Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop

Step 1

Open the original ice background image in Photoshop. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1

Step 2

Create adjustment layers for background by clicking Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Settings

icon in the bottom menu of the Layers Palette and choose Hue/Saturation
and Levels. Adjustment layers allow you to correct layer setting
non-destructively. In order to apply adjustments only for the base layer
(background layer in this case), create clipping masks. Select
adjustment layers (make them active), right click > choose "Create
Clipping Mask". Apply setting for each adjustment layer like on the
examples below. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-1

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-1

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-2

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-3

Step 3

Group background layer with adjustment layers and duplicate the
created group. To group several layers, select them and click small
"folder" Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Folder

icon. Merge the duplicated group. Apply Surface filter to the merged layer, go to Filter > Blur > Surface Blur. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-3_

Step 4

Choose Screen Blending Mode for the blurred layer and Opacity 90%. Add Layer Mask Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Mask

and touch it with large soft brush in the right part of the image. To
make ellipse brush, change settings in the Brushes settings palette. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-4

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-4

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-5

Step 5

Add Levels adjustment layer, create clipping mask from it and make blurred layer lighter using following settings. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-6

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-6

Step 6

Insert another ice texture Menu > File > Insert. Go to Edit
> Transform > Flip Vertical and Flip Horizontal. Choose Polygonal
Lasso Tool and click in the ice contour area to set the starting
point. Continue clicking around marked red area to set endpoints for
subsequent segments. To close the selection border click over the
starting point. Find Refine Edge option in the selection tool options
bar to improve the quality of a selection’s edges. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-7

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-7

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-8

Step 8

To extract selected ice area click Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Mask

"Add Layer Mask" icon. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-9

Step 9

Add adjustment clipping masks to the "Ice" layer – "Gradient Map" and
"Levels", use the same way just like in the previous steps with the
background layer. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-10

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-10

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-11

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-12

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-13

Step 10

Insert frog image. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-14

Step 11

Select frog silhouette with Polygonal Lasso Tool. Correct selection using Refine Edge settings. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-15

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-15

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-17

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-16

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Step 12

Copy selected frog shape and paste it into a new layer – "frog shape"
on the screen shot. Duplicate original frog layer. Make one of the
duplicates invisible(original frog layer will be needed in the future
steps), and make second one black & white. We will keep black and
white layer to save shadow effect from the original image -"
frog_bl&wh_shadow" layer on the screen shot. To make layer
monochrome, go to Image > Adjustments > Black and White. In order
to hide white background, apply Multiply Blending Mode and Opacity 75%. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-19

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-19

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-18

Step 13

Add Cyan shade to the black & white layer, use Photo Filter Clipping Mask. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-20

Step 14

To improve frog’s shape contour and mask small defects add Inner glow effect with following setting. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-21

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-21

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-22

Step 15

This step is very similar to the "Step 9". In order to create blue
skin effect, add "Gradient Map" clipping mask with colors like on the
image below. Apply Opacity 96% to the clipping mask. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-23

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-23

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-24

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-25

Step 16

Touch "Gradient Map" Layer Mask with large translucent and soft Brush Tool. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-26

Step 17

Find the original frog layer, load selection for the eyes area, copy
and paste it above blue skin layers. Apply "Underwater" Photo Filter
Clipping Mask to the eyes. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-27

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-27

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-28

Step 18

Make eyes shinier in marked areas with Dodge Tool, use soft brush. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-29

Step 19

Make frog sharper and glossier. Return to the original frog layer
again. Load selection for the frog silhouette. To load selection you may
use is already extracted frog shape, just Command/Ctrl + click blue
frog layer thumbnail. Copy selected frog shape in the original layer and
paste it above of all frog layers. Apply High Pass Filter to this
layer. Go to Filter > Other > High Pass. Apply Overlay effect to
created layer. Add Layer Mask to the layer by clicking Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Mask

icon. Fill Mask with black color and process marked areas with soft white brush like on the screen shot. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-31

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-31

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-30

Step 20

Open frog’s mouth image and erase the background around the mouth.
Duplicate mouth shape, we will use one of the copy to create the tongue. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-32

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-32

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-33

Step 21

Go to Edit > Transform > Rotate, rotate the mouth a bit, then use Free Transformation to stretch it by vertical. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-34

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-34

Step 22

Change the shape of the mouth with Warp Transformation. Edit >
Transform > Warp. Correct the mouth contour in the Layer Mask with
small brush or just use Eraser Tool.

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-35

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-35

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-36

Step 23.

Lighten some areas with Dodge Tool to make good balance between a skin tone and a mouth. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-37

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-37

Step 24

Add following adjustment Clipping Masks to the mouth. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-38

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-39

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-41

Step 25

In order to leave the mouth pink and create smooth blending effect,
touch layer mask of the Hue/Saturation balance with soft black Brush
Tool. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-40

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-40

Step 26

Group frog layers except mouth, duplicate the group and merge it.
Erase the all area around bottom lip and place it above mouth layer. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-42

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-42

Step 27

Transform a lip using Warp Transformation, use very similar method as for mouth transformation. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-43

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-43

Step 28

Erase small defects and outstanding contours. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-44

Step 29

Make active original mouth layer. Select the tongue area, copy and paste it into a new layer. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-45

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-45

Step 30

Go to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal, then transform it like on the screen shot and stretch by length. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-46

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-46

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-47

Step 31

Apply Warp Transformation to the tongue shape. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Box

Step 32

Improve tongue silhouette with Liquify Filter. Filter > Liquify.
Choose Forward Warp Tool and use different brushes sizes for different
parts of the tongue. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-49

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-49

Step 33

Adjust Color Balance. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-50

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-51

Step 34

We need to create a texture for the tongue. I used a frog skin
texture. Arrange skin over the tongue shape and apply Smart Sharpen
Filter – Filter > Sharpen > Smart sharpen. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-52

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-52

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-53

Step 35

Make texture black and white, Go to Image > Adjustments > Black
& White. Create clipping mask from created texture, right click
layer thumbnail and choose "Create Clipping Mask". Apply Overlay
blending mode and Opacity 90% to the clipping mask. Erase small
(selected on the screen shot) areas to make a structure more natural. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-54

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-54

Step 36

Load selection for the tongue layer and fill it wit any color in a
new layer. Adjust Fill = 0% and apply Bevel and Emboss effect. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-55

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-55

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-56

Step 37

Merge tongue layers and process green marked area on the screen shot with Burn Tool to make shadow effect. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-57

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-57

Step 38

Copy a tip of the tongue and paste it into a new layer, move a little
bit left, load selection for the original tongue layer and cut out
selected area from the copied tip, move reflection layer again, just
leave very small space between tongue and reflection. Apply Opacity 44%
to reflection layer. Then repeat the previous actions and create the
second reflection layer, but apply Multiply Blending Mode and erase
dashed area on the screen shot with smooth brush. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Box

Step 39

Insert dragonfly image: File > Insert, rotate it. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Box

Step 40

Apply Multiply Blending Mode to this layer and Opacity 70% (1). Add
"Gradient Map" clipping mask with the same colors as for the frog’s blue
skin (2). Create Layer Mask for the dragonfly layer and fill it with
linear black and white gradient (3). Load selection for created Layer
Mask – Command/Ctrl + click Mask thumbnail and inverse it, go to Select
> Inverse. Keep selection, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur
(4) and apply settings like on the screen shot below. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Box

Step 41

Insert mosquito image, apply Multiply Blending Mode, and add
adjustment "Photo Filter" clipping Mask. In order to dip insect to the
ice, create layer mask for the mosquito layer and process it with
translucent Brush Tool (use brush Opacity around 10 – 15%). Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Box

Step 42

To dip frogs into the ice, use similar method. Insert image, make white background cleaner using Levels adjustments. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-67

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-67

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-68

Step 43

Apply Multiply Blending Mode to hide white background, play with
Opacity, change color balance using the same Gradient Map as for blue
skin and dragonfly layer. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-69

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-69

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-70

Step 44

Besides "Gradient map" and Multiply Blending Mode, apply Gaussian blur filter for the far frogs. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-71

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-71

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-72

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-73

Step 45

Merge all frog layers except "shadow layer" and duplicate merged
layer twice. Place duplicated layers under the original frog layer.
Apply Filter > Distort > Glass filter to the both of duplicates,
you may find settings in the screen shot below. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Box

Step 46

In order to create reflection, move one layer upside down, go to Edit
> Transform > Flip Vertical. Move this layer down, add layer mask
and fill it with black color. Choose large soft white brush and erase a
spot like on the screen shot. Apply Flip Horizontal transformation to
the second duplicate and move it left. Try to join tongue tips of the
original frog and reflection. Add Layer Mask to this layer too. Fill it
with linear black and white gradient like on the example below. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-74

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-74

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-75

Step 47

Merge all layers. Go to Filter > Distort > Lens Correction and
apply Vignette effect. Duplicate this layer, go Image > Adjustments
> Equalize. Apply Soft Light Blending Mode and Opacity 12%. Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-77

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-77

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop 1-78

Final Image

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop Frog_600

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