Are you a fan of The Avengers? If you are, you’re gonna love this tutorial by Colin Smith of PhotoshopCAFE. In this 12-minute video, he’ll teach you how to create the awesome disintegration effect from The Avengers (Infinity War and Endgame).
1. Cutout
When you open the image, cut out the subject using your preferred method for making selections. Refine the selection so it’s as precise as possible, and make two copies of the cutout (press Ctrl/Cmd + J twice). Colin names the bottom one “Expand” and the top one “Contract.”
Now you need to remove the subject from the background. Load the selection, go to Select > Modify > Expand and give it around 10 pixels so the selection is slightly larger than the subject. Click Shift + Delete, and then fill the selection with the Content Aware Fill. Next, open the “Expand” layer and go to Filter > Liquify. Drag the subject with the Liquify brush to fill the layer with color. When you’re finished, create a black layer mask by holding Alt/Option and creating a mask. After this, go to the “Contract” layer and create a regular layer mask.
2. Make a brush
Okay, now it’s time to create a custom brush for the disintegration effect. Create a new document and open the Brush tool. Use a brush of small size and hard edges and draw a few dots. Make a selection of those with the Marquee Tool and go to Edit > Define Brush Preset. Now you have the basic brush, and it’s time to turn it into the “particle effect.” To do this, go to the Brush Settings and adjust the Scattering, Tip Shape, Angle Jitter and Minimum Diameter. When you’re happy with how it looks, save the brush preset. You can name it Avengers Scatter so it’s easier to find it.
3. Eroding
Now go back to your image and choose the brush you’ve just made. Start by painting black on the “Contract” layer’s mask. Change the brush size from smaller to larger, and it will make your subject look like it’s disintegrating on the edges.
Next, select the black mask of the “Expand” layer. Use the white brush to reveal the colorful layer you previously made with the Liquify tool. Brush away until you’re happy with the results. And that’s pretty much it!
I must admit I’m not a huge fan of The Avengers, but this effect does look cool and Colin’s tutorial makes it look simple. I’ll definitely play with it a bit, and if you’re into Avengers, I believe you’ll have lots of fun trying it out. Feel free to share your results with us! [REALISTIC AVENGERS DUST effect in Photoshop. End game / Infinity Wars | PhotoshopCAFE]
