Photo manipulations with cyborg have been popular for quite some time among Photoshop users. We will create our own cyborg.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create this fantastic photo manipulation of a male cyborg in Photoshop using the Pen tool, layer masks, brushes and smart objects. There are lots of ways to do this. But I will show you my way by which you can learn for yourself some techniques and tricks. Hope this helps you in your future projects.
The final result.
So let’s get started!
Create a new document 8 x 12 inches (2400 x 3600 px). Set the resolution to 300 dpi. RGB color mode.
Step 2
Open the photo of the model in Photoshop and move it to the working paper.
Step 3
To select a model from the background, select the tool. Pen Tool 
(Pen). Once you have created the outline, click on the shortcut key Ctrl +Enter, to activate the selection from the contour. Duplicate the selected area. Ctrl +J. Rename this layer to Male Cyborg. Temporarily turn off the visibility of the original layer.
Step 4
Let’s go back to the background layer. We need to hide / remove the model to get a smooth smoky background. For convenience, turn off the visibility of the layer with the cut model.
Choose a tool CloneStampTool 
(S) (stamp). Hold Alt, click anywhere on the background to select a pattern and start painting over the model. Continue this process until you paint the model completely. To align the background, select the tool Healing Brush Tool
(J) (Healing Brush) and walk on the background.
Step 5
Cyborgs have a smooth surface of the skin, so we must clean the skin of our model and remove all the flaws, so that the cyborg has flawless skin.
Create a new layer and rename it to Healing Brush. Select HealingBrushTool (J) (Healing Brush), make sure that the All Layers option is selected on the top toolbar. Use the same method that you used earlier when painting the background and hide all visible spots.
Step 6
To even better align the skin, duplicate the Male Cyborg and Healing Brush layers and merge them into one (Ctrl + E). Rename the layer to Surface Blur.
Step 7
Next, go to the menu Filter> Blur> Surface Blur (Filter – Blur – Blur on the surface) with the settings shown below.
Our image looks blurred. To solve this problem, hold down Alt and click on the icon for creating a layer – masks at the bottom of the layers panel. The mask will fill with black and hide our image. Then select the tool BrushTool
(B) (Brush) color white stiffness 0% and start to mask the effect of the filter on the areas of skin that you want to smooth. Using a layer mask, you can control where you want to apply this effect.
Step 8
Create a new layer below the Male Cyborg layer and rename the inner body. This layer will serve as the internal organ of our cyborg. Parts of this layer will appear after we cut out all the grooves from the cyborg body. Create a selection of the Male Cyborg layer (Ctrl + layer icon).
Then go to menu Select> Modify> Contract (Selection – Modification – Compress) and enter 5 px. Set the foreground color to black and fill the selection with black. Deselect (Ctrl + D).
Step 9
Create a new layer and rename to rough sketch and black brush create a sketch of all the slots and grooves. Set the Opacity of this layer to 50%. Try to visualize all the grooves, grooves and a general view of the cyborg. My example is the sketch below.
Step 10
Select the Male Cyborg, Healing Brush and Surface Blur layers with Ctrl pressed, right-click and select Сonvert to smart object (Convert to smart object). Duplicate the layer with the smart object (Ctrl + J) and change the name to Male Cyborg. Rasterize this layer – PCM – Rasterize Layer (Rasterize Layer), and then hide the visibility of the layer with the smart object. This layer serves as a safety net for us, if something goes wrong.
At the moment I decided to cut some parts of the body and move them a little.
Starting from the face using the tool Pen Tool (Pen) create an outline according to the thumbnail. Convert the outline to a selection (Ctrl + Enter), then press the key combination Shift +Ctrl +J.With this action, the selected part of the face will be cut on a new layer. Name this layer head.
Then create a selection of this layer (Ctrl + click on the layer thumbnail), go to Select> Modify> Contract (Selection – Modification – Compress) and enter 5 px. Invert the selection (Shift + Ctrl + I) and press delete. Get the gap between the two parts. Choose a tool MoveTool
(Move) and slide the layer with part of the face down a bit.
Step 12
Repeat the same steps for other parts of the body. Remember to rename the layers to match the cut parts to avoid confusion in the layers. Move the cut parts as shown in my example below.
Step 13
Now we concentrate our attention on the shoulder joint. We have to repeat the same procedure described above, but this time we will create another groove inside. After the initial groove is cut and shifted, using the tool Ellipse tool 
(Oval) create a small circle. Download the oval selection and hide the visibility of this layer.
Step 14
Next, click Shift +Ctrl +J (Cut to a new layer). Standing on this layer, go to Select> Modify> Contract (Selection – Modification – Compress) and enter 5 px. Invert the selection (Shift + Ctrl + I) and press delete. This will create a new smaller groove inside the first one. Slide it to the upper right corner.
Step 15
Select Pen Tool (Pen) and create an outline for the remaining slots. Make sure the tool is in Path mode (Contour). Also make sure that the option is selected. Add to path area (Add to the contour area).
Step 16
After all the outlines are created, convert them to a selection (Ctrl + Enter). Next, with the active selection while holding Alt, click on the icon for creating a layer – mask. Thus, we will simply hide all selected parts using a mask instead of deleting them.
Step 17
Adjust the grooves on the mask. Use a white hard brush to restore some details and a black brush to hide. I believe that rounded corners are quite appropriate.
Step 18
Create a new layer above the male cyborg layer and change its name to highlights. This will be the light highlights for the slots. They will help make all the incisions in the skin more realistic. Create a clipping mask for this layer by holding Alt and clicking between layers in the layers panel.
Next, take the tool Brush tool (C) (Brush) and, while holding Alt, take a sample of skin color. Change the layer’s overlay mode to Screen (Screen).
Now start painting over the edges of the skin and wherever you think there should be highlights, based on the light source. Remember that you can only draw along the grooves on the body, since the highlight layer affects only the male cyborg layer.
Step 19
Create a new layer as a clipping mask and name it shadows. Change the blending mode of this layer to Multiply (Multiplication) and start painting below highlights. This will focus on the highlights and make the effect more realistic. Also paint the shadows on the other side to create the impression of a realistic cut on the skin.
Step 20
Note that after adding highlights and shadows, these cuts became more realistic.
Step 21
Add highlights and shadows for the remaining cut parts individually. Create layers for highlights and shadows as a clipping mask. Also do not forget to take samples of skin color and set the appropriate blending modes for the layers.
To avoid chaos in the layers panel, group the layers with parts and their corresponding layers with highlights and shadows and give the groups corresponding names.
Step 22
Turn on the visibility of the rough sketch layer. Choose a tool Pen Tool (Pen), but this time set the mode Shape layers (Layer – figure). Create a shape on your hand. When creating the second shape, make sure that the option Add to shape area (Add to the area of the figure). These will be large cuts showing the mechanical insides of our cyborg.
Open the stock image of the mechanism, remove it from the background and transfer it to work. Place the layer with the mechanism over the layer with the shape as a clipping mask. Resize (Ctrl + T), rotate as needed and place as shown below. Duplicate the layer with the mechanism and place on another part of the shape.
Step 23
A little darken mechanisms. Add adjustment layer Curves (Curves) as a clipping mask.
Step 24
Create a new layer as a clipping mask and name it shadows. Take a black soft brush with an opacity of about 10% – 30% and draw a shadow around the edges of the shape.
Step 25
Next we will create thin light lines inside the cuts. Set foreground color to # 00e0d3. Choose a hard brush with a diameter of 4 px. Create a new layer and rename it to light stroke. Then select the tool Pen Tool (Pen) in Path mode (Contour). Create an outline inside the cutline, then right-click and select Stroke Path (Outline the contour).
Step 26
Continue to create lines until you complete all cuts on the body.
Step 27
Now we focus on the lines around the neck. Using the same outline stroke technique, create a pattern of thin and thick lines alternately. For thick lines brush 5 px and 1 px for thin.
Translator’s Note: In the settings of the brush in the dynamics of the form, set the Pen Pressure (Pen pressure) and when stroking the contour in the drop-down box, check the Simulate Pressure box. The author also created a layer mask and a soft black brush with a small opacity on the mask processed the edges of the lines.
Step 28
Now we have to restore some parts of the neck to fill them with skin. Select the Male Cyborg layer and activate the layer mask. Choose a tool Pen Tool (Pen) in Path mode (Contour). Create a contour between the lines, convert the contour into a selection (Ctrl + Enter) and on the layer mask with a white soft brush with a slight opacity gradually paint over, restoring parts of the neck, especially on the upper back part, as shown below.
Step 29
Go to the highlights layer that you created for the highlights in step 18, and add highlights to the neck. Also add shadows on the shadows layer.
Step 30
Now fill the head of our cyborg. Duplicate the layer with the mechanism. Then move it above the inner body layer and create a clipping mask. Transform the layer as shown in the image below. Next, create a new layer as a clipping mask and rename it to shadow. Change the blending mode to Multiply (Multiplication). Take a black soft brush with a slight opacity and draw a shadow. Then add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves), create a clipping mask and adjust the contrast and brightness.
Step 31
Add a few cuts on the face. On a layer – a sketch, I drew a shape on the eye and lines going to the edge of the face. Next on the head layer with the tool Pen Tool (Pen) in Path mode (Contour) create a contour along the edge of the lines. Then convert the outline to selection (Ctrl + Enter) and press the key combination Shift +Ctrl +J (Cut to a new layer).
Standing on this layer, click Ctrl +U Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) to discolor and make a little darker.
Step 32
Go to the light stroke layer and create light lines. Use the same method as you did before.
Step 33
Above all layers create a new adjustment layer. Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) and apply the settings as shown below. This will discolor the image and prepare for the next light effect.
Step 34
Then add an adjustment layer. ColorBalance (Color balance). Apply the settings shown below. Change the blending mode to Color (Chromaticity).
Step 35
To make the light more realistic, we need to add some shine around it. Create a new layer, rename it to light and change the blending mode to Linear Dodge (Linear Dodge). Set the foreground color to # 00e0d3. Choose a tool BrushTool (B) (brush) 0% stiffness and opacity from 20% to 30% and paint over the light lines as shown in the image below. I deliberately painted on the skin surface like a reflection of light.
Step 36
The bottom of our cyborg does not match in contrast with the overall picture. We need to fix this so that the image has a finished look. For this we will use the method Dodge and Burn (Brightener / Dimmer). There are many ways, but I prefer this non-destructive method.
So create a new layer and name it dodge and burn. Fill this layer with 50% gray and change the blending mode to Overlay (Overlap). Next, select the tool Dodge Tool
(Clarifier) with a little Exposure (Exposure) and paint over the places you want to emphasize. Then select the tool Burn Tool
(Dimmer) and draw shadows to add depth to our image.
If you want, you can add an adjustment layer. Curves (Curves) and add contrast to the image.
Step 37
And at the end, open the stock image of Smoke and transfer it to work above all layers. Change the blending mode to Screen (Screen) and reduce the Opacity to 60%. Add a layer mask and black soft brush and process in those places where you want to reduce the smoke. Vary the opacity of the brush.
We are done. Our futuristic cyborg is ready!
The final result.
Download the archive with materials for the lesson
