PhotoShop 5: 3d Textures F/X and Design
Authors: Geoffrey Smith
Venue:  (1998)

From the Book: Introduction Introduction Creating computer generated imagery is no small task. Contrary to the popular belief of the uninitiated, the computer does not do all of the work for you. In fact, most of the time it seems as if the computer is actually the biggest hurdle standing between you and the masterful image conceived in your minds eye. Much of the reason that so many of todays 3D graphics look the same or like digital plastic toys is that most 3D artists lack a thorough understanding of image mapping techniques. Welcome to Photoshop 5 3D Textures f/x and design. Unlike other Photoshop books, which are designed to give the reader some basic Photoshop texturing skills for use on the Web and in illustration, this book will provide you with in-depth, photorealistic 3D texturing skills to rival those seen in Hollywood blockbusters. In the past few years, 3D programs have evolved to include image mapping technology previously found only in the most sophisticated (and expensive) programs. As 3D programs have progressed, so too has Photoshop. Photoshop 5 now offers such a plethora of painting and image manipulation tools that creating photorealistic image maps is quicker and easier than ever. All you need is the knowledge and imagination to put the tools to use. Contained herein youll find a surplus of step-by-step image mapping tutorials, dozens of hyper-realistic 3D models, and time tested Photoshop techniques and image mapping tips. By reading this book, you will save yourself countless hours of frustration in trial and error image mapping otherwise spent in trying to get your 3D scenes to look exactly the way you want them to. Ive already put in those countless hours for you. The result of years of image manipulation and mapping experience is at your fingertips. Take advantage of it. Who Should Use This Book? Whether you are a Photoshop novice or have been working with the program professionally for years, Photoshop 5 3D Textures f/x and design will enhance your working knowledge and provide you with the necessary skills to create visually stunning 3D creations. Whether you work as a 3D animator, an illustrator for print or the Web, or simply have a desire to improve the quality of your 3D creations in your spare time, this book is for you. Photoshop 5 3D Textures f/x and design has been created as a cross-platform educational tool. So whether youre using Alias/Wavefront, Softimage, 3D Studio MAX, LightWave, Truespace, ElectricImage, Hash Animation Master, Strata Studio, or RayDream, this book has something for you. How This Book Is Set Up Photoshop 5 3D Textures f/x and design begins with some quick Photoshop basics. Chapter 1, "Photoshop Painting Basics," gives readers who are somewhat new to Photoshop a good starting point for using layers to create image maps, working with opacity settings, creating custom brushes, exploring variations, using hue and saturation to define image map types, using the brightness and contrast dialog box, adjusting levels, using the Eyedropper tool, and knowing the difference between airbrush and paintbrush effects. Chapter 2, "Advanced Painting Techniques," moves on to more advanced Photoshop concepts such as using the Smudge tool with options, aging textures with the Burn tool, painting with the Clone tool, and creating complex textures with fractals. In Chapter 3, "Special Editing Techniques," you learn about using scanners and scanned imagery to add the texture qualities of the real world to the surfaces of your own 3D worlds. Chapter 4, "Image Map Types," provides you with what your 3D applications manual forgot to mention about the different types of image mapping and how they really work. In this chapter, you learn the true nature of Color, Bump, Specularity, Diffusion, Displacement, Transparency, Clip, and Luminosity maps. In Chapter 5, "Working With Image Maps," you acquire the skills needed to place your 2D image maps onto the surfaces of your 3D creations. This chapter covers planar, cylindrical, sphere, and cubic mapping techniques, and also gives you a variety of time tested procedures on how to avoid image map stretching. You also learn how to create seamless image mapped surfaces that will leave even the most experienced 3D artists wondering how you pulled it off. Chapter 6, "Using Layered Images Maps," introduces you to the unsurpassed realism obtainable with the use of layered image maps. In Chapter 7, "Painting Industrial Textures," you get your hands dirty by learning to create industrial textures and adding dirt, grime, and the ravages of time to your 3D surfaces. Chapter 8, "Painting Science Fiction Textures," provides you with necessary skills to create astounding surfaces for your science fiction scenes. You learn how to create blast marks, metal plating, and exhaust burn marks for spaceships; a variety of planet surfaces for your spaceships to encounter; and sparkling nebula and star fields. In Chapter 9, "Painting Organic Creature Textures," you discover what it takes to create truly awesome organic textures. This chapter is the definitive guide on how to define your 3D characters and creatures biography and background. You learn how and where to find reference material; how to create 3D skin that looks as if you could touch it; and how to create wrinkles, pores, scars, sweat, muscles, veins, eyes, scales, and just about any attribute of organic flesh. Chapter 10, "Painting Character Accessories," goes further in the discussion of creating utterly believable 3D characters and creatures when you learn to create image maps for characters clothing complete with wrinkles, a variety of stains, color, and cloth patterns. And if youve ever struggled with creating realistic natural textures such as rock, sand, dirt and foliage, you need look no further than Chapter 11, "Painting Natural Textures," to end the struggle. Chapter 12, "Painting Displacement Map Textures," gives you a thorough understanding of Displacement maps by showing you how to use them to create complex geometry that would otherwise be too difficult or time consuming to produce in any other way. In the final chapter, Chapter 13, "Painting Light Gels," you learn how to create image maps for the use of light gels. Light gels are a great way to enhance the richness and depth of your 3D scenes. This chapter will teach you how to create shadow maps and color gels in conjunction with animated and still imagery. Photoshop 5 3D Textures f/x and design also contains a Color Studio in which I have extracted final renders and important color maps, layers, and textures to enhance your knowledge and give you a better visual representation of the concepts covered. Photoshop 5 3D Textures f/x and design comes complete with a PC- and Macintosh-friendly CD-ROM containing dozens of royalty-free, seam-lessly tileable texture maps, and some of the most stunning 3D models youve ever seen. These models have been provided in a variety of formats, including LightWave, Alias/Wavefront, 3D Studio MAX, DXF, and 3DMF. Along with the textures, animations have been provided of scenes mentioned in the text that contain animated texture maps. Youll also find demos of Adobes Photoshop 5. The ACM Portal is published by the Association for Computing Machinery. Copyright © 2010 ACM, Inc. 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