PERFECT MATTE PAINTING FROM PHOTOS
15
CREATE THE FOREGROUND
Place the rocks from IMG_15-1.jpg in the foreground. Create the lower part of the rocks from the
fragments of IMG_15-2.JPG and use the Clone Stamp tool to remove seams then merge these layers. Draw
the entrance in the upper part and extend the bridge so it reaches the gates. Then duplicate the bridge to
create the second one, place it to the right and reduce the brightness. Add the ladder from IMG_15-3.JPG and
add plants on the right side of the riverbank with IMG_11-3.JPG. Do not forget to adjust brightness and colour
for all the elements you add. They should be consistent with other the elements in the scene.16
ADD MORE SHADOW
Now add more volume and depth as well
as focus the viewer’s attention on the tower. First,
add more shadows. Remember that the light source
is coming from the top right. Create a new layer and
change its blending mode from Normal to Multiply;
set Opacity to 50-70%. Use a dark coloured brush,
not black, and add more shadows to the left side of
the tower, lower part of the riverbank, the areas
behind the tower and to some of the foreground. Add
shadows to the small elements and plants.17
HIGHLIGHTS
Create a Brightness/Contrast
adjustment layer, set Brightness +60 and
Contrast +20. Invert the layer mask using Cmd/
Ctrl+I and paint darker areas inside it with a soft
brush using white. Add flares to the central parts
of the tower, tower tops, bridge, waterfall,
landscape on the right, and to the foreground.
You can lower the adjustment layer Opacity to
80-90% to make it weaker. Add a new layer with
blending mode set to Soft Light and Opacity to
50-70%. Select a light-orange colour and add
coloured flares using a brush.QUICK TIP
Use layer groups to optimise your work. When
you have too many layers, working with them
can become difficult. It can be convenient to
group layers that relate to each other. Select the
layers and press Cmd/Ctrl+G to group them. You
can also apply adjustment layers to the group.18
THE FINAL CORRECTION
To add more depth to the image,
reduce the contrast of the background.
Create a new layer and using a light blue
soft round brush, Opacity 10%, paint over
the background and behind the tower
several times. This will add more depth
and separate the tower from the
background. Now you will need to add
more consistency to all the elements. Try
to experiment with adjustment layers for
Solid Color, Gradient Fill, Gradient Map
and various blending modes and Opacity.
I selected a blue Solid Color and set
blending mode to Soft Light and Opacity
to 15-30%. Then select Gradient Fill, set
colour to orange and set blending mode
to Overlay in order to enhance the
sunlight coming from the right. To finish,
add more contrast using Curves.