How to Create a Flying Angel Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

Feb 11, 2025

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Create this angelic photo manipulation using Smart Filters and drawing techniques! This tutorial will show you how to create a dramatic cloud background, add glowing wings to an angel, and add some particles.

Preview of Final Results

Tutorial Resources

Dark clouds ahead– Free Images
A slow fall– mjranum-stock
Wing PNG 1– evelivesey

Step 1

Start by creating 1416×1416 px image. These are dimensions of cd cover.

Step 2

Paste “Dark clouds ahead” stock

Step 3

Add new adjustments layer (menu Layer > New adjustment Layer) with brightness/contrast. Set it:

Now background is too dark. For fix it you should draw mask. Choose mask layer, beside adjustment. Take a 360px soft, rounded brush and draw gently by right side of picture. My results of masking

How should it looks:

Step 4

Still background isn’t well. Add new adjustments layer with brightness/contrast. Set it:

Step 5

Now you should add some lights on background. Add new layer. With the same brush and #f46307 color draw, where you want to show lights.

Then you should blur it. Choose from menu Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur. Set 125px.

Change this layer mode to Soft Light and change opacity to 80%. Yay, you are awesome! :)

Step 6

It’s time to model! Paste “A slow fall stock” and mask it.

Step 7 – drapery

But what with this awesome silk material? Here’s the trick! Choose 38 px soft brush and change opacity of it to 40%. Then draw gently on lighter parts of material, but remember: try to use different opacity and size. On folds, opacity should be smaller.

Step 8

Now prepare model to particles. With Rough round bristle black brush on mask draw some on the edge of material.

Results for this moment:

Step 9

On layer with model add adjustment layer with color balance. (Right Click on Adjustment layer > Create clipping mask)

At adjustment layer draw mask. Orange light goes from right side of picture. Follow this tip :). My mask:

Result of masking

Step 10

We’ll start making wings. Under the model layer paste first wing. Transform it free and in perspective.

Step 11

Do the same with second wing.

Step 12

Now press ctrl and choose layers with the wings. Then Click Right Mouse Button and from menu choose Convert to smart object.

Step 13

From menu choose Filter > Filter gallery. From menu choose Stylize > Glowing edges.

18 responses to “How to Create a Flying Angel Photo Manipulation in Photoshop”

Coco

October 23, 2019

Thanks for your tutorial but the 3rd stock photo is broken! Any mirror???

Reply
1. Photoshop Tutorials Staff
  
  October 23, 2019
  
  Fixed! Thank you for letting us know!
Irina

September 26, 2015

Thank you for the lesson. It was very interesting to work with the “hand” and I enjoyed working on “Wings” Each piece of lesson is a masterpiece . Step 39 is beautiful. I tried, it’s my work http://j-p-g.net/if/2015/09/26/0380636001443278656.jpg

Reply
1. Tyler
  
  March 13, 2021
  
  👍
neelam

January 26, 2015

simply woow !!!!!!!

Reply
Maidul Islam

October 17, 2014

awesome and unique collection of sequence photography i love it.
Thank for sharing.

Reply
Pranjali Gupta

April 21, 2014

the steps are incomplete…

Reply
Pukhto Khan

March 1, 2014

Amazing Tut. Thanks a lot for great sharing!

Reply
Butch

February 26, 2014

Great job I have learned a lot from your tutorial. Thank you so very much.Shading has always eluded me, but you made it seen so easy.

Reply
Butch

February 26, 2014

Great job I have learned a lot from your tutorial. Thank you so very much.

Reply
leinov

February 25, 2014

so nice
i come here everyday
wanna learn more skills

Reply
Devon

February 18, 2014

I disagree, her English is fine. However, she should be more clear with some instructions. I mean, for example you tell people to add an adjustment layer or transform it. Sure, most of us know that but some don’t. You need to tell us where to find it in brackets like this: (Cmd+T or Edit\Transform).

Reply
steve

February 16, 2014

Sorry but it is just impossible to understand what your saying in English as it makes no sense.

Reply
Weronika

February 15, 2014

Powiedzcie jak zrobić photoschop? Bo ja nie wiem jak zrobić photoschop.

Reply
vivek arora

February 13, 2014

very interesting

Reply
Anonymous

February 13, 2014

I love this design it’s really unusual and original
it symbolises hope and death and matches my personality]
please can you make some more pictures like this
love you lots like jelly tots
smithy blue

Reply
Anonymous

February 11, 2014

Very nice
Thank you!

Reply
ahmad sabil

February 11, 2014

pingin ngganti foto provil

Reply