CASTLE IN THE SKY--photoshop

CASTLE IN THE SKY

Used images:
Clouds [link] [link]
Landscapes [link] [link]
Sky [link]
Castle [link]

• Create a new document in Photoshop.
• Insert sky image:

• Duplicate Sky layer. Apply Auto Contrast adjustment to it. Image > Adjustments > Auto Contrast.
• Set Overlay Blending Mode to duplicated layer and Opacity 45%.

• Merge both of sky layers, duplicate created sky layer again and connect sky images on edge.
• Merge two sky layers.

• Select the Patch tool.
• I order to cover edge, drag in the image to select the area you want to repair, and select Source in the options bar. Drag the selection border to the area from which you want to sample. When you release the mouse button, the originally selected area is patched with the sampled pixels.

• To cover all edge area, repeat this action several times.

• Apply Warp (Arc) transformation to sky image just like on the image below.

• Scale Sky layer and rotate it on 10° left.

• Insert landscapes images.

• Merge them together.

• Remove edge between two landscape images using Patch Tool, just like in previous steps. Erase Sky area. Add Layer Mask, load selection for sky and erase it in Layer Mask using black brush. Correct horizon line using small soft translucent brush.

• Duplicate created landscape layer, apply horizontal flip transformation to it and merge with original layer on left edge. Mask merge edge again.

• You should get something like this.

• Go to Edit > Transformation > Warp(Arc).

• Rotate landscape layer a little bit to left after Warp transformation.

• Add layer mask to landscape layer and process horizontal line with 18% Opacity soft brush.

• You may remove superfluous details(windmills) with Patch Tool.

• Click Quick Mask icon. Select large soft brush and create a spot

• Click Quick Mask again. You will get selected area around spot.

• Keep selection, go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation.

• Correct levels of the selected area just like on the screen shot below.

• Duplicate sky layer and place it above land layer. Rotate sky layer to get mirror effect.
• Load selection for land layer.
• Return to sky layer and click Layer Mask icon to remove superfluous areas.

• Apply Overlay Banding Mode effect to created layer and Opacity 65%.

• Create a new white layer above original Sky Layer.
• Go to Filter > Distort > Lens Correction > Set Vignette > Amount > Darken (- 40)
• Apply Multiply Blending Mode and Opacity 85%.

• Insert Castle image.

• Separate Castle from background.

• Apply Warp transformation just like for land and sky layers.

• Make Opacity around 90 - 88%.
• Add Layer mask and process distant view with soft translucent brash(Opacity around 30%).

• Insert Cloud Image.

• Go to Channels Palette, activate Red channel.
• Duplicate it.

• Keep active duplicated red channel.
• Go to Image > Adjustments > Levels. Move black left and white right markers to center.
• I will get black&white contrast image.

• Load selections for this channel(move cursor to Channel thumbnail, click Ctrl+Enter)

• Activate RGB channel, return to Layers palette. Keep selection.
• Click Layer Mask icon to separate cloud from background.

• Scale cloud and move it up.

• Insert another cloud image and separate cloud from background using previous steps.

• Place cloud below land layer.

• In order to create rainbow, make following path using Pen Tool.

• Adjust brush settings - 2 px and dynamic shape, white color.
• Return to Pen Tool, right click to path > Stroke Path > Brash, check Simulate Pressure.

• Return to RGB Channel. Keep selection.
• Choose Layer palette and click Layer Mask icon in the bottom of layer palette.

• You will get white arc.

• Set Fill 0%, apply gradient Overlay.

• Duplicate created arc and apply Motion Blur Filter.

• Duplicate original arc layer once again and apply Motion Blur once again with new distance setting.

• Repeat this action several times.

• I order to create second rainbow, duplicate rainbow layers, merge them apply Gaussian Blur filter(around 4%) and Opacity around 35%.
• In final, merge all layers.
• Duplicate created layer. Apply Image > Adjustments > Equalize.
• Apply Multiply Blending Mode and Opacity 20%.

• Merge layers again.

And here is the result!