I keep getting asked how I manip. You need to have a basic understanding of photoshop. This is my long tutorial explaining my manip process, but here are some general tips:
1) Start with a good base image. The base image is usually my inspiration. The idea for my most recent Sansa Stark manip popped into my head after I saw this image.
2) Use high quality images. A lot of times I start with a canvas that’s around 2000px wide, and I hold off as long as possible to reduce the image size to just 500px wide, the size of the tumblr dashboard. This is really important because any tiny mistakes or inaccuracies I made on the big canvas become almost invisible after I reduce the size of the image. My HQ images usually come from farfarawaysite, grande-caps, and celebrity image galleries.
3) Screencaps are usually very dark, while promotional images / photoshoots are usually very well lit. If this is the case, add a Brightness/Contrast layer and clip it to the well lit layer. To clip an adjustment layer, press this
and the layer will now look like this:
Lower the brightness of the well lit layer to match it as best you can to the screencap layer. After you have finished the whole manip, brighten the whole image with a curves layer or apply a PSD.
4) Use selective color layers and clip them. Shows have different colorings. For example, Game of Thrones isn’t tinted the same way The White Queen is, and this will be especially obvious with skin tones. Play with the sliders in your selective color layers, particularly the reds, yellows, and blacks, to make the colors match.
5) Use Groups and Layer Masks. Do not use the eraser. I use layer masks on each layer, and then I usually create a group, apply a layer mask to the group, and keep refining my layers. Sometimes I nest groups within other groups.
6) Zoom. You need to be very precise. I usually zoom in by 200% - 400% on the area I’m working on. You need to be attentive to detail in the manip process.
7) Copy and paste parts of the base image and move them around to cover things up.
8) Remember that a good manip takes time and patience. If you have any questions, you’re welcome to come ask me.