Module 1 Exercise: Compositing 01 (Surreal Landscape)

In-Class Guided Workshop

In this guided session, we will explore the vast libraries of free, high-quality stock assets available to creators. You will curate your own set of images and combine them into a cohesive, surreal composite using non-destructive editing techniques.

Finished Example

Supporting Documents

Table of Contents

• Step 1 - Finding Assets

• Step 2 - Non-Destructive Compositing

• Step 3 - Blending and Atmosphere

• Resources

• Technical Specifications

• Deliverables

• Evaluation

Step 1: The Asset Hunt (10 Minutes)

Before opening Photoshop, use the Resources section below to locate and download high-resolution images. Do not just right-click and "Save As"—download the full size.

• 1 Background: Find a landscape with a clear horizon line.

• 1 Subject: Find a central object (statue, animal, person) that contrasts with your background.

• 1 Texture: Find a grunge, paper, or light leak texture from TextureLabs.

Step 2: Non-Destructive Compositing

We will work together to combine these assets using the following workflow:

• Selections: Using the Object Selection Tool and Select & Mask workspace to isolate your Subject.

• Layer Masks: Hiding the background of your subject without deleting pixels.

• Smart Objects: Converting layers before resizing to maintain quality.

Step 3: Blending & Atmosphere

• Blend Modes: We will drop your Texture layer on top and cycle through "Overlay" or "Soft Light" to weather your image.

• Adjustment Layers: Adding a "Color Lookup" or "Curves" adjustment layer to unify the color palette of your disparate images.

Resources

Explore these repositories to build your composite:

• The Landscape (Choose One): Mountains · Sky · Desert

• The Subject (Choose One): Person · Animal · Statue

• The Texture (Required): TextureLabs (Use the 'Atmosphere' or 'Grunge' categories)

• Secondary Elements (Optional): Trees · Birds

Technical Specs & Deliverables

Technical Specifications

• Canvas Size: 1920 x 1080 pixels (Landscape).

• File Format: Submit each of the following:

  • Original PSD document (Photoshop file) &

  • Exported JPG or PNG

• Organization: Your working PSD must contain named layers and at least one Folder/Group.

Deliverables

Submit the following:

1. Final Composited Image (JPEG/PNG).

2. Screenshot of Layers Panel (Proof of non-destructive masking).

Evaluation Criteria (15 pts)

• Selection Quality (5 pts) Subject is isolated cleanly using Layer Masks (no Eraser tool).

• Blending & Integration (5 pts) Texture is blended effectively using Modes (not just lowered opacity). Color looks unified.

• Asset Exploration (5 pts) Student successfully sourced high-res assets from the provided libraries (no low-res Google Images).