Collage Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

Follow the step by step process below and try to recreate this awesome collage photo manipulation. Let’s get started! Step 1 – Create a new 8.5×11 document in Photoshop (Ctrl+N>Preset: U.S. Paper).

Step 2 – Place the background image (shutterstock_137585213) from the resources folder on top of the new document. Scale the image to a size just enough to fill the whole document.

Step 3 – Open another image (shutterstock_170568074) from the folder and isolate the man on a skateboard and make selection using Pen Tool (P). Place the isolated image on top of the background image.


Step 4 – Duplicate the skateboarder layer. (Layer>Duplicate Layer) or (Ctrl+J). Select the duplicated layer and set its blending mode to Overlay.


Here’s how it should look like.

Step 5 – While the duplicated layer is selected, go to Filter>Other>High Pass and set the radius to 4.5 pixels. The next thing we have to do is select both layers of the skateboarder and merge them (Layer>Merge Layers) or (Ctrl+E).



Step 6 – Using the pen tool, select the part of the skateboarder shown in the image below. Make selection and cut (Ctrl+X) it. Create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) and Paste In Place (Shift+Ctrl+V) the cut part on top of it.

Step 7 – Select the layer of the cut part and set its blending mode to Multiply and master Opacity to 45%.

Step 8 – We’ll kinda just repeat what we did in steps 6 and 7. Select the part of the skateboarder layer shown in the image below using pen tool, make selection, cut the selected part (Ctrl+X),  create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) and Paste In Place (Shift+Ctrl+V) the cut part on top of it. Set the cut part layer’s master Opacity to 76%.

Step 9 – Select the background image then go to Image>Adjustments>Curves (Ctrl+M). Pick a point then set the Input to 178 and Output to 88.

Step 10 – Place the wing image (shutterstock_140933794) from the resources folder on top of the document then Flip it horizontally (Edit>Transform>Flip Horizontal).

Step 11 – Divide and separate the wing image vertically so that we can individually manipulate each part.

Step 12 – Drag both wing image layers underneath all skateboarder layers. Set the blending mode of both wing image layers to Multiply. Using Free Transform (Ctrl+T),  rotate/resize and fix the position of both layers.



Here’s how they should look like depending  on the transformation we did.

Step 13  - The next thing we’d like to do is eliminate  the parts where the arms and the wings overlap. While the left wing layer is active, select the left arm of the skateboarder using pen tool (P), make selection, and press Delete. Repeat the steps for the right wing and arm.

Here’s the result

Step 14 – Place the cracked wall image (shutterstock_143259865) on top of the background image and set its blending mode to Multiply.


Step 15 – On top of all the current layers, place the flying birds image (shutterstock_154031132) and set its blending mode to Color Burn. Go to Image>Adjustments>Curves (Ctrl+M). Pick a point then set the Input to 89 and Output to 211.



Step 16 – Add splat images (Splat_201887173) on top of the document. Duplicate (Ctrl+J) the splat image layer three times then arrange them as seen on the image below. Adjust the Hue (Ctrl+U) of each duplicate and set their blending mode to Color Burn. Send some of the splat image layers above or underneath the skateboarder image.

Here’s the result:

Step 17 – Using the brush tool (B), we’re going to create four round brush splats of different colors. Create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) and create the round brush splats as seen on the image below. Set the round brush splats layer’s blending mode to Screen and master Opacity to 50%.


Here’s how it should look like

Step 18 – On top of all current layers, place the grain image (shutterstock_191743223) from the resources folder. Resize the grain image just enough that it fills the whole document and set its blending mode to Overlay. Erase some parts where the skateboarder’s body and the grain image overlaps using the eraser tool (E) in 40% Opacity.


Here’s the result

Step 19 – Place the dog image (shutterstock_106206842) on top of all current layers. Drop out the white background by doing the same thing we did on the skateboarder in Step 3 using the pen tool (P). Using again the pen tool (P), select the lower body of the dog image as seen on the image below and make selection. Cut the selected part of the dog image (Ctrl+X), create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N), and paste in place the cut part (Shift+Ctrl+V). Set the layer’s master Opacity to 38% then go to Image>Adjustments>Curves (Ctrl+M). Pick a point then set the Input to 187 and Output to 143.

Step 20 – Select the skateboarder layer and burn some parts using the burn tool (O) (Exposure: 30) as seen on the image below.

As of this step, our artwork is actually finished and the next steps are just optional.
Step 21 - Place the first snake image (shutterstock_89072905) on top of all current layers. Drop out the background by doing the same thing we did on the dog image using the pen tool (P). Resize (Ctrl+T) the snake image and position it as seen on the image below. Go to Image>Adjustments>Curves (Ctrl+M). Pick a point then set the Input to 87 and Output to 62. Burn some parts using the burn tool (O) (Exposure: 30) as seen on the image below.

Result

Step 22 - Place the second snake image (shutterstock_55631374) on top of all current layers. Drop out the background and crop the image using the pen tool (P). Flip it horizontally (Edit>Transform>Flip Horizontal). Resize (Ctrl+T) the snake image and position it as seen on the example below. Burn some parts using the burn tool (O) (Exposure: 30) as seen on the image below.

Step 23 - Place the crow image (shutterstock_104612966) on top of all current layers. Drop out the background using the pen tool (P). Flip it horizontally (Edit>Transform>Flip Horizontal). Resize (Ctrl+T) the crow image and position it as seen on the example below. Send the crow image underneath the red round brush splat layer. Go to Image>Adjustments>Curves (Ctrl+M). Pick two points then set the Input to 83 and Output to 66 to emphasize shadows and highlights.

Here again is the FINAL result
You may also view more works of Romel Belga on Behance or Shadowness.