Image 5 : [Sky] - Frozen Swan

Original Photos

The Process

Start from an empty document.. and fill in with gradient. I choose these colors.

Then I add cloud photo and make it fit the layout.

Change the blend settings.

And add a moon.. select and remove the black area.

Select eliptical marquee tool.. change feather size to 30px.. and remove some area of the moon.

 

It will become like this..

Then use eraser to add more shades.. (by erasing some part of course.. reduce the opacity level first)

Now I add the swan.. 

Meanwhile, open splash water photo.. and select some portion of the splash area..

Paste it on to the swan, adjust the blending mode.. and began to wrap. Swan image used as a guideline. When I finish this part, I turn off the visibility of the swan photo..

And I can get an ice image of swan.. not so perfect but lets just continue to finish.. at first, it looks somewhat transparent so I duplicate the layer.. and add some liquify effect..

Then I add more splash photo..

..and adjust them until I satisfied with the effect.. I shift the moon slightly to the top.

I think the swan and splash effect conquered the space too much.. so I resize them a bit.

Then I add more skies..

..and give a hazy effect..

After that.. I add stars by using brush tool.. 

This can be selected from assorted brush option.. I enhance more the shape and size by adjusting brush tip settings.. Finally, do some touch ups..

 

Final Image

Frozen Swan

Story of the picture : There is one loving couple who has been cursed into a white swans. Many young lads would steal the glowing feather from the male swan that is said can produce a beautiful expensive robe. Not that long until the male swan become ill and died. The female swan cannot bear the loss. She then fly away up to the sky with grief. She lives alone in a misery and unhappiness. Everytime when she sing a sad and sorrowful song with painful tears, rain will fall down to the earth. It is learnt that during the full moon of winter season, the swan become frozen and the snow will drop down heavily.

image credit : clouds 1 | clouds 2 | water splash 1 | water splash 2 | water splash 3 | swan | moon |