quick tip_ create a realistic broken glass effect in photoshop

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13 April 2011 by SebastianoPhotoshop

Tip: Create a Realistic Broken Glass Effect in Photoshop http://wegraphics.net/blog/tutorials/photoshop/quick-tip-create-a-realistic...

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In this brief tutorial I will explain how to apply a realistic broken glass effect to a background image using Photoshop brushes. After publishing our last PS brush set I received a couple of tutorial requests via email about how to create the preview image. Lets discover it together!

Click to enlarge

Step 1

The process behind this tutorial is very easy and quick. All we need is a background image and one of our shattered glass brushes . You can download the free sample if youre not a member.

For a background image, I downloaded this beautiful panoramic shot and opened it in Photoshop.


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Step 2

Reduce the saturation by going to Image>Adjustments>Vibrance. Enter a saturation value around -70 and +15 for vibrance.

Step 3

Just to add a nice detail to the scene, lets write something with a sans serif font. I used Pirulen , which is a clean and crispfree font.

Font color is #56767d.


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Step 4

In order to merge the text with the background, grab the eraser tool, select a grunge brush and eliminate some parts of thetext. You need to rasterize the text first (right-click on the text layer thumbnail>Rasterize type). Use the eraser tool especiallyon the bottom area of the text, along the horizon.

Layer opacity is too high in my opinion. Reduce it to 40%. This is my result:


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Step 5

At this point we can add the never-boring lens flare! Create a new layer and fill it with black. Then go to filter>Render>Lensflare.

Set the layer blending mode to screen to eliminate the black areas. Done!


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Step 6

We can now create the broken glass effect. Download our shattered glass brushes , select a brush and click once on a newlayer. Foreground color is black.

Note that you could obtain the same effect with a broken glass image, however using a Photoshop brush is easiest.

Step 7

To make the effect realistic, we need to blur the background area which is covered by the glass. From the layers windowselect all the layers except the one with the brush, and click alt+ctrl+E (option+cmd+E for Mac) to merge them into a newlayer. Then apply the blur filter (Filter>Blur>Gaussian blur) with a radius around 3px.


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Step 8

With the blurred layer still active, add a layer mask by pressing the apposite button at the bottom of the layers window.

Now you can use a black round brush to eliminate some areas from the blurred background. Basically with the layer masks

you can use black brushes to eliminate areas, and white brushes to replace them, without ever losing pixels.


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Step 9

After all the broken area has been deleted, the crisp original background will be visible and youll get a realistic brokenglass effect:

Step 10

To finalize the work, just play with a couple of adjustment layers. Start by radically modifying the color combination with agradient map layer (Layer>New adjustment layer>Gradient map). Select the default gradient going from purple (#6f156c) togreen (#00601b) to orange (fd7c00). Set the layer blend mode to screen, with opacity around 70%.


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Step 11

To make the style even more vintage, lets play a bit with a color balance layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Color

Balance). I just modified the midtones until I was satisfied:


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Finito!

Here is my final result! I hope youve enjoyed this tutorial.

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Sebastiano

Howdy! I'm a self taught graphic designer who loves to create amazing stuff using every kind of media. I'm currently livingand working in Italy.

44 Comments

(+add yours)

Nathan BrownApril 13, 2011 at 11:28 pm

Excellent tutorial Sebastiano!!

Reply

1.

dydeApril 14, 2011 at 12:05 am

So Your tutorial is called Create a Realistic Broken Glass Effect in Photoshop and your method is to use premade brushes of broken glass?

This is a tutorial on composition, not on creating realistic broken glass, even if you blur things that are covered byglass.

And its not that good of a job. Sorry, but if this is what passes for a good compo or even a good tutorial these days itsnot very hard to be a graphic designer.

Reply

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Gerry ButtonApril 14, 2011 at 3:59 am

To be fair, they did in fact create the brushes themselves. And chances are they took the photos of the brokenglass for that as well. Re-creating realistic broken glass in Photoshop would probably be a lengthy process andstill wouldnt come close to using a stock and or brush.

If you believe its not that great thats totally fine, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I will respect anyonewilling share it. One question I will ask though, you are quick to criticize, but could you yourself provide a highquality tutorial? Detailing the steps to create a realistic broken glass effect without the use of Stocks and or Brushes?

Reply

dydeApril 14, 2011 at 11:40 pm

Exactly, THEY did the brushes They did not teach anyone how to make broken glass, they taught people how to apply a brush to a surface together with a lens flare.

And why does it matter if I can do shit better than he can? A lot of movie critics would be out of a job if they had to do movies better than the ones they criticized, yes?

And yes, Sebastiano, I get that you are a business, but you should try harder than this, is all Im saying. Inmy opinion, this is under par.

neilMay 1, 2011 at 2:42 am

to be fair, dyde has a point.

SebastianoApril 14, 2011 at 8:21 am

Hi guys,

The only reason behind the use of a stock PS brush is to show to our members how can they use our resourcesinto their works. Dont forget that here at WeGraphics we provide premium resources along with tutorial aimedat explaining how useful these resources are.

As I wrote in the intro of the tutorial, it was born from members request about how to realize the preview imageof one of our sets.

Reply

Nathan BrownApril 14, 2011 at 10:19 pm

You also have to keep in mind that part of being a good graphic designer is being resourceful. If you can


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turn hours into minutes by using a PS brush versus a from scratch illustration, then chances are your working faster and smarter, and that usually translates into more income.

Food for thought.

PrathapJuly 21, 2011 at 10:01 am

I completely agree with dyde, its not upto the mark and even the end results doesnt look that much impressive,it doesnt match with the title but it will be a good beginner tutorial who really interested to buy graphics fromwebgraphics and design something shattered on their own.

Reply

LillyMarch 27, 2012 at 9:35 pm

You guys are HATERSso what if Sabatiano used premade brushes. Photoshop is hard as hell as it is for

newbies. If it helps out thats great. Who the heck wants to spend hours on end trying to make broken glass fromscratch? Keep up the Good work Sebastiano -your tuturials rock. :)

Reply

dudeDecember 10, 2012 at 4:01 pm

To my knowledge there is no quick way to create a realistic broken glass effect, but you seemed to have passed over that portion of the title and assumed there was.

As far as your movie critic analogytheres a reason theyre critics, and not artists. Just sayin. You yourself have not presented any credentials, and are flaming something that is offered for free.

Reply

Nathan Longbrook April 14, 2011 at 12:05 am

Great result! Thanks for the tutorial!

Reply

3.

Edmar CisnerosApril 14, 2011 at 4:12 am

Very nice tip Sebastiano.goona try that someday

Reply

4.

Gerry Button5.


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April 15, 2011 at 4:30 am

Im wondering now that I have seen a look at creating this in Photoshop, im wondering would I be able to create thiswithin After Effects, bring it to life so to speak. I have a vague idea on how to do it, so I may in fact try it outtomorrow when I get home. Thanks for the inspiration.

Reply

Gerry ButtonApril 15, 2011 at 4:49 am

And with a few minutes in After Effects, I was able to do exactly what I described. Its a basic adjustment layer with a gaussin blur on it masked to the empty space in the glass with an image under it. I may turn it into atutorial myself since I have recording tutorials before. Once again, thanks for the inspiration.

Reply


Cool! it would be great to share the video in this page

savvinovanApril 18, 2011 at 10:12 am

Awesome outcome. Thanks

Reply

6.

RAJIApril 22, 2011 at 11:34 am

REALLY NICE!

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7.

The OApril 24, 2011 at 5:01 am

an ok tut, since 1) you gotta pay for the damn brush, and 2) youre using a brush

Reply


Hi!

1) You can download the free sample 2) My aim was to show to our members a way to use the brush set

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Reply

Jari SandersApril 26, 2011 at 12:32 am

Hey Sebastiano,

A very interesting tutorial, thanks!

Ive got only 1 question: Why is my glass brush different than yours: http://cl.ly/39150p1q0O1u1A3h021k

Reply

Jari SandersApril 26, 2011 at 10:18 am

Sorry, I activated Pencil by accident!Everything is working right now.

Reply

9.

Striker April 27, 2011 at 11:41 am

Nice result, very useful tut.

Reply

10.

StevenApril 27, 2011 at 1:01 pm

Just checking should there be anything I do with the brush layer. I am using the sample and the glass edge and crack areas are just black being the foreground colour.

Should there be a mode change or something as I cannot achieve the glassy look as seen in the tut.

Many thanks.

Reply

SebastianoApril 27, 2011 at 4:10 pm

Hi Steven,

If you aim is to change the brush color, you can click on the foreground color thumbnail and use the color picker to choose another color before using the brush. Or you can double click on the brush layer thumbnail (into thelayers window generally bottom right), select blending options and then color overlay.

Reply

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StevenMay 9, 2011 at 4:15 am

Thanks for the info, Ill give that a go.

Web Design SheffieldMay 3, 2011 at 10:38 am

Very excellent tutorial. Thanks for that broken glass brushes link.

Reply

12.

Think360 Studio - Web Design Company IndiaMay 9, 2011 at 9:15 am

you do a great Sebastiano,i really want you to keep up the good work..cheers

Reply

13.

ChrisJune 5, 2011 at 7:50 am

Thank you so much! Epic Result!

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14.

Mark ArmstrongAugust 17, 2011 at 8:10 am

Extremely cool result! I thought the blur effect was ingenious, and I loved the vintage touch at the end. Always enjoyyour tutes, Sebastiano thanks!!

Reply

15.

Photoshop TutorialsOctober 13, 2011 at 12:53 pm

Nice tutorial

:)

Reply

16.

LadyNab November 25, 2011 at 4:33 pm

I love learning new ways to use PS brushes! Good Job!

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Parker June 24, 2012 at 5:49 am

I think this might be the simplest tutorial with the best results. Nothing was hard, except that I couldnt pay for the brushes, so I had to find my own. I liked the outcome very much.

Reply

18.

Pahn RandevAugust 19, 2012 at 2:39 pm

Thank you but it took me 2 days To create it:(

Reply

19.

vincentOctober 25, 2012 at 6:04 am

hey very nice tutorials keep updating new tutorials for photoshop cs5

Reply

20.

Josh November 12, 2012 at 10:33 pm

Thanks for the tutorial. Really Awrsome stuff.Simple yet detailed with a great artistic result.

Reply

21.

Cyber4rtDecember 28, 2012 at 1:46 pm

VERY NICE EFFECT TUTORIAL!!AWESOME!!THANKS FOR SHARE ;)

Reply

22.

thuskeJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:30 am

thank you i did one with a number of different effects but this tutorial helped a lot thanks

Reply

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Roberto24.


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February 15, 2013 at 7:59 am

Complimenti per il bellissimo tutorial (cosi come per tutti gli altri tuoi esempi!!).Grande

Reply

seo packagesMay 3, 2013 at 1:44 am

Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed!Very useful information specially the last part :) I care for such info alot. I was looking for this certain information for a verylong time. Thank you and good luck.

Reply

25.

someoneMay 21, 2013 at 9:33 am

would it have been better if you shifted the bits in broken glass a bit? so that it would look like there was some sort of refraction just sayin

great tutorial though!

Reply

26.

Toko Sepatu Grosir June 2, 2013 at 1:46 pm

thas so awesome

Reply

27.

Sepatu Grosir MurahSeptember 27, 2013 at 2:31 am

nice design technique, i try make one but not like your result, need more practice

Reply

28.

alok kumar October 10, 2013 at 10:51 am

Amazing post very helpfull Thankxx and keep it on

Reply

29.

Jual Tas Branded November 1, 2013 at 4:59 am

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Advertise Here

lets me try

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quick tip_ create a realistic broken glass effect in photoshop

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