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Thread: [Award Winner] Structural Shadows in Photoshop

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  1. #3
    Guild Member paradox_wanderer's Avatar
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    Tutorial

    Here's where you get to make a decision. Do you want to take the easy way or the pretty way? I added a texture to the background for giggles.

    Easy way: See Figure 3a. Select the area between the rays. Apply a radial gradient (Black to white with the center balance at 75% to white, look at the gradient picture.) that starts at the center of the column and extends out as far out as you think your shadow should go.

    Pretty way: See Figure 3b. Generate a profile of the collision object from the point of view of the height of the light. It can get rather complicated, but if you take your time, you'll have excellent results. As you can see, I didn't really take my time with my profile. I find it most beneficial if you can stick to paths in lieu of the raster masks. Using free transform, position the profile to line up with the shadow extents. (See Figure 4b).

    -----
    After you have the shadow in place, change the blending type to something more appropriate. Multiply or one of the Burns. Stay away from the Light section as it tends to alter the picture in the white section as well as the black, and we don't want that.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by paradox_wanderer; 03-23-2010 at 01:11 AM. Reason: forgot some stuff....
    She's taken to calling me "Abbot Fou". I like it. Pretty sure it means "Enlightened Warrior."

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