This tutorial will show you how to create your own glorious siren, reflecting the beauty and vigor of the beast, and bringing it firmly into the present digital age.

In addition, we’ll reveal how to create your very own water splash techniques using only Photoshop, and you’ll learn how to customize brushes that are essential to this effect’s success. You’ll also explore specific blending modes, layer masks, the Photo filter and Adjustments treatment to show you how to integrate imagery and create optimum realism.

As part of this composite, we’ve used a variety of images from Stock Exchange ( www.sxc.hu ). Once you’re finished this tutorial, we’re certain you’ll really be making creative waves!

Download Tutorial Files : Mermaid Tutorial Files (5163)

Step 1

OK, lets get started. Begin by opening ‘gymnast.jpg’ that you just downloaded then grab the Rectangle Marquee tool. Right-click and select Color Range. Select the highlighted areas of your model with the Color Picker and then set the Fuzziness level to 200 Click OK and select the Channels palette, activating the Save Selection as Channel icon.

Step 2

This will create a new Alpha layer. Press Ctrl-D, and then select a hard-edged white brush and paint in all the detail you wish to keep. Use a black brush to paint out all the detail you don’t want. Utilise the ZOOM function to get in really close and be precise. Once you’re satisfied, Ctrl/Apple-click your Alpha Channel and select your Layers palette.

Step 3

Copy > Paste your model into a new document. Clean up the edges if necessary. Now we need to make our figure’s dry skin seem slick, so start by selecting the Channels palette and duplicating the Blue channel. With this copy layer active, press Ctrl+M, activating the Curves dialog box. Now steepen the curve as above.

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