{wallpaper tutorial #3}
So I had a request on how to make this Buffy wallpaper. You should have basic photoshop knowledge to follow this tutorial. If you have any questions about it feel free to e-mail me or something. :)Composition
1) So first I start with a canvas of 1024x768 and fill it with #2c231d. Then I start adding the pics. I use these 4 pics which I got from Screencap Paradise: pic 1, pic 2, pic 3 and pic 4. So I place all of these pics on the canvas and shrink most of the down. I also lower the opacity of all the pics except for the big one of Buffy. After you're done putting all the images together, flatten them (layer>flatten image).Smoothing
2) Now for the smoothing I always do... Duplicate the image and add median with a radius of 5 to the image (filter>noise>median) to the layer on top. Then lower the opacity to 60% and mask the parts you'd like to keep defined such as the eyes, then flatten the image. Then I use the smudge tool with a strength of 20% a bit on the parts that are still rough. Then to brighten this up a bit, duplicate the layer and set it to screen at 100%. Then I adjust the curves (image>adjustment>curves) and for RGB set Input to 112 and Output to 143. Then flatten everything. So this is what your image should look like now:
Textures
3) Now for the textures. First I add this texture (not sure where I got it from), desaturate it (shift+ctrl+u) and set it to soft light with an opacity of 60%. Well I don't like textures on faces, so with my lasso tool I select the face of the main image of Buffy and add a gaussian blur (filter>blur>gaussian blur) with a raduis of 250. I then do this with the rest of the faces. I then add this texture (also don't know where it's from) on top and set it to screen with an opacity of 50&. I once again add the gaussian blur over the faces. Then I add this texture from Soar Above the Sky on top. I desaturate it (shift+ctrl+u), fade this to normal 50% (shift+ctrl+f) and set the texture to Soft Light 100%. Once again, I add the gaussian blur over just the faces. Then I add this texture from Rain Harbour on top. I set it to soft light 40% and add the gaussian blur, but just over the main close-up image of Buffy. I then add this texture from Soar Above the Sky on top. I set it to light with an opacity of 15% and add the gaussian blur over the faces. I then add this last texture from Shattered on top. I set it to soft light with an opacity of 100% and add the gaussian blur over the faces. Your image should now look something like this:
Colours
4) Now for the colouring. On top of the image and all the textures I add a new adjustment layer for curves (layer>new adjustment layer>curves). I make two points for RGB, the first point has an input of 75 and an output of 143 and the second point has an input of 103 and an output of 162. Then I make two points for red, the first point has an input of 91 and an output of 74 and the second point has an input of 123 and 141. Then I have two point for blue, the first point has an input of 70 and an output of 93 and the second point has an input of 106 and 135. This is what the wallpaper now looks like:
5) Now for the gradients. First I apply a gradient that looks like this (from Mispalced Moments) at soft light 60%. I then apply a gradient that looks like this (from Salt 'n Burn) at Soft Light 60%. Then I apply my last gradient which looks like this (you can find it in my third set of gradients) at soft light 30%. Now the wallpaper should look something like this:
Filters
6) Select your top layer, select all (select>all, ctrl+a), copy merged (edit>copy merged, shift+ctrl+c) and paste (edit>paste, ctrl+v). This will make a copy of all your layers into just one layer, so basically after you did this nothing should change ...you should just have one more layer on top. I just find doing this is better than flattening the image. So onto the filters ...on this new layer apply a gaussian blur with a radius of 3 and set this layer to soft light 30%. Then duplicate the layer and set it to darken 70%. Copy merged & paste again (remember when you're doing this to have the top layer selected when copying and to paste on top of all the layers). I'm not actually applying a filter here, I'm just going to use the smudge tool with a strength of 20% to give a final smoothing on Buffy's face. Now copy merged and paste layers again, I'm going to apply watercolour (filter>artistic>fresco) with brush detail of 9, shadow intensity of 1 and texture of 2 at Normal 13%. Copy merged and paste layers again ...now apply rough pastels (filter>artistic>rough pastels) with the settings of 6 for stroke length, 4 for stroke detail, canvas for texture, 100% for scaling and 20 for relief. Now apply this to normal 60% and mask the faces a bit. Your image should now look something like this:
Finishing Touches
7) Now for the text. I use some lyrics on three different lines (and text layers) with a beige-ish colour and the font monotype corsiva. I also set the tracking to 300 (to do this open up character & paragraph palette). Then I add some text behind this with the same font, but the colour #609b96 and then set this layer to multiply 100%. I then do a bit of brush work on a layer behind all the text with the same bluish colour and set this layer to multiply 100%.8) I add a border of about 5px with the colour #609b96 and set it to multiply.
9) My wallpaper is still pretty blue/green and I just want to soften the colours up a bit so I add a new adjustment layer for colour balance (layer>new adjustment layer>color balance) and my settings for midtones are +17, -22 and -22.
Now save the image and your final product should look something like this:
