Want to create haunting sci-fi art that looks professionally composited? This Photoshop tutorial breaks down every step to transform basic stock photos into a dramatic cyborg scene.
No complex plugins needed. Just solid technique and creative problem-solving. Plus, I’ll show you the color grading tricks that make these images feel cinematic instead of flat.
What You’ll Learn to Build
This tutorial covers complete scene creation from empty canvas to finished artwork. You’ll work through background construction, model retouching, sphere effects, and atmospheric lighting.
The techniques translate to any sci-fi or fantasy composition. Master these fundamentals and you can apply them to your own creative concepts. That’s the real value here.
Gather Your Source Materials First
Before opening Photoshop, download these resources. You need clean source images to follow along effectively.
Required stock photos:
- Female model portrait (almudena-stock)
- Metal textures (Della-Stock)
- Cable/wire textures (ribot02)
Brush packs you’ll use:
- Underwater bubble brushes (MorganBW)
- Tech design brushes v6 (z-design)
- Hexagon pattern textures
Most are free from DeviantArt or similar stock sites. Grab them now so you’re not hunting mid-tutorial.
Set Up Your Photoshop Document
Create a new file at 3300×1800 pixels with 300 DPI resolution. That gives you print-quality output if you want physical versions later.
Why these dimensions? The 16:9 aspect ratio works perfectly for widescreen displays and social media banners. Plus, working at high resolution means you can crop or resize without losing quality.
Quick setup:
- File > New (or Cmd/Ctrl + N)
- Width: 3300 pixels
- Height: 1800 pixels
- Resolution: 300 PPI
Now you’re ready to build.
Build the Gradient Background Foundation
Never work on pure white or black backgrounds. Your eyes need context to judge values and colors accurately.
Start with a radial gradient that establishes the scene’s color palette. Select the Gradient Tool (G) and set it to Radial mode. Then open the Gradient Editor.
Create this three-color gradient:
- Left stop: #ffffff (white)
- Middle stop: #3a82a9 (blue-gray)
- Right stop: #041d30 (dark blue)
Here’s the trick: Move both midpoint sliders slightly left. That creates harder color transitions instead of smooth blends. Makes the lighting feel more dramatic.
Draw the gradient from document center outward. Hold Shift while dragging to keep it perfectly horizontal.
Layer Multiple Gradients for Depth
One gradient looks flat. Three gradients create dimension.
Add a second radial gradient on a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N). Same color settings. But this time draw from center to any corner. Then drop the layer opacity to 25%.
Why? This adds a subtle glow that suggests depth without overpowering the base gradient. It’s all about building layers of light.
For the third gradient, switch to Linear mode. Set foreground to #015890 and background to black (press D then X to swap). Draw top to bottom while holding Shift. Reduce opacity to 15%.
This darkens the lower portion and establishes ground plane. Now you have atmospheric perspective built right into the background.
Prepare Your Model Photo
Import your model stock photo and place it on a new layer. Before any retouching, you need clean edges.
Use the Pen Tool (P) to create a precise selection around the figure. Take your time here. Sloppy masking shows in the final image. Click to create anchor points and drag for smooth curves around the body contours.
Once the path is complete, right-click and choose Make Selection. Set Feather Radius to 0.5 pixels for slightly soft edges. Then add a layer mask (Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection).
Pro tip: Zoom to 100% and check edge quality. Clean up any rough spots with a small brush on the mask. Better to fix it now than fight halos later.
Basic Retouching Techniques
Even professional stock photos need cleanup. Create a new layer above your model and set it to Clone Stamp mode.
Remove any obvious blemishes, stray hairs, or distracting elements. Use a soft brush at low opacity (20-30%) for natural results. Sample nearby skin texture by Alt/Option-clicking, then paint over problem areas.
For larger retouching, try the Patch Tool (J). Circle the area you want to fix, then drag the selection to clean skin nearby. Photoshop blends the textures automatically.
Don’t over-smooth. Skin needs texture to look real. You’re removing distractions, not creating a plastic mannequin.
Transform the Model Into a Cyborg
This is where things get interesting. Create a new layer and set it to Screen blend mode. Take a white brush at low opacity (10-15%) and paint highlights on the model’s face and body.
Focus on areas where mechanical components would catch light. Forehead, cheekbones, shoulders. Build up the glow gradually with multiple passes.
Now import your metal textures. Place them above the model layer and experiment with blend modes. Overlay and Soft Light work well for subtle metallic effects. Hard Light creates stronger integration.
The key: Use layer masks to reveal metal textures only in specific areas. Maybe half the face shows mechanical components while the other half remains human. That contrast creates visual tension.
Add cables and wires using your texture pack. Warp them (Edit > Transform > Warp) to follow the body’s contours. Use layer masks again to blend where they meet skin.
Create the Central Bubble Sphere
Time to add the signature element. Create a new layer and select the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M). Hold Shift while dragging to draw a perfect circle roughly 800 pixels in diameter.
Fill the selection with 50% gray (Edit > Fill > 50% Gray). Then apply these layer styles:
Inner Glow:
- Blend Mode: Screen
- Opacity: 75%
- Color: Light blue (#7db9de)
- Size: 40-60 pixels
Bevel and Emboss:
- Style: Inner Bevel
- Depth: 100%
- Size: 20 pixels
- Soften: 10 pixels
This creates the basic sphere structure. Now add a gradient overlay (Layer Style > Gradient Overlay) using colors from your background palette. Set to Radial and adjust the angle to match your lighting direction.
Add Bubble Texture and Details
Import your underwater bubble brushes. Create a new layer above the sphere and stamp bubbles at various sizes around and inside the main sphere.
Vary the opacity and blend modes. Some bubbles should be subtle (Soft Light, 40% opacity) while others pop (Normal, 80% opacity). This creates depth.
Use the Warp Tool (Edit > Transform > Warp) to distort some bubbles. Perfectly round bubbles look computer-generated. Slight distortion adds realism.
For the hexagon patterns, import the texture and place it inside the sphere using a clipping mask (Alt/Option-click between layers). Set to Overlay at 30-40% opacity. These tech patterns suggest advanced materials.
Paint Dynamic Lighting Effects
Lighting sells the scene. Create a new layer and set it to Color Dodge blend mode. Take a soft white brush at 5-10% opacity.
Paint light sources where they make sense. Behind the sphere, creating rim light. On the model’s face from the sphere’s glow. Along cables and mechanical parts.
Build up intensity slowly. Color Dodge is powerful. Too much looks blown out. Too little disappears. Find the balance by painting in multiple passes at low opacity.
Add colored lights for variety. A subtle orange glow from one direction. Cool blue from another. This adds visual interest and suggests multiple light sources in the environment.
Enhance Atmosphere With Particles
Sci-fi scenes need floating particles or dust in the air. They add atmosphere and depth.
Create a new layer and use your tech brushes to stamp random elements throughout the scene. Vary size, opacity, and rotation. Group them visually around the sphere and model.
Apply Motion Blur (Filter > Blur > Motion Blur) to some particles. Set Distance to 20-40 pixels. This suggests movement and energy in the scene.
Use layer masks to fade particles as they recede into the background. Atmospheric perspective means distant objects lose contrast and detail.
Color Grade the Entire Scene
Now bring everything together with color grading. Create a Curves adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves) above all other layers.
In the RGB channel, create an S-curve. Lift shadows slightly and pull down highlights. This adds contrast while preserving detail in midtones.
Switch to individual color channels:
Red channel: Add warmth to highlights, remove from shadows
Blue channel: Add cool tones to shadows, reduce in highlights
Green channel: Subtle adjustments to balance skin tones
These color shifts create the cinematic look you see in professional concept art. The trick is subtlety. Push too far and colors look unnatural.
Add Final Sharpening and Details
Flatten a copy of all layers (Cmd/Ctrl + Alt/Option + Shift + E). This creates a merged layer at the top while keeping everything below editable.
Apply selective sharpening. Use the Sharpen Tool (part of Blur Tool set) at 20-30% strength. Focus on the model’s face, mechanical details, and the sphere’s edge.
Add final highlights with a small white brush on a new layer set to Screen mode. Tiny pinpoint lights on metallic edges create polish and finish.
Final check: Zoom out to 50% and evaluate the overall composition. Does your eye move naturally through the scene? Is there clear visual hierarchy? The sphere and model should dominate while details support but don’t distract.
Technical Details That Make or Break This
Working in 16-bit mode gives you more color information to manipulate. Convert your document (Image > Mode > 16 Bits/Channel) before heavy color grading.
Use Smart Objects for imported textures and photos. That lets you resize and transform without degrading quality. Right-click any layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.
Save iterations as you work. Not just Save As, but actual duplicate PSD files. Call them cyborgv1, cyborgv2, etc. Sometimes you’ll want to backtrack to an earlier version without undoing hours of work.
Adjustment layers are your friends. Never apply color corrections directly to image layers. Adjustment layers stay editable and you can mask them selectively. That flexibility is crucial for complex compositing.
Why This Approach Works
This tutorial teaches principles, not just button-pushing. The specific stock photos don’t matter. Master these techniques and you can create any sci-fi composition.
The layered lighting approach mimics how light actually behaves. Multiple gradients create atmospheric depth. Selective sharpening directs attention. Color grading unifies disparate elements.
That’s how professional concept artists work. They build complexity from simple foundations. Each layer adds refinement. The final image looks sophisticated because of accumulated small decisions, not one magic filter.
So experiment. Try different models, different sphere designs, different color palettes. The technical foundation stays the same. Your creative choices make it unique.