Apocalyptic Landscape on Google Streetview

This is my Halloween version of Google Maps street view . . . it makes quite a nice desktop background.

When the undead have taken over the world, except for a small band of survivors who keep Google Maps updated by driving around in armoured camera cars, this is what you'll see on Google street view.

It's quite hard to see the detail in these Instructable-sized photographs so I have included some close ups but for a full size image of the edited scene please click here:

http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae287/H-Krinkle/e21a3706.jpg (right click will allow you to open in another tab).

To see the original please click here:

http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae287/H-Krinkle/d1fafc2f.jpg


I am using Photoshop on a Mac.

This instructables assumes a basic knowledge of Photoshop but an icon and description of each tool is given.

I went to Google Maps and chose the famous location of Times Square.

Using a screen grab I captured the image.
Mac comes with an application called Grab, (located in /Applications/Utilities). (see accompanying photo)
Windows will has a PrintScreen button on the keyboard. (see accompanying photo)

I opened this image in Photoshop. (1st photo)

All the tools needed are highlighted in photo 4.

I zoomed into the image and selected the Clone Stamp Tool.
The Clone tool clones the information from the first area ( Alt click) to the second, in the form of the Brush tool
With it I covered over the writing on the large electric sign, using the sign's background color. (2nd and 3rd photo)

I zoomed in where necessary and, using the brush tool, I blacked out all the lights.(photo1)
The Brush tool paints on your image, in whatever color you have selected, and whatever size you have selected.

I used the sponge tool to desaturate the car braking lights; also to dim any areas that appeared too bright. (photo 2)

The people in this scene also need to be altered.
I started with this man; using the lasso tool I drew around his left arm. (photo 1)

The Lasso tool allows you to draw a selection by dragging the cursor freehand. The selection will close itself.


I selected copied the selection and pasted, which created a new layer.

With the Transform tool, I clicked horizontal flip so that the lighting on the arm would appear correct when raised to an outstretched position.

Using the Free Transform tool, I moved the arm to his right shoulder and rotated it to an outstretched position and pressed enter to leave transform mode. (photo 2)

With the arm selected, I copied and pasted it and used the same steps to give him an outstretched left arm as well. (photo 3)

Using the eraser on the upper two layers I removed any erroneous areas. (photo 4)


I then flattened the the image.

Using the Clone Stamp tool, I removed his original arms, replacing them with parts of cloned background.

With the Brush tool on low opacity, I gave his skin a green tinge and also some gore around the mouth.

Using the same method as in the previous step, I edited the figures in the foreground.

It is best to flatten the image after each person has been altered so that the number of layers remains manageable.

Using the Burn tool on 100% opacity, I repeatedly clicked on the sky to achieve a burning building effect on the tower block.
The burn tool darkens what ever area you use it on.

I opened two images of fire in Photoshop and removed the backgrounds with the Magic Eraser tool, leaving just the flames showing.

I then copied and pasted them into the landscape scene.

Using the Free Transform tool on each of them, allowed me to put them in suitable positions at the correct orientation and size.

I then flattened the image.

I used a combination of the Burn Tool and Brush tool to darken the image, especially the sky, just to finish it off.


Happy Halloween!