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Select the background layer in the layers palette. Now choose the violet orange gradient from the gradient options bar after clicking on the gradient tool (‘G’). With the mode on linear, swipe half of the way down in the middle of the layer.

Now drag in that layer of the men with the moVe tool. Ctrl T + Shift to scale down to size so they cover up the width of the document.

Drag the new layer to the new layer icon to create a duplicate copy and then change the blending mode. Here I’ve decided on linear burn. This may change depending on what else I want to do. I use this technique all of the time. Creating a duplicate of a layer gives you more reliable pixel data to blend modes with each other versus applying one blending mode against an unreliable background light map.

Create a custom adjustment layer the way that I teach in Basic Photoshop by selecting the layer and then choosing Curves (here) from the pop-up menu on the bottom of the layers palette.

 Here you just want to add some more contrast to the layer so just make some simple adjustments as shown. Curves allow you to map different light and dark values across the layer (even on separate color channels).  Got advanced photoshop training?

In order to do layer masking and the method I teach; select the foreground to transparent (second from the left) gradient with black as the foreground color in the gradient option menu. You want to mask TO invisible or transparent pixels. Layer masking is covered in depth in the Basic Photoshop DVD Training.

Create another copy of the Men layer and keep it on normal. The two layers beneath it are on linear burn. If you can think fast enough; what I’m doing here is masking the lower portion of pixels with the gradient tool on the ‘Normal’ top duplicate layer to let the linear burn layer show through to create the whupass shadow effect (which I purposely decided to leave in when I selected the men in the first place). Here you are seeing the rubylith ( |\ ) which shows the masking job (also seen in the layer mask icon as black).

Note the placement of layers; the mountain range is underneath the layer of the roaming men. This is very basic yet very important...layer order and understanding layers are essential to any graphic design.

I’m changing the blend mode right now of the mountain layer. You see how quickly you can start to put together a design when you have an idea and some good source elements (combined with a great knowledge or training experience in Photoshop)!?

Now choose a bristly brush and increase the master diameter. Select the brush tool from the tools palette and then you can choose from the drop down menu in the options bar.

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