Creepy Lady on a Dark Mountain in Photoshop

First of all we will create a dark cloudy atmosphere using landscape, moon and clouds images. Next we’ll add the mountains to the scene and you will learn how you can create a surreal mountain landscape. After that we will add creepy trees to the scene and you’ll learn how to blend them less than in few minutes. Then we’ll add lamps, model, crow and we will also create a lights, shadow to make it realistic. At the end finish it up with using adjustments layers properly. You’ll need Photoshop CS5 or newer to follow this tutorial.

Tutorial Resources

• Rainy Landscape – Wyldraven Stock
• SKY – Pelleron stock
• Moon – Pixabay
• Mountain 1 – LucieG Stock
• Mountain 2 – Pixabay
• Mountain 3 – Pixabay
• Mountain 4 - Pixabay
• Smoke brush – Brusheezy
• Death valley - Pixabay
• Lamp – Chop-Stock
• Model – Mjranum Stock
• Raven and Crow PSD – Fairiegoodmother
• Birds brushes – Candymax Stock

Step 1

First of all download all the resources and keep them in a folder because it make’s easier to follow the tutorial. Now start by creating a new document by selecting File>new and set the setting as shown in below or you can go for higher setting.

Step 2

Now, Place it as shown in the image by selecting File>Place. We use Place command because Photoshop will automatically place the image as smart objects.

Step 3

Add a layer mask to the landscape by clicking add layer mask button(second button) on layer panel. Select a soft round black brush by pressing (B) on the keyboard then paint on the layer mask as shown in the image below.

Step 4

Next, add a Hue/Saturation(layer>new adjustment layer>hue/saturation or see the image below)adjustment layer then click the button shown in the image to create a clipping mask and set the hue to 0, saturation to -47 and lightness to -52 as shown in the image. Now select the landscape and hue/saturation adjustment layer by holding shift key and then group them by pressing CMD/CTRL+G. Name that group base.

Step 5

Now, place the sky image and place it below the landscape layer.

Step 6

Add a curves adjustment layer(layer>new adjustment layer>curves) to the sky and set is as shown in the image.

Here is the result.

Step 7

Add Hue/Saturation adjustment layer for sky to dark it and set the set the hue to 0, saturation to -48 and lightness to -42 setting as shown in the image.

Step 8

Now, place the moon image above the sky layer as shown in the image.

Step 9

Add a layer mask to moon image and pick a soft black brush then paint on the layer mask as shown in the image below. You can see the result on layer mask.

Step 10

Add Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to the and clip it to moon layer. Set the set the hue to 0, saturation to -100 and lightness to -18

Step 11

Next, Add a Exposure adjustment layer to moon and clip it to moon layer. Select the all moon layer and group them. Name that group moon .

Step 12

Here is the result and process so far.

Step 13

We have a created a dark atmosphere and it time to add the mountain image. So, place the mountain 1 image below the base group and activate the transform tool by pressing CTRL+T. Then right click and choose warp tool. Alter the shape of image as shown in the image .

Step 14

Now transform the image as shown in the image after warping it and move it to left.

Step 15

Add a layer mask to the mountain 1 and pick the soft round black brush. Start painting on layer mask as shown in the image. You can see the result on layer mask .

Step 16

To blend the mountain to the scene, I Added a photo filter adjustment layer, choose color #055ae5 and also added a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer don’t forget to clip these adjustments layers to the mountains.

Here are the result.

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Step 17

Now, place the mountain 2 image below the mountain 1. Add a layer mask to it and paint with soft black brush to blend it properly.

Step 18

Add a Hue/Saturation and Photo filter adjustment layer. In photo filter adjustment layer choose color #1c84b0. Clip both adjustment layer to this image. As always you can see the setting in the image below.

Here are the results and process so far.

Step 19

Now, duplicate the mountain 1 image and name it m1 copy. Flip it horizontally by activating the transform tool and right click on it then choose flip horizontal.

Step 20

Place it to left side and activate the transform tool then scale it as shown in the image .

Step 21

Add a layer mask to the this image and grab the soft round black brush then paint it as shown in the image. You can also see the result on layer mask

Step 22

I added a Hue/Saturation and Photo Filter adjustment layer to this mountain image with same setting as applied in step 18. Create clipping mask for these adjustment layers also. You can see the result

Step 23

Now, place the mountain 3 image above the m1 copy mountain.

Step 24

Add a layer mask to it and paint it with soft round black brush. You can see the result on layer mask.

Step 25

Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and clip it then set the set the hue to 0, saturation to -40 and lightness to -81 as shown in the image to blend it properly.

Step 26

Now, duplicate the mountain 2 image then name it m2 copy and place it below the m1 copy.

Step 27

Add a layer mask to this image and select the soft round black brush then paint it shown in the image.

Step 28

Then, place it to the right side as shown in the image.

Step 29

Add a Hue/Saturation and photo filter adjustment layer to blend it properly. Choose color #0b70ed for photo filter and clip both layer to it.

Here are the result.

step 30

Here are the result so far.

Step 31

Place the mountain 4 image below the mountain 1 image and scale it so, you get similar result as shown in the image.

Step 32

Add a layer mask to mountain 4 image and hide the blue part by painting on layer mask with soft round black brush.

Step 33

Then set the blend mode to multiply and add a Hue/Saturation adjustment and photo filter to this image then clip it. Choose color #055ae5 for photo filter and set it as shown in the image below.

Step 34

Here are the result.

Step 35

Now, paint shadows on mountains. Arrows indicating that where to paint shadows. Pick a soft round black brush with 30% opacity and flow then start painting the shadow as shown by arrows. Now, select all the mountains layers and group them. Name that group mountains.

Step 36

In this step will create fog so, load the smoke brush and create a new layer by pressing Ctrl+shift+n then paint some fog. I used two layer to make fog. After that select both layer and group them then name it fog.

Step 37

Create a new layer and select the soft round brush with opacity and flow set to 30%. Choose color #1f3343 and paint it as shown below

change the blend mode of this layer to color dodge and here are the result.

Step 38

Again, make new layer and this time paint light on ground(white arrow indicating) with same color in previous step then change the blend mode to color dodge.

Step 39

Place the death valley tree.

Step 40

Add a layer mask to the tree and select the soft round black brush then paint on layer mask it as shown in the image.

Step 41

Set the blend mode to multiply and as you can see we have blended the tree without making the selection. Don’t worry about the blue part we’ll fix it later with final adjustments layers.

Step 42

Add a level adjustment to tree and clip it then set the setting as shown in the image.

Here is the result.

Step 43

Now, duplicate the tree layer one more time.

Step 44

Add a levels adjustment to this layer then clip it and set the setting as shown in the image. This time reduce the opacity to 48%.

Here is the result.

Step 45

Paint shadows by choosing soft round black brush. The white arrow indicating where to paint shadows. Select all the tree layers and group them. Name it creepy trees.

Step 46

Add a curves adjustment layer don’t clip it and set the setting as shown in the image. Then select a soft round black brush and paint on the curves layer mask. Because I want to lighten the landscape.

You can see the effect of the curves adjustment layer and as a result it lighten the part which is indicated by white arrows.

Step 47

Now, place the lamp image and add a layer mask to it. On lamp layer mask, White arrow indicating where to paint with soft round black brush. So, It looks like that the lamp is hanging.

Step 48

Add a hue/Saturation adjustment layer and clip it to lamp. On layer mask of this layer make a dot with soft round brush.

Here is the result.

Step 49

To make the glowing light on lamp, I Created a new layer and pick soft round brush with 100% opacity and flow also set the size to 100. Choose the color #874b1d and make two stroke on lamp. Then change the blend mode to linear dodge and reduce the opacity to 71%. Name this layer lamp lights.

Step 50

Now create a new layer and name this layer light of lamp. Pick soft round brush and set the opacity to 50% and choose the same color in previous step. Paint more lights on the ground and set the blend mode to linear dodge then reduce the opacity to 23%. Group all the lamp layers and name it lamp.

Step 51

Now, extract the model and place it as shown in the image. Then create a new layer below the model layer and paint the shadows with soft round black brush.

Step 52

I applied a layer style effect to model. Right click on model layer and choose blending options. Choose gradient overlay and set the setting as shown in the image.

Here is the result.

Step 54

I added Hue/Saturation and gradient map adjustment layer to blend the model to the scene. Clip both adjustment layer to model. On Gradient map adjustment layer choose color #000000 for shadows and #ff9600 for highlights and set the blend mode of gradient map to color dodge then reduce the opacity to 66%.

Result should be similar to this.

Step 55

I added two more adjustment layer Photo filter and Brightness/Contrast. Set the blend of photo filter to soft light. Clip both layer to the model.

Here is the result

Step 56

Create a new layer then go to edit>fill and fill the layer with 50% gray. Set the blend mode of this layer to overlay.

Step 57

Select dodge and burn tool by pressing (O) on keyboard. Set the range to midtones and exposure to 9%. Then start dodge and burning as shown in the image.

Step 58

Create a new layer and choose soft round brush with color #874b1d. Then paint light on model hair, face and hands or you can follow the arrows to create light. Now select all the model layer and group them. Name this group model.

Here, you can see the process how I arranged all the layers. That’s why we use group.

Step 59

Open raven and crow PSD and choose a raven. place it out main canvas.

Step 60

Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to raven and clip it then set the set the hue to 0, saturation to -18 and lightness to -56 as shown in the image.

Step 61

Create a new layer and load the birds brush then paint birds. Choose 2500 pixels brush or choose whatever you like.

Step 62

Now, we are heading towards the final adjustment and we will add five final adjustment layers without clipping it. So, add a curves adjustment layer set is shown in the image and on layer mask of curves paint it with soft round black brush. .

Here is the result.

Step 63

Add a photo filter adjustment layer and choose color #16535c then set the blend mode to color.

Here is the result.

Step 64

Add a color balance adjustment layer set the setting as shown below and reduce the opacity to 51%.

Step 65

Add a selective color adjustment layer and set it as shown in the image.

Here are the result after applying color balance and selective color adjustment layer.

Step 66

Add a curves adjustment layer set the setting as shown below and reduce the opacity to 70%.

Final Results