In this tutorial, we're going to make a segmented sphere. This is a rather long tutorial so try to clear about 20 minutes to go through it all. Ok, lets get to it.
Create a new 400x400 file. You can make it bigger or smaller if you'd like, as long as you make sure it is a square (200x200, 600x600, etc...) Hit D so you return all your colors to the default scheme.
Now you're going to render some clouds and then difference clouds. So go to filter, render, clouds. Then go to filter, render, difference clouds. You’re going to want to have prominent black lines in this, so if you don't get them right away just hit ctrl+F until you have them. It should look similar to this
At this point in the tutorial we're going to go ahead and define what color we want to use. Hit ctrl+u or go to image, adjustments, hue/saturation. Once you get into that menu check the colorize box and use the sliders to get your color. For mine, I used a faded blue color. If you'd like to use the color, just enter in the numbers as shown below.
Now that you've colorized, go ahead and duplicate your first layer by right clicking it in the layers palette and selecting duplicate layer or simply go to layer, duplicate.
Now we're going to use a feature commonly skipper over. Go to filter, artistic, sponge and use the settings below. Feel free to adjust the settings if you'd like, but this is what I've found to work best.
Next up, you're going to duplicate the layer you were just working on. Then on your new layer go to filter, sketch, chrome. Use the settings below for the best effect
Now go to layer, layer style, blending options...and use the linear dodge option.
Now, merge your 2 duplicate layers together by selecting the top layer and hitting ctrl+E or going to layer, merge down.
We're going to create a new layer now by clicking the new layer button in the layers palette (I've circled this for those of you who don't know where it is) or by clicking layer, new layer. Make this your top layer by dragging it to the top in the layers palette if it isn't there already.
Now go to the trusty filter, render, clouds on the new layer.
Next go to filter, pixelate, mosaic. I used the settings below to give myself larger squares when its finished, but if you wanted smaller ones you could adjust it to a lower number as well.
Next we're going to go to filter, stylize, find edges. You should end up with a result like this.
We're going to add a blending option to this layer now so go to layer, layer style, blending options. We're going to select the linear burn option.
What we are going to do now is turn your flat image into a sphere. So one at a time, go to the layers and then spherize them (filter, distort, spherize). Use the default settings for this, but make sure you do this to all 3 layers (or at least the top 2, as the original layer is just a background).
Next we're going to use the elliptical marquee tool to cut out the parts to our image that aren't in the sphere. This can be easily done by simply starting at one corner of the image, and dragging diagonally until you are at the opposite corner. You should now have this area selected
Now press shift+ctrl+I to select the inverse of what is selected (you can also accomplish this by going to select, inverse). This will be the part of the image we will be cutting out.
Now cut this portion out of the top 2 layers, but leave your original layer alone. That layer will act as your background. Your image should now look like this.
You could stop at this point really but I wanted it to look a little different, so I went ahead and locked the top 2 layers together by selecting the top layer and then clicking on this portion in the layers palette of the 2nd layer
Now that our layers are locked, we are going to hit ctrl+t or edit, transform, scale. We are going to make the sphere a little bit smaller and center it like this
Finally, we're going to use a layer effect to drop a shadow to the side (layer, layer style, blending options...then select drop shadow.) You can use these settings or something similar to it to achieve the best effect.
Your finished product should look like this
Also, you could change the background to fit how you would like by simply erasing the first layer and putting in a background of your choice. I suggest though if you are using a different background, make sure you apply an internal stroke effect (it is in the blending options for the layers) to the top 2 layers as show below
Then you will end up with a more well defined picture against a plain background like this
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