Create a Powerful Human Disintegration Effect in

Photoshop

What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial we will create a powerful, and emotional human disintegration effect in Photoshop. Lets get started!

Tutorial Assets
The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial.

Character
Sky
Meteors
Light (Obsidian Dawn)
Splatters

Step 1
Lets start by creating a new document in Adobe Photoshop. Choose the size of document you prefer, but
try to keep it in a vertical shape, with a transparent background.

Step 2
Then, find a good stock image of a cloudy sky that you can use as a background. You can also do like I did
by interweaving several pictures of clouds to create the background you prefer. Make sure that the clouds
are "dark" enough for a final atmosphere that will fit with the other elements you will be adding to your
creation.

Step 3
The next step is very important since you will have to choose the character that will be the main focus of
your whole piece. To do this, go to websites like SXC, Fotolia, iStock, etc.., and choose a model that
projects a strong emotion. Be sure to pick a character that really inspires you, as it will be the main focus of
your creation and it will play a major role in your final outcome. Once youve selected it, cut out the
character carefully by using the pen tool (P) and place it in the middle, slightly shifted downwards.

Step 4
Then, using the eraser tool (E) with the "Splatters" shape - which can be found in the tutorial assets - slightly
erase the characters legs.

Step 5
Now, if you are like me and like to change your characters colors, take the lasso tool (L) and surround the
selected areas from your character that you would like to modify. Afterwards, create a layer of fill or
adjustment by clicking on the black and white circle situated in the layers tab. In the said tab you will be able
to select the method that suits you best. I personally recommend changing the colors with a Gradient Map
layer and a Selective Color layer. A tip: avoid fluorescent colors and choose those that resemble your
backgrounds colors.

Step 6
Always with the "Splatters" shape, take your brush tool (B) and, on another layer, create shapes that go
above, but also behind the model, as seen in the picture bellow. It is important to use the same colors and
shades that youve used on your character to create the desired effect of disintegration.

Step 7
There are numerous ways to give a darker aspect to your character and create the impression that he is
possessed. Personally, I usually prefer to draw intense red veins on his arms, neck and face, as well as
slightly darkening the eyes and mouth with a small black brush adjusted to "Soft Light".

Step 8
Here, I decided to create a necklace that will later have a supernatural look, suggesting that the character is
flying up due to the strength of the accessory. Everything is done with a small brush, by using a graphic
tablet.

Step 9
Now this step will give the necklace a supernatural look. In order to achieve that, you will need to create
"power waves" emitting from the necklace. On another layer, apply a white area on the necklace using a soft
round brush, and then with a smaller soft round shape, erase the middle of that white area. When its done,
"double click" on the layer to open the "Layer Style" box and enter the data as shown in the picture. Once
youve done all that, duplicate the layer (Command/Ctrl + J) twice and make them bigger than the previous
one. Remember, the more the wave is away from the necklace, the more its big and less opaque.

Step 10
To complete the work on the necklace, select the shapes titled "Light" available in the tutorial assets, select
your brush (B), and on another layer create a white "light beam" effect coming out of the necklace.

Step 11
With the same brush shapes, create a white "light beam" effect coming out of the models torso, as shown in
the image. This effect will give out the impression that your character is liberating some sort of supernatural
strengths while disintegrating.

Step 12
Now that most of the work on the character is done, you will need to work a little bit more on the
atmosphere. With the fill or adjustment layer, at the bottom of the layers tab, darken the colors and make
them closer to those of your character. Again, there are several ways to do so, but I suggest the Gradient
Map layer and the Selective Color layer.

Step 13
Afterwards, put some action in the scenery by adding meteors coming down from the top. You will find a
pack of meteorites in the tutorial assets. Insert them one by one, making sure that their sizes vary and that
their colors stick with the atmosphere.

Step 14
This next step will consist in using the blur tool on the meteorites to make them look either close or far.
Those that will be situated at the same distance as your character will remain untouched. Basically, the
more a meteorite is far from the model, the greater the blur.

Step 15
Now, take the Smudge tool with strength of 5 to 10% and apply it on each of the meteorites, using little
movements from bottom to top, to give them a speed effect.

Step 16
To create a source of light coming from above of your characters body, take a white brush tool (B) with the
same "Light" shape used in Step 10 and 11. It is important that the rays coming from above are more
intense than those coming from your characters torso. You can also draw various small shapes that follow
the same rays movements to make it look more magical.

Step 17
Once youve completed the previous step, return to your character to improve it. With the presence of the
new light source from above of your characters body, you must increase the light reflected on its torso and
face area by using a soft round white brush adjusted to "Overlay" mode.

Step 18
Now, draw some light effects passing around your models body so he can be integrated better within the
scenery and be surrounded by more power.

Step 19
You can always add more "Splatters" if you find that the model does not disintegrate the way you want it to.

Step 20
To finalize everything, you can return to the colors, contrast and even intensify the bright areas with the
same techniques youve used before. Basically, this step consists in putting your last personal touch to your
piece! When you feel that your piece is finished, use a sharpness filter, to ensure a better overall quality, by
duplicating your final image and by going to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen.

Final Image