Planets are big….. Inhabitable planets, like Earth, hold a lot of stuff… What if you had a tiny, but your own planet? Imagine a planet, that could fit only a few buildings, a few vehicles, landscape scenes, etc…

Create a micro-planet and show how you (and your friends) are trying to inhabit it. What would you build on it? What would you plant on it? What it would look like?

step 1

Find and save images, including the background image. Make sure they are of good quality.

You should cover up the entire surface of the planet with textures, plants, buildings, etc…

step 2

Create a new file.
Image size: 8.5"x11", Resolution 200

Double-click on the Background Layer in the Layers Palette to make it a regular layer.
Use an Elliptical Marquee Tool and draw a circular selection;

step 3

Save the selection: Select > Save Selection

step 4

Choose a Foreground and a Background colors.

Background color should be a dark version of the Foreground color.

Apply a Radial Gradient, using Foreground to Background option.

Deselect.

step 5

Place a texture layer on the top of the planet.

This can be ice, grass, sand, cardboard, fabric, rocks, fire, water, cotton ball, etc….

Load the Circle Selection.

Add a Layer Mask

In the Layers Palette select the texture thumbnail:

Load the circle selection again.

Apply Spherize Filter:

Filter > Distort, Spherize…

step 6

Move up the bottom layer (with your initial planet)

Change its blending mode to add shadows to the object.

You blending mode might be different from mine – it depends on the texture layer that you are using.

step 7

Add texture/details to the perimeter of the planet.

In the Layers Palette choose the Layer Mask thumbnail

Choose the Brush Tool, select White for the Foreground color and go over the edge of the planet to reveal extra details. (This step will erase the mask, covering the texture image outside the circle).

step 8

Add a background

step 9

Start adding details, objects, people, etc…
Do not forget to add appropriate lighting and shadows!!!!!

Continue adding…..

Use Warp tool to exaggerate the perspective of larger objects:

Edit > Transform > Warp

Reuse the same image to extend roads, rivers, etc…: