Create a Cyborg With Photoshop
When i think of cyborgs i think of the terminator, i robot and other such great movies and if you thought cyborgs belonged solely in the realms of science-fiction movies, think again.
Cybernetics IS with us now In the form of artificial limbs and organ supplements, and also the implantation of bio-compatible computer chips and stem-cell research. So how will our species adapt to change – will the future of the human race ultimately be a fusion of microchips and living cells?
In this tutorial you’ll discover how to incorporate mundane, everyday objects into a cyborg creation. Combining household objects with 3D renders is a technique that can have interesting results. This will also give you an opportunity to get to grips with the Pen tool, the Dodge and Burn tools and blending modes, as well as the Transform and Warp functions to make it even more realistic. Be inspired and shoot some of your own material and see what you come up with! Or you can follow allow with the bits and pieces we used by downloading the zip file below.
Step 1
Make a start by opening the ‘Cyborg_render.png’ ( this was created using poser ) from the tutorial files and create a new layer. Using the Smudge tool, with the Sample All Layers option selected, smooth out any rough areas using a medium, soft-edged brush with Opacity at 10%. When you’re happy, hit Cmd/Cntl+E to merge the layer.
Step 2
Darken the nostril areas by drawing closed paths with the Pen tool. Make a path-based selection and feather it by 1 pixel, On a new layer set to Multiply, use a medium, soft-edged brush, and with a low opacity, paint within the selection. Adjust the layer Opacity slider to suit and merge the layer again.
Step 3
Add more contrast by duplicating the background layer and setting the blending mode to Soft Light Next, increase the amount of Cyan by adding a Color Balance adjustment layer using the drop-down Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon at the foot of the Layers palette. Set the Red to ·24 in the Midtones and merge the layer
Step 4
To add some human features, open the ‘ Skin_render.png ‘ file and Shift-drag into your working document as a new layer, setting the blending mode to Hard Light Hit Cmd/Ctrl+U to access the Lasso tool and, ensuring the Add to Selection option is selected, roughly select the eyes and lips. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shif I to inverse the selection and hit Delete.
Step 5
Add a layer mask and use a soft-edged brush to blend the remaining skin. Vary the brush opacity as you work, leaving the eyes, eyebrows and lip areas. Next, add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer while holding Alt and check the Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask option. In the Edit drop-down list set all the colors to -100 Saturation except the Cyan.
