In this tutorial we will create a cool underwater scene with a big fish. We will use some basic selection tools and adjustments to achieve a great result.

Preview of Final Results

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Create a new document 2150x4187px.

image003

Step 2

Open file “Sky” and select all (Ctrl + A). Copy all (Ctrl + C) and paste into our document (Ctrl + V). Press Ctrl + T to Free Transform and position the document like shown below.

image004

Step 3

Open file “Sky” and using the Elliptical Marquee Tool make a selection of the moon.

image005

Step 4

Copy and paste it into our document. Press Ctrl + T to Free Transform the moon like in the image below. Change the layer blend mode to Overlay.

image006

Step 5

Double-click the moon layer to enter Advanced Blending options and add the following styles to make the moon look more realistic.

image007

Step 6

Duplicate the moon layer by pressing Ctrl + J and Ctrl-click on the layer to make a selection of the moon. Fill this selection with black (with black as foreground color press Alt + Backspace) and apply a 250px Gaussian Blur. Change the layer blend mode to Multiply and lower the Opacity to 23%.

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Step 7

Add a Curves Adjustment layer and change the Blue and Red channel as shown below. This step will add a nice blue hue to the image.

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Step 8

In this step we will create the rainbow. Create a new layer and using the Rectangular Marquee Tool create a selection like shown below.

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Step 9

Select the Gradient Tool (G) and in the upper toolbar double-click to open the gradient editor.

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Step 10

To replicate a rainbow colors add the following colors in the gradient editor: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, magenta. When you are finished press OK.

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Step 11

Hold Shift and drag with the Gradient Tool in the selection you created at step 8. Press Ctrl + D to deselect and proceed to next step.

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Step 12

Use the Eraser tool to erase the margins of the gradient and apply a 20px Gaussian Blur.

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Step 13

With the rainbow layer selected press Ctrl + T to enter Free Transform. Right-click on the rainbow and choose Warp. From the upper drop down menu select Arch.

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Step 14

You can see the results of our transformation below. Now it starts to look like a real rainbow.

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25 responses to “Create an Underwater Scene of a Giant Goldfish in Photoshop”

  1. Joshua Gragas! Avatar
    Joshua Gragas!

    I hate you!
    -Joshua Gragas

  2. harold Avatar
    harold

    alguno de los tutoriales estan en video para mi es mejor en video gracias

  3. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    I would definitely be interested in getting that set!Thanks for sharing.

  4. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    This is really fantastic. The unlimited access makes it even better 

  5. Peter Demel Avatar
    Peter Demel

    Fantastic idea. I especially like the water surface.

  6. UnS3eN Avatar
    UnS3eN

    Either I’m blind and don’t see what happened to the “ripples” layers after Step 25 or there are steps missing. There’s no way they go from the jagged-edged difference render to smooth realistic ripples by just blending the edge in with a brush. Clearly there is more manipulation needed to make that layer looks like it does in Step 26.

  7. Crinn Avatar
    Crinn

    What’s the point of having the already-completed project available for download? I can’t access DeviantArt and would love it if the zip file just contained the images and brushes so that I can actually DO the project. Thanks

  8. Emily BOONE Avatar
    Emily BOONE

    hi

  9. Ana Avatar
    Ana

    Tutorial is great. It helps me so much. Thanks

  10. Fiyana Mariya Avatar
    Fiyana Mariya

    You are awesome.
    Thank you so much.

  11. Roy Avatar
    Roy

    nice work guys…….. its awesome

  12. abdo Avatar
    abdo

    Hi
    I reached the point where i should get a nice ripply light on the bottom of the sea .. i did everything just the way it was illustrated but all i get is this ..
    http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l567/abdelrahman11/abdelrahmans%20album%202/194081.jpg
    what should i do ?

    1. Mamith Avatar
      Mamith

      Don’t you See the next pages

  13. ferobanjo Avatar
    ferobanjo

    I like It. Good Job. Thanx

  14. David Whang Avatar
    David Whang

    You are awesome.
    Thank you so much.

  15. selphpoetic Avatar
    selphpoetic

    The best tutorials!

  16. Gurpreet Avatar
    Gurpreet

    Sir need can you send pictures in zip file? My email is .

    1. Gurpreet2 Avatar
      Gurpreet2

      What is it>>???

  17. Malvakai Avatar
    Malvakai

    TRYING to learn the basics, here bro.

    The eye was not hidden. I know to check that much.

    An explanation WHY something works is how a lot of people learn, not just me. I wasn’t complaining or blaming, just wishing there was more to it.

    1. riper Avatar
      riper

      OK I’m ****ing sorry about that bro

  18. Malvakai Avatar
    Malvakai

    I wish you could say WHY certain things are done (so I can understand when I might need to use them in the future) and so I can understand what the outcome is supposed to look like.

    For instance… I don’t understand why we need a layer mask in Step 18 and why we are painting in white over the top of it…

    Since it doesn’t seem to want to let me do it as stated (I get an error, “Could not use the brush tool because the target layer is hidden”), I have no idea what the outcome is supposed to be and can’t figure out how to get to the next step without just skipping Step 18.

    1. riper Avatar
      riper

      your fault for not knowing the basics. Dont blame the tutorial bro. You can’t paint because your layer is hidden. Click on the EYE icon. Layer mask is like a mask to show\hide what is visible on the layer.

  19. paradox11111 Avatar
    paradox11111

    This is so beautiful but please tell me, do I really have to pay for those images? :(

    1. riper Avatar
      riper

      no you dont because sxc is a free site

  20. photoshop tutorial Avatar
    photoshop tutorial

    wow…an amazing photoshop tutorial about create a rainbow.

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