In this tutorial I will be showing you how to create a Vampire with a burning flesh effect, using blending options, source images and Photoshop brushes.

Tutorial Details

Program: Photoshop
Version: CS or Higher
Difficulty: Intermediate
Estimated Completion Time: 1 Hours
Final Image Preview:

Downloads Required:
Stock Images: Girl, Eyeball, Rust Texture
Brushes: Cracks

Optional Downloads:
PSD File: fleshburn_tut.psd

Rather than just show you the steps to make the burning flesh effect, I have decided to theme the entire artwork so it has a context in which it could be used. The theme is a vampire burning in the sunlight. I am aware that some of the techniques I will be showing you, I have already used in a previous Vampire Tutorial.

Step 1

Download the Source Image and open it in Photoshop, Duplicate the background layer and name it “Contrast”. Select Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast from the top toolbar. Increase the contrast so the image is made more vibrant.

Step 2

Download the image of the Eyeball and paste it into a new Photoshop Document. Use the Circular Marquee Tool (M) to draw around the pupil and iris. Note: Hold down shift to constrain the proportions and keep your circle perfect.

Choose Edit > Copy and return to our artwork, then choose Edit > Paste to drop the eye in, name the layer “Left Eye Base”. Resize and reposition the eye using the Free Transform Tool (Cmd+T/Ctrl+T).

Choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All to add a layer mask to the eye. Layer masks enable us to delete parts (like the eraser), but bring them back if we change our mind (unlike the eraser).

Using the colour Black, and a Small Soft Brush, carefully remove parts of the eye so that it appears more natural.

Duplicate the layer, and name it “Left Eye Colour”. Set the Blend Mode to Multiply, and choose Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation from the Top Toolbar. Tick the Colourize Box and edit the settings.

Next choose Image > Adjustments > Levels and adjust the value on the right to brighten it up a bit.

Step 3

Repeat Step 2 for the other eye, but obviously name the layers “Right Eye Base” and “Right Eye Colour”.

Step 4

For the teeth, create a New Layer and call it “Left Tooth”. Then choose the Contrast Layer, take the Pen Tool (P) and draw a triangle on the front incisor tooth. Choose Window > Paths and click the Load Path As Selection Button (highlighted with the green arrow).

Once you have the path loaded, choose Edit > Copy. Select the Left Tooth Layer we made just before and use Edit > Paste to paste in the piece of tooth. Use the Free Transform Tool (Cmd+T/Ctrl+T) to stretch it out and position it to look like a fang.

Choose Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and make it a bit whiter.

Again activate the Free Transform Tool (Cmd+T/Ctrl+T). Cmd-Click/Right-Click the selection and choose Warp. Stretch the top of the tooth about to take up the gaps and cut out any overlap. You can also tidy up rough edges with the Eraser Tool (E).

Create a new layer above the Left Tooth Layer and name it “Left Tooth Shadow”. Take a Soft Brush and draw a black line up the inside edges of the tooth.

Set the Blend Mode to Overlay then Cmd-Click/Right-Click the layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.

Step 5

Duplicate the Left Tooth Layer and call it “Right Tooth”. Position it over the right incisor and blend it in using the Warp Tool and Eraser like we did earlier. Repeat the steps for the Shadowing and name the layer “Right Tooth Shadow”.

Step 6

Download and install the Cracks Brush Pack from Brusheezy.com. Create a new layer and call it “Cheek Crack”. Using the colour Black and the Brush Crack4, drop a single click on the layer. Use the Free Transform Tool (Cmd+T/Ctrl+T) to resize and position it on her cheek.

Select the Warp Tool like we did on the teeth and try to make the crack fit the contour of the girls face.

Step 7

Create a new layer and call it “Crack Colour”. Position it below the Cheek Crack Layer. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 57%. Then, using a Small Soft Brush and the colour Red, subtly add some colour along the cracks.

Step 8

Duplicate the Cheek Crack Layer and call it Cheek Crack Light. Choose Image > Adjustments > Invert, to make the crack White instead of Black.

Next, choose Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Set the Blur Method to Zoom and the Quality to 100.

Step 9

Create a new layer and name it Forehead Crack. Use the brush Crack5, and, just like before, use the Free Transform Tool to resize and position it.

Again, warp it to fit the contour of the girls head and colour in the lines on the Crack Colour Layer. Then duplicate it, invert it, and add the Radial Blur just like we did before.

Use the Eraser Tool to tidy it up where it overlaps the side of her head or where her hair would be covering it.

Step 10

Create a new layer, name it “Sun Burn”. Use a Large Soft Brush, and with the colour Red, draw some red down the side of the girls head, stick to the left hand side of her face though, and avoid the cracks we have just drawn in.

Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 40%.

Step 11

Create a new layer and name it “Sun Burn Intensifier”. Take a Large Soft Brush and the colour Black, draw over the top of the Red we did in the previous step.

Set the blend mode to Overlay and the Opacity to 66%.

Step 12

Download the Rust Texture. Or, alternatively, go into Google Images and type in “Rust Texture”. Choose a texture that has blisters and maybe some peeling paint. Then paste it into your artwork. Name the layer “Texture”.

Set the blend mode to Soft Light and use a large soft eraser to remove any parts you do not want.

Use the Warp Tool again to make the blisters fit the girls face. Then use an eraser to delete out any overlap over the side of her face and the cracks.

Step 13

Create a new layer, name it “Shadow”. Then take a Large Soft Brush and the colour Black. Blank out the right hand side of the picture up to her nose, as if the light was coming in over her shoulder at the left hand side of the picture.

Set the Opacity to 74% then using a Small Soft Eraser remove the black over the right eye to make it appear as if its glowing.

Step 14

Create a new layer and call it “Lightsource Blur”. Take a Large Soft Brush and the colour White. Draw some White into the top left of the picture.

Choose Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and adjust the settings.

Step 15

Create a new layer and call it “Lightsource Mild”. Again take a Large Soft Brush and White. Draw in some more light at the top left of the image.

Set the Opacity to 27%.

Step 16

Create a new layer and call it “Lightsource Intense”. Again use your Large Soft Brush and draw some more White in, this time keep it right near the top left.

Thats it! All that is left to do is sign it, and we are all finished.

These techniques obviously are good for a Vampire in sunlight, but they can also be used to make posters with shock value, such as Sun Bed / Skin Cancer Awareness.

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