[Figure 5.10] Apply selections and transform the

mountain range.

10. Now you will create the location where the underground city will be built. In addition, you will resize the mountain range so the viewer’s attention can be focused on the underground city structures. Use the Circular Marquee tool (M) to make a selection similar to what’s shown in Figure 5.10A. Select a mountain range with the Rectangular Marquee tool (Shift+M) and use Free Transform to reduce its height toward a more narrow result (see Figure 5.10B).

Shortcut Tools
The shortcuts for Photoshop’s tools are often designated by a single character; in this case, it is “M” for Marquee. However, there are other options within the same palette. To toggle through these options, hold down the Shift key and press M to access the other hidden tools. This is standard procedure for all tools on the Tools palette.

[Figure 5.11] The results of the applied gradient.

[Figure 5.12] Gradient options for the yellow highlight.

11. Next, you will create the sunset-dominated sky by using the Gradient tool. Make sure that your foreground color is of a bluish nature and your background color is more of a reddish nature. Use the Gradient tool (G) and apply the blue for the upper portion of the photograph with a gradient toward a red in the lower portion of the photograph, as shown in Figure 5.11.

12. Add a new layer and place it above the gradient layer. Create a gradient by making sure that your foreground color is yellow. Select the Gradient Editor and then select the Foreground to Transparency option. Now apply the yellow gradient so that it tapers off to transparency near the upper portion of the mountain range, as shown in Figure 5.11. Figure 5.12 shows the options that were used to create the gradient for the yellow highlight. In addition, add a gradient in a separate layer below the landscape layer where the sides are black to medium gray toward the center. Use the Mirror option in the Options panel, also shown in Figure 5.13. This helps to give a visual that this will be the cavern where the underground city will be placed. The look for now does not have to be fancy. It is just a proxy that will help aid your imagination. The city will replace it.

[Figure 5.13] Add a gradient from blue to red that represents a sunset as a gradient for the cavern that the underground city will replace.

[Figure 5.14] Apply a gradient using the Layer Style dialog box.

13. Double-click the landscape layer to bring up the Layer Style dialog box (see Figure 5.14). Use this to create a gradient where the top one-third portion is darkened and the rest of the image is unaffected. Change the opacity of the gradients to 81%. Now the background appears to recede into the distance.