Photoshop Request for Blending and Composting (Updated)

[M1GMan3000]

Note: I Apologize that I didn't give you anything to start with, my computer played a trick on me where I accidentally hit the enter button and submitted my request while I was still typing.

Hello everyone, M1GMan Here! I'm working on a Veterans Day wallpaper project for this year, and I wanted to include the atrocities of war (no graphic content) in which a girl is sitting next to a bunker wall in the midst of the aftermath of a fearsome bombing raid (in reference to the Blitz that occurred in 1940-41). The subject's name is Louise Brooks, and the original picture is a snapshot from the 1928 silent film Beggars of Life that she appeared in. I've already worked on matching colors with the destroyed church, the sky, the rubble and debris, and somewhat with the bunker wall that she's suppose to sit against, in relation to the subject herself using Photoshop CS3.

What I need: I need the subject to look like as if she is actually sitting against the bunker wall by adding any effects to make it look natural (you can use shadows, blur effects, lighting effects, etc.). Don't worry about the rubble and debris background and the church, for I'll take care of those elements later. But for now, I just need you to make the bunker wall and the girl look like they go together. I've added a PSD file to make it convenient for you to work with the separate layers in which each should have at least two copies of each other (with the exception of the destroyed church, and additional copies of the Louise Brooks photo that I made for cutting her out of the original background).

If you need any additional information or materials, please don't hesitate to contact me.

 

[MikeMc]

WHOA Pardner.........

We will be happy to HELP....BUT....

This is an issue, I am not your worker to be judged. I have enough with paid work orders, that for freebies it is MY WAY......

When you're done, please submit your work as both a JPEG and a PSD file, as I want to see what you were able to accomplish, and so that I can easily access the document to add any finishing touches I can take care of on my own.

This line might need a rework, or you could post it in the freelance section

 

[ZipedX]

Hi M1G!

Well I did a quickie for this one as the bed beckons.
I belive you lacked shadows for starters plus that the isolation of the subject could have been improved.
There are other flaws, lighting on the right arm for one but I've choosen not to adress those for now.
I'm sure we can help teach you how to fix this, if that's not an option consider the freelance section as mentioned by Mike.

 

[M1GMan3000]

My apologies, MikeMC. I understand that you have other clients to consider, especially with those that are actually paying you for your work. I'm relatively new to the site despite joining up two years ago, and I hadn't come back here until just recently. Besides, If I'm going to do Photoshop projects like this, then I probably could learn a few things from someone like you who has a LOT more experience than me. So if you can give me some advice as to how to get the results I want as a means of constructive criticism, then I'll be more than happy to do it myself along with tips that you may provide. Just tell me what needs to be done, and I should be good to go. Thanks.

 

[M1GMan3000]

Thanks, ZipedX. I knew I was lacking shadows, but I couldn't get the results I wanted as to making her blend in with the bunker wall. As with the lighting on the left arm (our right), that was actually from the original photo that I used to cut Louise Brooks from. The background of the original photo was pretty hard to work with considering that you could barely see her cheek line vs the white of the background that she happened to be on. I will say that the cut-out was probably the best I could do, though, like you said, it could've been better. But I was able to remove the numbers that appeared on her pants in the original photo with the Spot Healing Brush Tool and the Clone Stamp Tool that gave me results that I'm satisfied with. I can't even tell if the numbers on her pants were there. If you can talk me through this, then everything should work like clockwork.

 

[IamSam]

OK, my opinion is that you need to start from scratch. The lighting of the original (Louise Brooks) image needs to be matched by the rest of the composition.

It should be much more simple...............

 

[ZipedX]

Nicely done Sam!

Saved the building in the back too.


[EDIT BELOW]

Hi again M1G.

Well having got something closely resembling sleep into this depraved body. (got kids? you know what I mean then ) I headed back to the battlefield so to speak.
I found my example got K.O.-ed by Sam's in my opinion.
Hovewer I might be able to write up a quick tutorial how I did mine + my take on Sam's example tomorrow, for today though I'm just gonna kick back with my family.

If Sam or someone else for that matter doesn't beat me to it that is.

 

[M1GMan3000]

Hey, no problem bro, family comes first! Hope you have some quality time with them, ZipedX!!!

 

[ZipedX]

Well I didn't get so much time over today as I'd hope but have a look at this and let me know what you think.
I'll try to finish the step by step tomorrow.

Original>M1G>ZipedX

 

[ZipedX]

Step by step

Before we start I just want to say that I'm assuming you know your way around the software somewhat
so I'll be holding back on detailed instructions for creating layermasks and so on.
If you need this please say so and I'll cover that in a seperate post.

We'll also wanna keep organised and work non destructive as far as possible.
Non destructive in this case meaning making adjustments that we can't change on the fly.
So I'll do some steps that might feel unnecessary, You'll have to live with that.

Ohh my main language isn't English so you'll have to live with that too...


Prepping the field

1. Make a New Group and name it appropriately, I named mine Working [ZipedX].
   
   
2. Then following the same procedure create a second New Group and name it.
   
   
3. Select the layer needed for the montage and alt drag them to your working group. All other layers goes into the second ”Reference” group.
   Bunker Wall
   Layer 1
   Sky copy
   Subject reference
   Rubble and Debris copy
   

OPTIONAL
Put all layers in separate groups for an easy workflow later on.
(My nice Step assumes this have been done as in the image above though).


Brooks

1. Create a New Group, name it Louise Brooks.
   
2. Separate Brooks from the (Subject Reference copy) layer using a layermask and painting your selection with a brush.
   (I used mixed hardness ~40 and ~85 depending on the area covered.)
   
   
   
3. Create a new layer above (Subject Reference copy) and name it. (Numbers [Removed]).
   
   
4. Select the Clone Stamp Tool and set hardness to ~80. Carefully clone the numbers away.
   

4. Create a Curves and Adjustment layer right above (Subject reference copy) and alt+click right between these layers to "link" them togheter. (I know this is the wrong word for it but I fail to recall the right one and will refer to "Link" for now.
This makes the adjustment apply to the "linked" layer only.



Bunker

1. Create a New Group, name it Bunker Wall.
   
2. Turn of layer visibility for all layers except (Subject Reference copy) and (Bunker Wall).
   You should end up with something similar.
   
   

1. To increase the contrast of the wall create a levels adjustment layer above (Bunker Wall) and name it (Contrast).
   
   (I set my highlights to ~150). Then "link" the two layers.
   
   
2. To make the wall slightly brighter in the top right corner add a Curves adjustment layer name it (Lighting). Link with (Contrast) then play around with the settings. Inside the layermask add a gradient to make a smooth transition.
   
   
   
   
3. Untick the visibility for (Subject Reference copy) so you'll end up with only the wall.
   
   Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E. Name the new layer (Blurred Bunker Wall) and go to:
   
   Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. (Radius ~0,5)
   
   

To increase the depth of field add a layermask and create a gradient.




Rubble/Debris and Church

1. Create two New Groups, name them, Rubble & Debris and Church.
   
   
2. Do the Following for both (Rubble and Debris) and (Church) layers.
   Tick visibility on and right click the text and choose Convert to Smart Object.
   
   
   
3. Starting with (Church) go to:
   Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. (Radius ~0,5)
   
   

3. For (Rubble and Debris) follow the above step and set (Radius to ~0,5).


Sky

1. Create a New Group, name it Sky.
   
   
2. Tick visibility on and flip the sky Horizontall, then add a Curves adjustment layer.
   

This is to make the sky brighter and the colors clash less.



Shadows

1. Create a New Group, name it Shadows.
   
   
2. Create two new layers and fill them with black and add layermasks, also filled with black, set Blend Mode to overlay.
   
   
3. Make a copy of (Subject Reference copy) and drag that below the two new layers. Turn of its layer mask and set opacity to ~60.
   
   

4.Using (Subject Reference copy) as a guide click the layer just above and name it (Shadow [Hard Short] And with a white brush, hardness ~50
proceed to paint in the shadows closest to Brooks head. Set Layer Opacity to ~45, Blend Mode Overlay.


5.Procced to do the same for the other layer but with brush hardness set to ~70. Blend Mode to Overlay Opacity ~45. name it (Shadows [Long Soft]).

6.Make a copy of (Shadows [Long Soft]). Set Opacity To ~75.
Inside the layer mask add a gradient to tone out the shadow.
When done delete the copy you made of (Subject Reference copy).




Noise

1. Create a New Group name it Noise.
   
   
2. Add a New Layer inside it called Noise ([For Uniformity]) fill it with black and go to:
   Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Amount ~150.
3. Create and "link" a Levels Adjustment layer. Name it (Reduce Noise) Set Shadows to ~175.
   This will add a subtle noise to the image and will server to blend everything togheter.

B&W

Lastly make the image truly B&W using a Black and White Adjustment layer On top of everything else inside the Working Group

(This could have been done earlier using other methods but I totaly missed it).


Sharpening

On final touch would be to sharpen the image using whatever method you choose.
(Again for a natural blend.)


Final Note and Result


You could and probably should consider cropping similar to Sam's example, in My opinion.
Yeah, I did notice the numbers being wrong sometimes, spacing too. But I can't seem to win this fight against the forum and decided to go ahead and post anyways.

Please you guys critique me on this since it's my first.


Lighter Shadows vs Darker Shadows

 

[IamSam]

Excellent tut Zippy!

 

[ZipedX]

Thank's Sam appreciate it. If you have any pointers, additions or what not please go ahead.

 

[M1GMan3000]

ZipedX, you are a GENIUS!!!!! This looks so much better than my copy and you've definitely got the touch of the master's hand! Your final work looks absolutely awesome and I'll be sure to follow the instructions step-by-step. Many thanks and good job!

 

[ZipedX]

No problem and good luck with your work.
If you don't mind please post your result it would be nice to see it.

 

[M1GMan3000]

Well, here's my version. Sorry I took so long to reply.