Step 2:
Download an image of an exposed flesh. An open wound or rotten meat would be spot on. The more disgusting, the better. For this tutorial I used this picture of a kidney surgery (NSFW) which is the least my weak stomach could handle. You may stop throwing up in your mouth now.
Image blurred for your own good
Step 3:
Lasso a part of the flesh image then go to Select > Feather then set to 20 pixels to smoothen the edges. Copy this selected part by pressing CTRL +C, then paste it on your face.
Step 4:
Press Ctrl + T to resize and rotate the newly-pasted "wound" on your face. Then, using Color Balance (CTRL + B), adjust the color of the wound layer so it would blend in. I had to deepen the red since my face is dark. For images with lighter shade, add more cyan and green.
Step 5:
Set the layer blending option to Overlay and opacity between 70 to 80 percent so the wound would blend as seamless as possible. Repeat Steps 3 to 5 to cover the other areas of your face with some more scars. Copy different portions of the flesh image for a more realistic effect.
Step 6:
Next up – the eyes. We will do a simple technique to change the color of the iris. Go back to the base layer, select the iris using the Lasso tool, right-click > Feather then set the value to 3.
Step 7:
Change the color of the iris by launching Hue/Saturation (CTRL + U). I set the values at 100, 40 and 10 to create a greenish bad eye. Increase the brightness (Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast) and you will get grayish iris.
Step 8:
Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the facial wounds and eye color, merge the layers (Layers > Merge Visible or Shift + CTRL + E).
Step 9:
Next, duplicate the layer and select the new layer. Launch Hue/Saturation and set the values at 35, 15, 0. Select the layer blending option to Screen and opacity to 85%. This will give your zombie face a pale complexion.
Step 10:
Finally, add splatters of blood on the face and on the background for a gorier outcome. A bunch of spray and splatter brushes can be downloaded online.
Welcome to the world of the undead, you brain-eating walker! By the way, you may also try other images with different textures to add rough, flaky skin or slimy scales to your zombified self. I hope you enjoy doing this as much as I did. Mad props to Violet of CSScreme for the majority of the steps in this tutorial.
"Excuse me sir. Can you direct me to the nearest brain station?"