In this video, the Team’s Mistress of the macabre and surreal Abbey Esparza will take you through the creation of a broken mirror effect. 

With the model prepared earlier Abbey jumps straight to the process of creating the glass shards. Using the pen tool, (which quite possibly is the best tool in Photoshop’s arsenal) path out and select all the shards needed, adding each to their own layer for ease of use. Rough them up if needed by using a mask layer to chip away as needed.

The majority of the effect is achieved with the use of clipping masks and blending modes. Through these Abbey is able to have the model reflected in the glass. As she warns though there’s a need to be careful with your placement, as in this case, you’ll only be using one shot of the model. Strategically placing the reflections will have it appear as though it is reflecting from behind. Once that is all done, the shards and all attached layers can be grouped together. It cleans up your layer panel and allows further steps to be applied to all the layers contents 

Abbey adds a little colour and lighting to the shards now. Duplicating and merging that shard group, allows Abby to quickly make the selection to mask a colour fill layer beneath. Next Abbey adds some lighting to the shards to give the image a little depth. Don’t forget when adding the lighting to add the shadows also.  

Some magic worked on a shard in the foreground, the same as those behind with one small difference. The reflection was front and centre slightly distorted by the glass. 

Finishing touches time with everybody's favourite lens flares and light blooms applied to the glass edges. 

They'll be no bad luck involved in creating this broken mirror.