Intro: Photo manipulation is always a fun to work on. In this Photoshop tutorial we will be creating an antique vintage sci-fi spy movie poster. This tutorial will cover a few important topics like using Two Point Prospective, Analyzing and creating DOF (Depth Of Field), Coloring with reference to the original image and few more important basics of Photo Manipulation.

Preview:

Tutorial Details:

Program: Adobe Photoshop CS5

Difficulty: Beginners, Intermediate.

Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour

Resources:

• City: City
• Model: Spy
• Texture: Texture 1 , Texture 2 , Wooden Wall , Old Paper
• Brushes: Rough Edges , plaster , grunge brush

Step 1:

Create a new canvas in Photoshop with resolution of Width=3840, Height=2160px.

Step 2:

1) Now import the image of the city which we will be working on.

2) For this image we need to draw a two point prospective to match the prospective of the ‘city                                           image’

-First take a building as reference on both sides and locate the vanishing points. Then complete the drawing of the prospective frame as shown using the Line Tool(U).

Step 3:

To create the flying effect for buildings, cut the buildings in the center as shown using the prospective lines as reference to get the perfect cut.

Step 4:

To create the base to the building select mask following the prospective and fill the selection with the colour #434142.

Step 5:

1)Now by using the Clone Stamp Tool(S) clone the sky to represent the sky behind the building which is being visible through the gap created in the building.

2) Similarly follow the steps 3,4,5 for the other buildings in the image as shown.

Step 6:

Now by using the prospective lines outline the boxes as shown to represent the flying geometrical blocks.

Step 7:

In this step we will be coloring the boxes matching the lighting in the image.

1)To make the job easy use the Eyedropper Tool(I) and select the colours on three sides of the first flying building to paint three sides of the box. i.e Paint the light source side with the colour #dbd4cc , side with #60686b and the bottom with colour #434142.

2)Similarly follow the above step to complete the coloring of the other blocks.

Step 8:

In this step we will create the shadow casting by the blocks on the buildings.

1)Naturally the shadow get smaller as the opaque surface move away from the casting surface, hence we need to draw two lines from the block as shown following the prospective to determine the height of the shadow ,then complete the mask for the shadow using the prospective lines and fill the selection with black colour.

2)Shadows have low opacity and blurred edges due to slight interference of light into the shadow.

-With the shadow layer selected reduce its Opacity  to 56%. Then add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 6.3px from Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur.

3)Similarly create shadows for other blocks as shown.

Step 9:

In this step we will create the depth of field.

1)Usually the objects that are far from the focus from the lens appear blurred. Since the flying triangular pyramid is assumed to be far from the current scene hence we need to add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 2.2px to maintain the depth of field in the image.

2)Similarly add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 0.9 to the flying block 2.

Step 10:

Using the previous steps create a block very close to the scene as shown.

Step 11:

Now since the city layout is completed ,we now proceed to complete the poster.

-Open a new canvas with Width=2169 and Height=2412px. And import the image we previously created onto the canvas and place it as shown.

Step 12:

Now create a Black and white Adjustment layer on top of all the layers to turn the image into black and white.

Step 13:

In this step we will be adding the character to the poster.

1)Cut the image of the spy from it’s background and place it on the poster as shown.

2)Now hide all the layers and save only the spy in .PNG format.

Step 14:

During the late 70’s and 80’s the movie poster used to be designed in vector format. Hence in this step we will be using Adobe Illustrator for turning the spy into vector.

1)Import the image spy.PNG into Illustrator and select ‘Detailed Illustration’ from ‘Live Trace’ drop down list.

2)After selecting the Detailed Illustration option set its Threshold=74 and Min Area=4px to get the following effect.

3)Then save the spy vector in .EPS format.

Step 15:

1)Now import the spy.EPS into photoshop and place it exactly on the spy image as shown.

2)Now select the mask in shape of the spy by holding the Ctrl key and clicking on the thumbnail of the original spy layer. After the mask is selected create a new layer under the vector spy layer and fill the mask with white colour to get the following effect.

Step 16:

In this step we will be creating a tie for the spy which is being blowed backwards.

1)Using the Brush Tool(B) draw a rough sketch of the tie as shown.

2)Now by using the Pen Tool(P) select the mask in shape of the tie and fill the selection with red coloour.

3)Now create some shadows on the tie in a new layer as shown to generate the fold effect.

4)With the red tie layer selected goto Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and set the Saturation Level=-30.

We had to do this because we are trying to create an old movie poster, so we need the colours to be desaturated.

Step 17:

In this step we are going to create an old and aged look to the poster.

1)Import the texture onto the poster we are creating and set its Blending Mode of the layer to Multiply and reduce the Opacity to 54%.

2) Similarly import another texture onto the poster and set its Blending Mode to Multiply and Opacity to 49%. Then using the Brightness/Contrast (Image>Adjustments>Brightness) increase the Brightness=77 and Contrast=29.

Step 18:

Using the Type Tool(T) with the Cortesia Font selected type the title ‘CITY SPY’ and arrange it as shown.

Step 19:

1) To create a retro look to the poster add a gradient with yellow and blue colours to the poster.

2)Now set the Blending Mode of the Gradient layer to Soft Light and reduce the Opacity to 33%.

Step 20:

Import the image of the wooden wall onto the canvas to represent the wall on which the poster is stuck.

Step 21:

1)Resize the poster using the Move Tool (V) to reveal some part of the wooden wall.

2)Create a slight shadow under the poster as shown to create the depth that the poster is really on the wall.

Step 22:

Using the Sticky Tape Brush add four tapes as shown to show that the tapes are holding the poster stuck on the wall.

Step 23:

Usually old and aged papers or posters doesn’t have good borders, hence we need to create rough and slightly torn edges to the poster.

1)Import the image of the Old paper with bad edges and place it on the poster as shown.

2)Then select the mask in the shape of the texture and cut the edges of the poster to get the required effect.

Final Output: