How to Create a Cyberpunk Photoshop Effect Action

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a cyberpunk Photoshop effect action to add amazing vaporwave photo effects to your cyberpunk image.

The effect shown below is the one I'll show you how to create in this tutorial. But would you like to save time and download an action with the cyberpunk look for Photoshop? Then check out the CyberPunk Photoshop Action. You can access and download this cyberpunk action with your subscription to Envato Elements.

Cyberpunk Lighting Look Photoshop — Download this excellent vaporwave cyberpunk Photoshop action from Envato Elements.

Follow along with us over on our Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:

What You'll Need

To recreate the cyberpunk image above, you'll need the following resources:

Stock Image

Are you ready to get started with this cyberpunk graphic design tutorial? Then let's dive in!

1. How to Start Creating an Action

Step 1

First, open the photo that you want to work with. Pick an image with a lot of contrast, which will help create the vaporwave cyberpunk look. To open your photo, go to File > Open, choose your photo, and click Open. Now, before we get started, just check a couple of things:

Your photo should be in RGB Color mode, 8 Bits/Channel. To check this, go to Image > Mode.
For best results, your photo size should be 2000–4500 px wide/high. To check this, go to Image > Image Size.
Your photo should be the Background layer. If it isn't, go to Layer > New > Background from Layer.

Vaporwave Cyberpunk Graphic Design Tutorial checking image size and mode

Step 2

Now go to Window > Actions, and in the Actions panel, click on the menu icon in the top right-hand corner, choose New Set to create a new set, and name it Cyberpunk. Then, click on the same menu icon again, choose New Action to create a new action, and name it Cyberpunk.

Vaporwave Cyberpunk Graphic Design Tutorial creating new action

2. How to Create the Cyberpunk Color Look

Step 1

In this section, we are going to create the cyberpunk color look in the Photoshop layer. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map to create a new gradient map adjustment layer and name it Color_Look_1.

Cyberpunk Graphic Design Tutorial creating new gradient map adjustment layer

Step 2

Double-click on this layer thumbnail, and then in the Properties panel, click on the gradient to open up the Gradient Editor panel and enter the settings below:

Vaporwave Cyberpunk Graphic Design Tutorial adjusting cyberpunk colors gradient map — The left color stop has the color #0000ff, and the right color stop has the color #ff00ff.

Step 3

We also need to adjust the cyberpunk lighting. Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Soft Light and set the Opacity to 70%. Have a look at the effect that has on the cyberpunk colors.

Cyberpunk Graphic Design Tutorial changing blending mode and opacity

Step 4

Now select the Background layer, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation to create a new hue/saturation adjustment layer, and name it Color_Look_2.

creating new hue and saturation adjustment layer for cyberpunk colors

Step 5

Double-click on this layer thumbnail and enter the settings below in the Properties panel:

Cyberpunk Look Photoshop Tutorial adjusting hue and saturation for cyberpunk lighting

Step 6

Now select the Background layer, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter to create a new photo filter adjustment layer, and name it Color_Look_3.

Cyberpunk Look Photoshop Tutorial creating new photo filter adjustment layer

Step 7

Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, set Filter to Cooling Filter (80), Density to 25%, and check the Preserve Luminosity option.

Cyberpunk look Photoshop Tutorial adjusting photo filter for cyberpunk lighting

3. How to Make the Final Adjustments

Step 1

In this section, we are going to make some final adjustments to the cyberpunk graphic design. Select the Color_Look_1 layer and press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches. Then, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map to create a new gradient map adjustment layer and name it Overall Contrast.

Cyberpunk Design Tutorial creating new gradient map adjustment layer

Step 2

Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Luminosity and set the Opacity to 80%.

Cyberpunk Design Tutorial changing blending mode and opacity for cyberpunk lighting

Step 3

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Vibrance to create a new vibrance adjustment layer and name it Overall Vibrance/Saturation.

Step 4

Now Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, set the Vibrance to +25 and Saturation to +10.

Step 5

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels to create a new levels adjustment layer, and name it Overall Brightness.

Step 6

Now Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, enter the settings below:

Step 7

Press Control-Alt-Shift-E on your keyboard to make a screenshot, and then press Control-Shift-U to desaturate this layer. Then, go to Filter > Other > High Pass and set the Radius to 2 px.

Step 8

Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Hard Light and set the Opacity to 80%. Name this layer Overall Sharpening.

You Made It!

Congratulations, you've succeeded! You've now learned how to create cool photo effects in Photoshop that have a vaporwave cyberpunk style. It's an eternally popular look. The cyberpunk colors make pictures look even more eye-catching. Here is our final result:

If you'd like to create amazing cyberpunk looks using just a single click, then check out this CyberPunk Photoshop Action. You can download this cyberpunk look Photoshop action at no additional cost with your Envato Elements subscription.

5 Amazing Resources From Envato Elements

Did you enjoy this tutorial on how to create a cyberpunk photo effect? Then you'll enjoy these cyberpunk assets from Envato Elements!

Zorfich: Cyberpunk Display Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Zorfich is a great option to tag your cyberpunk pictures with cool titles and text. It has a unique disjointed look that sets it apart from other futuristic fonts. It's ideal for tech brands, visual assets for streamers, and more. Pair it with a clean sans serif font to let Zorfich stand out.

Cyberpunk People Working With Robotic Arm (JPG)

Got a cyberpunk-themed event or project coming up? Cyberpunk photography can be hard to pull off from scratch. It requires a multitude of assets and props. This stock image can be a life-saver. The image shows two individuals working on a robotic arm. The lighting in the photo stays true to the cyberpunk aesthetic.

Cyberpunk Logo Template (AI, EPS, PNG)

Pair your cyberpunk-themed project with this amazing Cyberpunk logo template. The cyberpunk illustration in the logo makes it a clean and minimalist approach to the theme. Change the colors with ease using Adobe Illustrator. This is perfect for tech, IT, and streaming-related businesses and projects.

Cyberpunk YouTube Cover Art (PS, AI, XD, EPS, PDF)

This YouTube cover art template has a cyberpunk theme featuring a cool cyberpunk portrait. This is a great theme for channels related to tech reviews, game reviews, and streaming. Use a variety of Adobe software to easily edit all of the assets. Its responsive design is perfect for viewing on all devices.

SciFi Screen 3D (PSD, PNG)

Add some cool cyberpunk props to your images with this 3D sci-fi screen. Use the Envato Elements 360 visualizer to choose the best angle to download. Add multiple screens for a cyberpunk look. Do some customization in Adobe Photoshop and give your cyberpunk images that extra something.

Find More Photoshop Resources and Tutorials

You can do more with actions than just making a cyberpunk look in Photoshop. If you're looking to create interesting effects with your photos, then you may also like: