Discover how to control perspective in your images and use the tools to conjure up a surreal scene
Create a new document and add the living room. Use the Free Transform Tool (Cmd/ Ctrl+T) and adjust the size of the photo. Create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N), set the foreground colour to white, use a Soft Round Brush (B) to make highlights and change the blend mode to Soft Light.
Now, let’s set the colour tone for the living room. Apply a Photo Filter adjustment layer, set to Warming Filter (85), and with 25% density. Enable the Preserve Luminosity option. Finally, duplicate the adjustment layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J).
Add a tablet and place it in the middle of the coffee table. To adjust the perspective, use the Free Transform Tool (Cmd/Ctrl+T), hold Cmd/Ctrl, click on the smaller squares and drag them until they follow the table’s perspective.
Create a new layer (Cmd/ Ctrl+Shift+N), use the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M), make a circle, paint it with #a28f8e (Alt+Del) and use the Free Transform Tool to rotate it until it follows the tablet’s edge. Apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur) set to 13.5px and change the blend mode to Multiply.
Create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N), and use the Pen Tool (P) to make a selection around the tablet’s screen, activate it (Alt+Enter), create a layer group (Cmd/Ctrl+G) and select Add Layer Mask. Finally, add ‘floor.jpg’ inside the folder and adjust the perspective as in step 3.
Let’s continue to work inside the layer group. Create a new layer, paint it with #ad634e (Alt+Del) and change the blend mode to Multiply. Finally, follow step 1 to create a highlight layer and place it on the centre of the court.
Add lines to the court and place it inside the group folder. Go to the 3D menu and select ‘New 3D Extrusion from Selected Layer’. First, set the Extrusion Depth to 0cm, then adjust the Perspective Angle using the Z, Y and X axis.
Add the basketball image, place it in the middle of the court, change the opacity to 80% and the blend mode to Multiply. Follow step 3 to adjust the perspective. Finally go to the adjustment layer menu, choose Levels (0, 1.00, 206), hold Cmd/Ctrl+Alt and link it to the ball layer.
Add players and place above the tablet. Activate the layer selection (Cmd/Ctrl-click on the layer thumbnail), apply a 2px feather (Shift+F6), invert the selection (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I), and press delete three times. Finally add ‘ball.jpg’ and place it in front of the previous ball.
Let’s start to set the players’ colour tone. Go to the adjustment layer menu, follow step 8 and link a Colour Balance layer set to -7, 0, 0, a Hue/Saturation layer set to 0, -11, 0 and a Brightness/Contrast layer set to 8, 0.
Follow step 5 and make a layer group with a mask in the shape of use the Pen Tool (P), draw the shape of the highlights, activate the selection (Alt+Enter) and paint it white (Alt+Del). Finally, apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur) set to 10px.
Follow step 5 and create a layer group with a mask in the shape of the court. Duplicate the players’ layer (Cmd/ Ctrl+J), place it inside the folder, flip it vertically (Edit>Transform>Flip Vertical), change the Opacity to 30% and use the Warp Tool (Edit>Transform>Warp) to adjust the shape.
Create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N) and set the Foreground colour to black. Then, use a Soft Round Brush (B) set to Size: 250 and 60% Opacity, to create the players’ shadow. Finally, change the blend mode to Soft Light.
Let’s start to create the basket. First add the Basket layer, go to the 3D menu and choose ‘New 3D Extrusion from Selected Layer’. Adjust the Extrusion Depth to -0.2cm and use the X, Y, Z Axis to rotate it until it’s at the same perspective as the court.
Now, add the layer structure from the basket stand. Follow the same procedure as the previous step to adjust the perspective and set the Extrusion Depth to 0.58cm. Finally, go to the Cap menu and adjust the Inflate Angle to 45.
To create the left basket, follow the same procedure as steps 14 and 15. As it’s facing forward, let’s also add the layer hoop to the basket. Set the Extrusion Depth to 0.1, go to the Materials menu and set Shine: 30% and Bump: 20%.
To make the baskets look real, let’s add a few highlights. Follow step 5 and create a layer group with a mask in the shape of the basket. Set the foreground colour to white, use the Brush Tool (B) to paint the top of the basket. Finally change the blend mode to Soft Light.
Now, add a lamp and blend it with the scene by applying the Feather command (step 9) set to 1px. Then, create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N), set the Foreground colour to white, use the Brush (B) and click on the lamps to create light.
Let’s enhance the details of the scene adding a few elements to the coffee table. Add a book and place it on the corner of the table. Then, follow step 3 and use the Free Transform Tool to adjust the perspective. Finally, follow step 13 to create the book’s shadow.
Add flowers and place it as shown in the image. Create a new layer, place it under the flowers, use the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M), draw a circle, set the Foreground colour to #683937 and paint it (Alt+Del). Finally apply a Motion Blur (Filter>Blur>Motion Blur) with the Angle set to 60 and Distance to 50px.
Let’s add another light detail to the scene. Create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N), set the foreground colour to black and paint the entire scene (Alt+Del). Then apply the Lens Flare filter (Filter>Render>Lens Flare) and adjust the light position as shown above. Finally, change the blend mode to Screen.
First, create a new layer and paint it black, just like the previous step. Change the blend mode to Soft Light and adjust the opacity to 20%. Then, go to the adjustment layer menu, use the Colour Lookup with the option 3Strip Look. Change the opacity to 60%.