Full Wallpaper Tutorial

Follow the steps below & Click on the Thumbnails for full size images to guide you through the tutorial.

1. Open image & place onto a background - I used 1024x768 pixels

2. Duplicate image layer. Set - 'blending mode' -> screen

3. Filter -> Xero filter -> Supersmooth

You can download Xero's filters for free HERE

4. Duplicate that layer. Set 'blending mode' -> Screen

5. Filter ->artistic -> paint daubs

Settings: Brush size: 3 / Sharpness: 4 / Brush Type: Simple

Your image will then look like this ->

6. Open a texture : 'Blending mode' ->soft light

7. Pick colour and fill the background using the Bucket fill tool.

8. Lock all 3 image layers together.

9. Desaturate the bottom 2 image layers by: Image -> Adjustments -> Desaturate

 
Your image will then look something like this:-

10. Merge the 3 locked image layer together by: - Layer -> Merge Linked

11. Add layer mask to the now combined image layer & using chosen brush, erase the background of the image, so that it blends with the texture.

 
Your image will then look like this:-

12. On the texture layer - Add layer mask, then using a soft round brush, erase the parts of the texture over the face & any other areas where you don't want it.

13. Add more textures, again, adding layer masks, and erasing where you need to.

14. Add new adjustment layer: - Gradient Map.

Select a gradient to use - you can see which one I have chosen from the images on the left. I used a gradient from the 'Art' set from Oxoniensis

Then Fade the new gradient layer by setting : Fill: 69%

  

Your image will now look something like this:-

15. Above all your layers, add a new layer, Set 'blending mode'-> soft light

16. Pick out the eyes to give them more impact by using a small soft round brush. Here I used a shade of green to emphasise Willow's eyes.

17. Repeat the above process to emphasise the lips too. I used a shade of red.

Your image should now look something like this:-

18. On the layer mask of the Gradient Map layer, using a soft brush with opacity at about 50% - brush in one movement. This will lighten her face slightly.

19. Add stock pictures and/or brushes to finish off.

Adjust the blending modes & opacity as desired for them. Add text if you want to.

20. End result.