Create a Cute Bunny House in Photoshop

Create a Cute Bunny House in Photoshop
Learn how to create this cute scene featuring bunnies and a carrot house. This tutorial will show you photo manipulation techniques to create a cartoon-like look.


Preview of Final Results


Cute Bunny House Photoshop Tutorial
Tutorial Resources
Grass – Morguefile
Daisies – Maureenolder
Road – happeningstock
Sky – sxc.hu
Signpost – sxc.hu
Big carrot – Stockfreeimages
Three carrots – Stockfreeimages
Roof – Morguefile
Door – Stockfreeimages
Rug – sxc.hu
Window – sxc.hu
Fence – Morguefile
Bunny 1 – Morguefile
Bunny 2 – Morguefile
Bunny 3 – Morguefile
Step 1

Create a new document and fill it with white ( or you can use any bright colors you like) and set the height larger than the width ( mine is 1000×1300 px).



Open grass stock. Extract grass only and move it into white canvas, resize it ( use combine key Cmd/Ctrl+T) as shown below:





Go to Edit-Transform-Warp and tweak the grass to make a shape of a hill:



To make this hill look more natural, I make a new layer above grass one. Press R to active Smudge Tool with Strength about 50% and remember to check “Sample All Layers” on property bar. Turn off background layer ( white one) so it won’t be affected by smudging process. Use very small brush size ( about 6-8 px but it depends on the size of your picture) to stretch out small and tiny blades of grass and follow the position of the hill. You can see how I use this tool in screenshot below ( I turn on background layer to make you see obviously):



Result:



I want to sharpen it a bit so choose Filter-Sharpen-Unsharp Mask:


Step 2

Open sky stock. Drag it by Move Tool ( press M to active it) into our picture, place it under hill layer. You can see I only take one part of this sky but you can choose any part for your taste.


Step 3

Open stock with road and hill. Extract only this part and move it into our main picture, resize it and position it under hill and above sky one. Call this layer “road”.





Flip it by choose Edit-Transform-Flip Horizontal and we have result:



I want to blur it to create some depth for background. So choose Filter-Blur-Gassian Blur and set radius as 2:


Step 4

You can see that the road look too dark against the rest. To correct it, I use some adjustment layers with Clipping Mask. On road layer, go to Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Curves:





Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Color Balance:




Step 5

I aim to set the main light source come from upper right so the road needs to be brighter.



Create a new layer with Clipping Mask and use soft white brush to paint over the road. Change the mode to Soft Light 100%:





Name this layer “brighten 1”.

Create a new layer (Clipping Mask) and use soft white brush again to paint on the top right of the road as it catches most light from sky so it must be a bit brighter. Put the mode as Soft Light 100%:


Step 6

To make color of the hill fit background, choose “hill” and “smudge tool” layer then press Cmd/Ctrl+G to make group for them. Click the small triangle symbol on the left side of this group to show all layers inside ( hill, smudge tool):



Change the mode of this group from Pass Through ( default mode group) to Normal 100%:



On smudge tool layer, go to Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Color Balance:



Because the mode of this group changed to Normal 100% so this Color Balance layer only affects the layers inside this group ( hill, smudge tool):



The hill needs to be brighter so I add a new layer ( inside this group and use soft white brush with opacity about 50-60% and 80-90 % painting on it ( as there are some parts brighter and anothers less). Put the mode of it to Soft Light 100%.





Rename this group “hill”.
Step 7

In this step we will make a rainbow. Make a new layer between road and hill ones. Hit G to active Gradient Tool then open Gradient box to choose Special Effects:



Choose Russel’s Rainbow Gradient:



Drag a line from left to the right:



We have result:



Go to Filter-Distort-Shear and change like this:



Press Cmd/Ctrl+T to transform this rainbow:



Change the mode to Screen 100%. Add layer mask for this layer and erase any rough edges to get the look as image below shows:



Lower opacity to 40% and then go to Filter-Blur-Gassian Blur and choose radius as 9 px:


Step 8

Open signpost picture. Cut it out , resize and place it beside the road that leads to the hill.



Apply Gassian Blur with 2 px as this signpost is set in a blurred background ( the road).



Add layer mask for this signpost and use soft black brush to hide its bottom to get a look it’s put in the ground:



Make a new layer under signpost one. Hold Cmd/Ctrl while clicking the thumbnail of signpost to load its selection:



Fill this selection with black then go to Edit-Transform-Flip Vertical. Move it under the bottom of signpost and transform it as shown below:



Lower opacity to 40% and apply Gassian Blur with 2 px for it:



Add layer mask for it and use soft black brush with opacity and flow about 50% to blur the top of this shadow:


Step 9

I add some adjustment layers ( Clipping Mask) for this signpost to change its color.

Hue/Saturation:



Levels:



On the mask of Levels layer use soft black brush to clear arrow part as I think it should be a bit darker.



Create a new layer and use soft white brush to paint on the parts which meet the light from sky. Change the mode to Soft Light 100%:





New layer again and use soft brush with color #888362 and paint at the bottom of this signpost. Put the mode as Multipy 50%:


Step 10

Open stock with three carrots. Extract them from background then take two of them to place on the right side, make them blurred with Gassian Blur with 2 px as done with signpost:





Then I duplicate one of them and move it to the left, resize and transform it to be a bit smaller. Apply Flip Horizontal:



Place these carrorts layers under signpost one.

Add layer mask for these carrots and clear their bottom:



Make shadow for these carrots as done in step 8:



To brighten these carrots, I make a new layer above carrots and their shadow ones. Use soft white brush with opacity 50% to paint on their left side and change the mode to Soft Light 100%:




Step 11

Make a new layer above carrots ones. Press T to active Text Tool and set foreground to white. I use Arial font with size 19 pt to type “BUNNY HOUSE” on the arrow of signpost and transform it a bit as the images below shows:



I use a Layer Style for this text to make a carved look. Right click text layer, choose Blending Options:



We have result:



Right click text layer again, choose Rasterize Type. By this way we can apply filters for this text. Now go to Filter-Blur-Gassian Blur and choose radius as 2 :


Step 12

Open stock with big carrot. Extract this part and place it on the hill, use transform tool to make bit bigger on the width. Place this layer on the top of layers.





Use Warp Tool to make it look more porportioned:



Now add layer mask for this carrot house. Open brush menu and choose Reset Brushes. Then your brushes will come back to default.



Choose Grass brush, lower the size ( about 30 px) and erase the bottom of carrot house. Do it until you feel ok. Here is my result:




Step 13

Make shadow for this carrot house as we usually did but I change opacity to 30% and apply Gassian Blur of 6 px. Use layer mask to blur shadow bottom.



I think the bottom of this house needs to be darker. So I make a new layer and place it under carrot house and its shadow ones. Use a similar green (#738452) with grass and paint along the bottom. Put the mode to Multipy 80%:




Step 14

I want to remove this part on carrot house. So I make a new layer with Clipping Mask for it and use Clone Tool ( hit S key) to clone over this part ( you can follow many good tutorials over the webs if you don’t know how to use this tool).





Create a new layer ( Clipping Mask) and use soft white brush painting on the right side of carrot house. I set the mode as Overlay 60%:



I don’t brighten the top as it’s for roof.

Continue with a new layer ( Clipping Mask of course) and use white brush paint on the right side as shown below:



Apply Gassian Blur with 6 px and change the mode as Overlay 40%:


Step 15

To darken the bottom of this house and the grass part around it more, I make two new layers ( non-Clipping Mask). Use soft brush with color #d3ab8d and paint as shown below. Put the mode of them as Multipy 100%:





To add more light for the house ( as it catches light on the right side), I use Inner shadow effect. Right click carrot house layer, choose Blending Options:




Step 16

Open stock with roof. I only take the roof and position it on the top of carrot house:





Add layer mask and use hard black brush ( don’t use soft one as it will leave a soft and unatural look) to erase unecessary parts:



Make a new layer under roof layer. Use soft black brush to paint under the bottom of the roof to make shadow on the house. Change opacity to 60%:


Step 17

Create some adjustment layers ( Clipping Mask) for the roof to make its color fit the rest of background.

Color Balance:



Levels:



Use brush with opacity 100% to erase the bottom and 50% opacity for the right side of this roof on Levels layer mask as I find it too saturated:



I make a new layer ( Clipping Mask) and take soft white brush to paint on the right side of roof and the edge of left side where light from sky comes to. Change the mode to Overlay 80%:


Step 18

Open stock with three carrots. Cut out the top of one of them, transform and place it on the top of the roof.





Use layer mask to hide some parts below:



Change its color by Color Balance layer with Clipping Mask:




Step 19

Create a new layer ( Clipping Mask) with Overlay mode and fill with 50% gray:



Use Dodge and Burn Tool with Midtones Range and Exposure about 30% to create some depth for this top as I find it flat. You can see how I use with Normal mode:



Overlay mode:



Apply Inner shadow effect to increase the light of this top:




Step 20

Open stock with door. Cut it out and place it in frontage of carrot house.





Create a new layer under door one. Load door selection as we ‘ve done sometimes in previous steps and set feather as 3:



Fill this selection with black and we have shadow of this door on the house:



Add layer mask for this shadow and use brush to blur the top, bottom and on the edges of it :


Step 21

Add some adjustment layers ( Clipping Mask) to make door color look fit the carrot house.

Color Balance:



Hue/Saturation:




Step 22

Open rug stock. Isolate it from background, transform it and place it under door layers.





Call it “rug part 1”.

Make a new layer above the rug one. Use any tools you like to make a selection as shown:



Fill it with color #1c2103:



Add layer mask for it and use grass brush to blend it with the grass ( like in step 12):



Name it “rug part 2”.
Step 23

To make the rug look more realistic, I add shadow for it. Right click “rug part 1” layer, choose Blending options:





Make group for these rug layers ( remember to change the mode to Normal 100%). Add a Color Balance layer to change a bit of their color:




Step 24

Open stock with windows. I choose one to move into our main picture, place it on the left side of carrot house:





Duplicate it and move it to the right side, on the lower position. Remember to transform it to fit direction of carrot house:



Call them “window 1”, “window 2”.

Create two new layer under window ones. Use soft black brush with opacity about 40-50% paint along window contour to make shadow for them:


Step 25

Make group for these windows and make a Hue/Saturation layer to change their color:





The window on the right side catches some light from background so it must be a bit brighter. Create a new layer and I use soft white brush to paint on its right side. Change the mode to Soft Light 100%:


Step 26

Open fence stock. I only cut a small part of it, downsize and place it near the right side of carrot house:





Duplicate it twice and move them to the right:



Add layer mask to blend their bottom with the grass:



Call them “fence 1”, “fence 2”, “fence 3”.

Come back to fence stock again. Cut a very small part and place it under fence ones:





Duplicate this part and move to the right:



Name them “fence 4”, “fence 5”. Apply Layer Style for these layers.




Step 27

Create group for fence ones. Make a new layer under them and load their selection by holding Cmd/Ctrl+click +Shift:



Fill this selection with black then transform and lower opacity to 30%, apply Gassian Blur 2 px, to make shadow for them ( I won’t say in detail as you can look at previous steps as reference).



Use a Color Balance layer to add a light yellow tone for the fence:





Make a new layer ( within fence group) and use soft white brush to brighten more the edges of the fence. I set the mode as Soft Light 100%:



New layer again and I change brush color to black. Paint on fence bottom and change mode to Multipy 30%:


Step 28

Open bunny 1 stock. First use your favorite method to extract and copy him into a new layer.



Make a new layer and use Smudge Tool to create the fur for this bunny with same method done in step 1. I make a new layer between bunny and background and fill with dark green to make you see the result more obviously:



Merge extracted bunny and smudge layer. Move it into our main picture, resize and place him at the right edge of foreground:



Add layer mask and blend him with the grass:


Step 29

Make a Color Balance layer ( Clipping Mask) to change his color :





Create a new layer and I use Dodge and Burn Tool with similar method in step 19 to change bunny contrast and add some light as he looks flat.




Step 30

Create a layer under bunny 1 one. Use soft black brush to paint along his body to the front leg and lower opacity to 30%. Call it “bunny 1 shadow 1”:



Make another shadow of bunny 1 on the grass with our familiar technique ( Normal mode 30%) :


Step 31

Cut bunny 2 and make his fur as done with bunny 1. Place him at the left of foreground and blend him with layer mask:



Make two shadows for this bunny as we did in step 30:



I add a Color Balance layer with Clipping Mask for bunny 2:





A Dodge and Burn layer to brighten and change contrast:




Step 32

Do the same with bunny 3 ( cut, make fur, blend, make shadow) and we have result:



The bunny 3 looks too dark so I use Curves to brighten him. On bunny 3 layer, go to Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Curves:





I use a new layer ( Clipping Mask) and brush with color #ebd991. Paint on the dark part of his back to brighten it:



New layer again and I use brush with color #b9b6a8. Paint on the bright part of his left ear to darken it. Set the mode to Multipy 100%:



A Dodge & Burn layer :





Hue/Saturation to reduce yellow tone on bunny back:


Step 33

Open daisies stock pack. Choose yellow one and only cut one flower and move it on the hill, resize to be much smaller:





Duplicate it many times, resize and place them over the hill. I use 48 layers for this effect:



Make group for all these daisy layers. Use Color Balance to reduce yellow tone a bit:




Step 34

Create a Color Balance layer on the top ( non-Clipping Mask):





Levels :



Use soft black brush to remove contrast of carrot house, hill on the mask of Levels layer:


Step 35

I use Gradient to change light focus and add more contrast of picture. Create a new layer on the top. Hit G to active Gradient tool and choose Radiant Gradient with default color ( black and white):



Change the mode as Soft Light 100% and use layer mask to reduce contrast on the carrot house and hill:



Last step: Make a new layer and take soft white brush to paint on top right of picture, two sides of carrot house to make them brighter. Change the mode as Soft Light 100%:


Final Results