Jellyfish

Filters, Transform, Color, Opacity

Step 1: set up

1. Copy "aquarium.psd" from the Tutorials folder in the Outbox. This is an image of jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquairum. We're going to put these guys into a more natural environment.
2. Save it into your home folder.
3. Open the file in Photoshop.
4. Use the eyedropper tool to set the foreground color to the blue water color from the image.
5. Create a new file with the following setting: 900px wide, 700px tall, 72 pixels/inch and RGB.
6. Save the file (File > Save As) as lastnamefirstnitial jellyfish.psd in your home folder.

Step 2: a sea floor

1. Fill the background layer with the blue (Alt-Backspace).
2. Create a new layer using the New Layer button in the Layers palette.
3. Set the foreground to a beige color (R: 213, G: 190, B: 109.)
4. Click on the the background color square to set it to brown (R: 102, G: 80, B: 20.)
5. For the next step, hold down the Alt key while selecting this menu item to intensify the effect: Filter > Render > Clouds.
6. Now apply Difference Clouds without holding down Alt.
7. Redo the last filter several times by pressing Ctrl-F. I did it maybe 12 times.
8. To give a sand texture, go to Filter > Texture > Texturizer. Choose Sandstone from the Texture list. Set Scaling to 50% and Relief to 17. Click OK.
9. Zoom out twice so you can see lots of gray artboard around your image.
10. Press Ctrl-T to transform, then right-click in the box and select Distort.
11. Pull the top-center handle down to about a third of the way up. Pull the bottom-left handle way out to the left past the picture edge. Pull the bottom-right handle way out to the right. Press Enter to save the transformation.
12. Use the Burn tool to draw in some dark areas suggesting bumps in the sand.
13. Add a layer mask to the layer using the Layer Mask button on the Layers palette.
14. Make sure the layer mask is selected. Select the gradient tool and a linear gradient. In the gradient editor, select Black, White.
15. Create a gradient that starts at the top edge of the sand and comes down a little ways. Hold down the Shift key to keep the gradient vertical.
16. Save your file.

Step 3: the water surface

1. Create a new layer at the top of the stack.
2. Use the Eyedropper tool to select the blue from the image. Fill the new layer with the blue (Alt-Backspace).
3. Click on the the background color square to set it to a bright blue (R: 63, G: 166, B: 233.)
4. Render clouds (without the Alt key). Then render Difference Clouds. Apply the filter again with Ctrl-F.
5. To give a glossy look, select Filter > Artistic > Plastic Wrap. Use the following settings: Highlight Strength 19, Detail 11, Smoothness 7. Click OK.
6. Press Ctrl-T to transform, then right-click in the box and select Distort.
7. Pull the bottom-center handle up to about a third of the way down. Pull the top-left handle way out to the left past the picture edge. Pull the top-right handle way out to the right. Press Enter to save the transformation.
8. Add a layer mask to the layer using the Layer Mask button on the Layers palette.
9. Make sure the layer mask is selected. Select the gradient tool and a linear gradient. In the gradient editor, select Black, White.
10. Create a gradient that starts at the bottom edge of the water ripples and up down a little ways. Hold down the Shift key to keep the gradient vertical.
11. Save your file.

Step 4: add the jellyfish

1. Bring aquarium.psd forward. Go to the Channels palette. In there is an alpha channel I created which is essential a saved selection around the jellyfish.
2. Ctrl-click on the "jellyfish" channel (do not simple click on it). This loads the selection.
3. Use the Move tool to drag the jellyfish into their new ocean habitat on jellyfish.psd.
4. Position the new layer so that its top-left corner snaps into the top-right corner of the file.
5. Save the file.

Step 5: add sun rays

1. Press the D key to set the default foreground/background colors.
2. Create a new layer above the jellyfish.
3. Fill the layer with black (Alt-Backspace).
4. Apply the Render > Fibers filter. Set the Variance to 24, the Strength to 16, and click OK.
5. Blur the image with the Blur > Gaussian Blur filter. Set the Radius to 3 and click OK.
6. Blur the image again, but this time with Blur > Motion Blur. Set the Angle to 90, the Distance to 193, and click OK.
7. Set this layer to Screen mode.
8. Finally, distort the layer: Ctrl-T, right-click and select Distort. Pull the bottom.left edge to the left a little ways, and pull the bottom-right corner way out to the right.
9. Decrease the layer's opacity to about 50%.
10. Save your file and turn it in.

 

Source: Burt Monroy, PixelPerfect