Creating Dinosaur Manipulation with virtual Reality in Photoshop

In today’s digital age, creating visually stunning advertisements is crucial for capturing the attention of your audience. Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the most exciting technologies, and designing an advertisement for a VR headset can be a thrilling challenge. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the process of creating an eye-catching VR advertising design using Adobe Photoshop. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced designer, this step-by-step guide will help you master the art of photo manipulation and create a professional-quality advertisement.

Introduction to the Project

The main idea behind this design is to convey the immersive experience of using a VR headset. The goal is to blend reality (a person sitting on a couch in their room) with the virtual world (a jungle with dinosaurs). This contrast between the real and virtual worlds will emphasize the immersive nature of VR technology.

Tools You’ll Need:

• Adobe Photoshop: Any recent version will work, but having access to advanced tools like the Select Subject tool and Generative Fill will be beneficial.
• Stock Images: You’ll need images of a jungle, a dinosaur, a room, and a person. These can be sourced from stock photo websites or provided in the tutorial’s resources.
• Brushes: Soft and hard brushes for masking, painting highlights, and creating effects.

Step 1: Setting Up the Canvas

1. Create a New Document: Start by opening Photoshop and creating a new document with a 4K canvas size (3840×2160 pixels). This ensures your design is high-resolution and suitable for digital advertising.
2. Import the Background Image: The first image you’ll work with is the jungle background. Import the image into your canvas and flip it horizontally to position the large tree on the right side of the canvas. Adjust the size and position to fit the canvas.
3. Masking the Background: Use a soft brush to mask parts of the jungle image. This will help you blend the jungle with the room later in the design. The goal is to create a seamless transition between the two worlds.

Step 2: Color Correction and Balancing

1. Color Balance Adjustment: To create a cohesive color palette, add a Color Balance adjustment layer. Focus on creating a contrast between cyan and orange tones, which are complementary colors and work well together. Adjust the midtones, shadows, and highlights to achieve the desired effect.
2. Curves Adjustment: Next, add a Curves adjustment layer to darken the background slightly. This will help the dinosaur (which will be added later) stand out more. Use a soft brush to mask the bright areas, ensuring the dinosaur will contrast well with the background.

Step 3: Adding the Dinosaur

1. Selecting the Dinosaur: Open the dinosaur image in a new Photoshop document. Use the Select Subject tool to isolate the dinosaur from its background. Once selected, duplicate the dinosaur layer and convert it into a Smart Object for non-destructive editing.
2. Positioning the Dinosaur: Drag the dinosaur into your main canvas and position it in the center. Adjust the background to create a contrast between the bright areas and the dark silhouette of the dinosaur.
3. Color Correcting the Dinosaur: Use a Curves adjustment layer to darken the dinosaur and match its colors to the background. Add a Color Balance adjustment layer to tweak the colors, ensuring the dinosaur blends seamlessly with the jungle.

Step 4: Creating Depth with Foreground Elements

1. Adding Plants: To create depth in your design, add foreground elements like plants. Use the Color Range tool to select and mask the plants from their background. Position them in the foreground, ensuring they are darker and less contrasted than the midground and background elements.
2. Color Correction for Foreground Elements: Use a Curves adjustment layer to darken the plants and shift their colors to match the overall color scheme. This will help maintain a consistent look throughout the design.

Step 5: Incorporating the Room and the Person

1. Adding the Room: Import the image of the room into your canvas. Use the Generative Fill tool to remove any unwanted elements (like a person) and expand the canvas to fit the design. Adjust the lighting to create a subtle source of light that doesn’t overpower the scene.
2. Color Grading the Room: Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to shift the room’s colors to a more teal tone. This will create a dynamic contrast with the orange tones in the jungle and dinosaur.
3. Adding the Person: Import the image of the person into your canvas. Use the Select Subject tool to isolate the person and refine the edges using a soft brush. Position the person in the room, ensuring they look like they’re interacting with the VR environment.
4. Color Correcting the Person: Use a Curves adjustment layer to darken the shadows and increase the contrast. Add a Color Balance adjustment layer to match the person’s colors with the room and the overall design.

Step 6: Painting Highlights and Shadows

1. Adding Rim Lights: To enhance the realism of the design, paint rim lights on the person and the dinosaur. Use a solid color adjustment layer with a greenish tone and set the blending mode to Screen. Paint the highlights on the edges of the objects to simulate light coming from the environment.
2. Creating Shadows: Add shadows to the person and the dinosaur to ground them in the scene. Use a soft brush to paint shadows on the floor and around the objects, ensuring they align with the light sources in the design.

Step 7: Final Touches and Effects

1. Adding Smoke Effects: To enhance the transition between the dinosaur and the foreground plants, add a smoke overlay. Use a soft brush to mask the smoke and adjust its opacity to create a subtle effect.
2. Painting Eye Highlights: Add highlights to the dinosaur’s eyes using a solid color adjustment layer with a saturated orange tone. This will draw attention to the dinosaur and create a focal point in the design.
3. Final Color Grading: Use the Camera Raw Filter to apply final color grading to the entire design. Adjust the sliders to enhance the contrast, saturation, and overall mood of the advertisement.

Conclusion

Creating an eye-catching VR advertising design in Photoshop is a rewarding process that combines technical skills with creative vision. By following this step-by-step tutorial, you’ve learned how to blend reality with virtual elements, create depth, and apply advanced color correction techniques. Remember, the key to mastering photo manipulation is practice. Experiment with different images, color schemes, and effects to develop your unique style.

If you’re looking to take your photo manipulation skills to the next level, consider enrolling in advanced courses that cover more complex techniques and workflows. With dedication and creativity, you can create stunning advertisements that captivate your audience and bring your ideas to life.

Watch Complete Tutorial here