’re done, let’s just give our image a soft focus effect to accentuate the dazzling light falling from above; to start, right-click on any layer and then click on Flatten Image.

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Step 39

Next, duplicate the original layer (Ctrl/Cmd + J); click on the duplicated layer and then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and then set the radius to 12 pixels.

Next, change the Blending mode of this blurred layer to the following:

• Blending mode: Screen
• Opacity: 40%
• Fill: 50%

Final Results

 (From Internet)