The benefits of using PixelSquid and design-ready objects allows for a fast and flexible workflow. There are two time-consuming problems with Photoshop compositing. The first is finding imagery at the right angle, with the right light, and at the right quality…

Being fans of science fiction the goal with this image is to create something epic, while paying homage to some of our favorite artists like Chris Foss, David René Christensen, Matthew Borrett, John Harris, Peter Elson, and newer talents like Pascal Blanché, Sparth and more—All incredible artists and imagery.

Now that we have the inspiration and the mood board, it is time to start the visual development process and sketch out some thumbnails. We used Procreate on my iPad to sketch out some ideas, put down some quick color, and then choose a final concept to use.

It is usually efficient to start your image off with a base, or a “plate.” This is an image that contains a chunk of the elements that your image needs. For this image, we used a panorama of the Shinjuku train station while on a vacation to Tokyo.

Using Adobe Photoshop and the image and tool resources, this is where the magic begins to happen. Import, mask, and dial in each individual element so it “fits” into the image seamlessly is the goal.

When building up the layers, it is important to remember to work in broad strokes. You can’t start doing all the details if you don’t have a solid base construction for your composition. Get the structure for the entire image first.

In this chapter, it’s time to get into the details. Using the photo reference from Adobe Max 2016, we can build a panorama and comp them to my image. Setting the layer mode to screen drops out all the dark pixels and leaves just the bright ones.

Now it’s time to focus on the main building and give it some attention to really make it pop. Using the building itself, we converted it into a mask layer, then copy and paste it into a layer mask. This allows us to quickly add in the lights to give it life.

Let’s build up more depth by focusing on the foreground elements. Having multiple visual planes helps to provide a more vast and immersive concept. This is where you’ll use Pixel Squid to bring in some Cargo and even build a Sci-Fi truck with a driver!

Once you have your composition and elements put together and you feel like you are done—you are not. This is where you bring that extra 10% of the sauce and polish by using color grading, sharpening, and filter effects to really make your image pop.