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Thread: I need a little help from the Photoshop Experts.

  1. #1
    Community Leader Bogie's Avatar
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    Question I need a little help from the Photoshop Experts.

    I use an old version of Photoshop CS1 on Windows Vista.

    When I use Bevel & Emboss to simulate cavern walls in a rock texture I get some walls that are to bright (see red circle), some that are to dark (see lime circle) and some that are just right ( blue circle ). is there an easy way to get the same type of bevel all the way around on all the exposed edges? I tried playing with the angle and altitude but could not get it the way I wanted.

    What little I know about Photoshop is all by trial and error so talk slow an assume I know nothing.

    Thanks

    Screenshots of my Bevel settings and the wall bevels.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2

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    You can try adjusting the highlight and shadow opacities, colors and modes, but you risk reducing the contrast in the good part while fixing the bad.

    The trouble is that you're simulating throwing light on an object. Stuff that's in shadow is going to naturally be darker than stuff that's directly lit. You could try setting the light source right in the center of the circle, which will simulate light coming straight down from above. That will reduce the sense of the texturing, though, and you'll likely lose much of the effect.

    You could segregate your walls into layers with different light sources, setting a light source that's angled roughly parallel to each wall (your screenshot shows that that's what you have here. If you draw a line from the light source through the center of the circle, you'll note that the angle is approximately parallel to the walls in the well-lit canyon. You'll have discontinuities where the two bevels but up against each other, but you might be able to disguise it with some soft-edged masks. This approach will probably look a bit wonky, since you'll have light coming in from more than one place. It could work if the map is underground, but it will definitely look strange in day-lit terrain.

    Or you could take a hybrid of the first and third approach, leaving the light angle alone, but changing the shadow and highlight values on walls that are too dark or too light.
    Bryan Ray, visual effects artist
    http://www.bryanray.name

  3. #3
    Administrator waldronate's Avatar
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    As Midgardsormr suggests, try changing Altitude to something larger (I would recommend starting at something like 45 degrees rather than 90, though). The lower the Altitude value on lighting, the higher the contrast between lighted and shaded areas will be.

    Dropping the opacity on the light and shading effects will reduce the intensity of the highest highs and lowest lows.

  4. #4
    Community Leader Bogie's Avatar
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    Thanks guys, I'll try that.

  5. #5

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    Just wanted to say that the effect you have their looks fantastic.

    How would I try something similar in GIMP?

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