surreal technique

[karim_omran]

hello, how can i achieve the surreal look like this image

http://www.photo.net/photo/5208966

first the colors, is it playing with color balance?

second the texture pattern, where can i find like these, and how to blend them

in a smooth way?

thanks a lot :)

[emre]

That is basically a painting that started out as a photograph. If you have to ask how to do it you are not ready. These books will save you a lot of stumbling around though:

 

Creating Photomontages with Photoshop: A Designer's Notebook (Designers Notebook) by William Rodarmor

 

Secrets of Award-Winning Digital Artists: Creative Techniques and Insights for Photoshop, Painter and More by Jeremy Sutton, Daryl Wise, and Peter Max

 

You can find textures all over the Web. If you want them to blend in with the picture you have to use layer masks, low opacities, and appropriate blending modes.

[jim_gupta_carlson]

"That is basically a painting that started out as a photograph. If you have to ask how to do it you are not ready. These books will save you a lot of stumbling around though:"

 

Let's cut the elitism.

[gary evans]

Jim, I would hardly call Emre an "elitist". He's always helpful to newbs. I think his point was - to do it well, you need to have some skill in PS, in other words, if you can't figure it out on your own, you probably don't have the skills to do a good job with it yet, even if someone gives you a recipe.

 

He then proceeds to recommend some books to help the poster learn.

 

What's elitist about that?

[jim_gupta_carlson]

Who else besides Karim himself cares if he does a good job? Better to fail miserably than to not try at all because someone else has determined for him that he is not ready. Learning is in failing. How about support rather than a crabpot putdown like an elitist "you are not ready?" Isn't that what these forums are for?

[roger_smith4]

I'd say read some books on photo-illustration, too as there's no simple answer to how to replicate an image like this. Perhaps start with one thing at a time, like tone, texture, montage, etc?