When creating my collage I wanted to tell a story that was more unique about myself. I wanted it to not look like a typical collage. I decided to make a collage about my fears, because they're not really known, I thought that they would have a more interesting appeal. The photos I chose were chosen because they had an eerie effect to them and with small adjustments I knew I could make them flatter each other with the right design. I wanted a more of a nightmarish look so I made the picture of myself pop against the background and had the background flow together.

 I used four stock photos in this collage - the 'END' sign (unsplash.com), the three zombies (pixabay.com), the two aliens (unsplash.com), and the demon eyes (pixabay.com). With all four photos, I used the path tool to outline the focal points out and selected them, then pasted them into the main image. With the 'END' sign I created a hue and saturation clipping mask to change the color to make it look more used and to take the vibrancy down, and added a drop shadow and outer glow to it (although you cannot really see them). I also used the perspective warp tool to get the sign to look like it's at a different angle. With the three zombies, I cut them out individually and then feathered, added a hue/saturation layer on top to change the yellow colors they had and then reduced the opacity to make them fade into the background, rather than pop against it. Lastly, with the aliens I cut the heads out and feathered them, and then used the brush tool to feather it some more to blend in with the background. I also lowered the opacity on them to make them less harsh and vibrant.

The triangles I used are shapes that I created with the path tool with yellow brush strokes on-top to create an inner glow look to them. With the demon eye-portrait of myself, I cut one eye out with the path tool, then layered it under my left eye. I then flipped it horizontally to get the other eye. With my portrait, I selected and masked to get rid of the green screen, then cut out my eyes and selected the cut area and feathered and smoothed it. Then I select and masked the demon eyes to get a realistic look without harsh lines. I also added a hue/saturation clipping mask to it to change its hue and make it less saturated. With the portrait in the front I made a path around myself, then select and masked it to get rid of the green screen. I also added a hue/saturation layer on top to get the full grey effect. Behind it is a layer that I made by selecting the pixels from the portrait and then growing and smoothing it, and used a gradient to get a transparent look. With the speaker and light switch I made a selection with the path tool, then cut and resized them to fit the picture. With the text I used the text tool and lowered the opacity. I also got the blue tint and border by using the rectangle shape tool, using a navy fill and a white stroke, then lowering the opacity. The fog at the bottom was created merely by mixer brush strokes and the eraser tool, but I did have to use the select and mask tool to get it to go over the layers while also blending with the black background to get the right color.

The reason I created demon eyes is because I am a believer of demons and fear them, and I also fear people's inner demons. The speaker is because I have misophonia, which is where certain sounds bother me to the point of triggering anxiety, disgust, and fear. The light switch represents my fear of pitch black darkness, I always need some form of being able to see. The zombies are pretty basic, I'm afraid of the realistic approach of zombies and the possibility zombie apocalypse (too many zombie movies have scarred me).  The end sign is a play on the 'end' of life, as I am afraid of death and the end of routine. The aliens and triangles are because I am afraid of aliens also, and from a personal experience where I'm confident that I saw a UFO similar to the Phoenix Lights, which emitted a lot of fear in me (they looked like the triangles). Lastly, the fog is to create a nightmare and other-worldly effect. Then my portrait in the front is my reaction to the fears, and the border surrounding me is to show how they connect to myself from my head.