How to Create a Simple Composite in Photoshop

▶ Download the 4 sample images and PDF guide for this tutorial (free with a PHLEARN account): phlearn.com/tutorial/simple-composite-photoshop/

Learn how to create a fun, surreal composite in Photoshop, combining jellyfish, a starry night sky, and galaxy light effects using nothing more advanced than screen blend mode, layer masks, and a few filters.

Aaron blends jellyfish into a night sky with screen blend mode, tucks them behind the tree line with a Color Range selection turned into a layer mask, adds motion blur to match the long-exposure star trails, warps the stars behind the jellyfish with Liquify, screens in galaxy nebula images for a glowing light source, adds a tent for scale and foreground interest, then pulls it all together with a custom gradient map and a layer of grain.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Creating a simple composite in Photoshop
01:23 Adding jellyfish with a screen blend layer mask
08:05 Placing jellyfish behind the trees
10:19 Adding motion blur to match the stars
11:16 Warping stars behind jellyfish with Liquify
12:26 Adding galaxy light effects inside each jellyfish
17:07 Adding a tent for foreground scale
19:35 Bringing colors together with a gradient map
20:43 Adding grain to unify the composite

THE STEPS
1. Drag your subject onto the background and add a layer mask to hide hard edges
2. Change the blend mode to Screen so only the light areas show
3. Duplicate, flip, and warp copies to build out your composition
4. Use Select, then Color Range on the background to build a mask that tucks your subject behind foreground elements
5. Add Motion Blur to match existing motion in the background
6. Use Liquify's Bloat tool on a duplicate background layer for a warped, otherworldly look
7. Screen in extra images (galaxies, light sources) for glow and color
8. Add a foreground element for scale, clipped with a Hue/Saturation layer to adjust its color
9. Finish with a custom gradient map and a soft-light grain layer to unify everything

Get the full step by step breakdown here: phlearn.com/tutorial/simple-composite-photoshop/

Go deeper with the PHLEARN PRO course “How to Create an Epic Composite: A Dark Force (2026 Edition)”: phlearn.com/tutorial/create-an-epic-composite-a…

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#Photoshop #PhotoCompositing #DigitalArt