In this tutorial, we'll show you how to create a piece of 3D art featuring a realistic three-dimensional text effect. You'll also learn how to edit multiple images using adjustments and basic tools.

The first part of this tutorial takes place in Photoshop CC's 3D environment, which means you have to work with three different panels almost simultaneously. The Layers panel is where you place and create the 3D text. In the 3D panel, you access the 3D commands, while the Properties panel is where you apply the extrusion effect, distort and apply different materials to add realism. Working in a three-dimensional space is fairly easy but you have to pay close attention.

The second part of the tutorial is back to familiar, 2D territory, using the Selection tools, masks, adjustment layers and other basic techniques. Don't forget to download the resources.

01. Create the background

First, change the workspace. Go to Window > Workspace > 3D. Now, create a new blank canvas (cmd/ctrl+N). Name it 3D Text, setting the Width to 1500px, Height to 620 pixels, Resolution to 300ppi and then click OK. Go to File > Place Embedded 'pix_117004_background.jpg', adjust the size and press return/enter.

02. Download a new font

Go to dafont.com and download the font South Afirkas 2100 by zanatlija. Unzip the file and install on your system. Grab the Type tool (T). In Options choose the Font Type: South Afirkas, Size: 70pt and then type the word SAFARI.

03. Add texture

Go to File > Place Embedded 'pix_2068284_texture1.jpg'. Place over the text and then clip the layers, press cmd/ctrl+opt/alt+G. Hold Shift and click on the Safari layer. With both layers active, press cmd/ctrl+E to merge. Rename the layer Safari_texture.

04. Create a 3D layer

Go to 3D > New 3D Extrusion from Selected Layer. In the Properties panel, click in Mesh, choose Texture Mapping: Scale and set the Extrusion Depth to 10mm. In the 3D panel, click on the Safari_Texture Front Inflation Material, set the Roughness to 80% and Bump to 100%.

05. Add more textures

In the 3D Layer panel, click Safari_Texture Extrusion Material. Now in the Properties panel, click the Diffuse icon and choose Replace Texture, locate the 'pix_2068284_texture2.jpg' and Open. Adjust the Roughness to 80% and Bump to 100%.

06. Edit UV properties

We're now going to edit the extrusion texture. In Properties, open the Diffuse icon again and select Edit UV Properties. Set the U/X Scale to 65% and the V/Y Scale to 50% and then click OK.

07. A bevel effect

In the 3D panel, click the Safari_Texture layer. Now, in the Properties panel, click Cap. Set the Sides to Front, the Bevel Width to 35% and change the Contour to Cone_Inverted.

08. Move the 3D text

Grab the Move tool (V). In the 3D workspace click on Dolly the 3D camera (it's the third icon in the bottom left). Hold the mouse button and drag up to move the text further away. Click on the Orbit and Pan the 3D camera to rotate and move the image down.

09. Adjust the light

In the 3D panel, click Infinite Light. Use the on-image controller to adjust the light, placing it in front of the 3D text and moving it around 75 degrees to the top-left corner. Render the image by going to 3D>Render 3D Layer.

10. Create a layer mask

In the Layers panel, press cmd/ctrl+J to duplicate the Safari_Texture layer. Go to Layer > Rasterize > 3D. (Hide the original 3D Safari_Texture layer.) Add a layer mask. Grab the Brush tool. Press F5 and choose the Dune Grass brush, tweak the Shape Dynamics and Scattering then paint over the mask, blending the grass.

11. Make adjustments

First, let's sharpen the image a bit. Click on the Safari_Texture thumbnail. Go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen More. Now adjust the tones. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels. Set the Inputs to 0, 1.15, 215 and clip the layers.

12. Place the lion

Go to File > Place Embedded 'pix_1236169_lion.jpg'. Grab the Quick Selection tool (W) and select the lion. Go to Select > Select and Mask. Change View Mode to Overlay. Set Edge Detection Radius to 15 pixels, check Smart Radius, and use the tools to enhance the selection. Output to 'New layer with layer mask'.

13. More adjustments

Grab the Dune Grass brush and paint over the mask to hide the paws and tail behind the bushes. Now, go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Then go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels. Set the Inputs to 0, 0.95, 245 and clip the layers.

14. The Pen tool

Go to File > Place Embedded 'pix_602530_elephant.jpg'. Grab the Pen tool (P) and draw a path around the elephant. In Options, click Make: Selection and then click OK. Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection. Press cmd/ctrl+T and adjust the size.

15. Add more adjustments

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast. Set Brightness to 30, Contrast to 15, clip the layers and then click OK. Now, make a quick colour correction. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter. Choose Filter: Deep Yellow, set the Density to 30%, clip the layers and click OK.

16. Bring in the ostrich

Go to File > Place Embedded 'pix_341989_ostrich.jpg'. Grab the Quick Selection tool (W) and select the image. In Options, click Select and Mask. Use the Refine Edge Brush tool (R) or the Brush tool (B) to enhance the mask, then click OK. Resize the image and place the ostrich next to the elephant.

17. Curves adjustment

Now, let's apply a Curves adjustment to correct the tones. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves. Place the mouse cursor in the centre and drag down a bit or set the Input to 45 and the Output to 40, clip the layers and click OK.

18. Place more images

Go to File > Place Embedded 'pix_1224295_monkey.jpg'. Use the Quick Selection tool to select the image and the Select and Mask command to refine the selection. Resize the image and place over the letters. Use a Curves adjustment to correct the tones.

19. Add the giraffe

Place the 'pix_927281_giraffe.jpg'. Select and mask the giraffe. Add a new layer on top of it and clip the layers (cmd/ctrl+opt/alt+G). Change the blending mode to Soft Light, grab the Brush tool and using a light yellow colour, paint over the body to whiten the shadows.

20. Colour correction

Place a new adjustment layer on top of the layer stack. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter. Choose Filter: Warming Filter (85), set the Density to 25%, and click OK.

21. Create a snapshot

Press shift+cmd/ctrl+opt/alt+E to create a snapshot. Now make the final adjustment. Go to Filter > Camera Raw filter. Set the Exposure to +0.25, Highlights to -30, Clarity: +10 and Saturation: +5, then click OK.

This article originally appeared in issue 152 of Photoshop Creative. Subscribe here.

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Note:

In Photoshop CS6, 3D functionality was part of Photoshop Extended. All features in Photoshop Extended are part of Photoshop CC. Photoshop CC does not have a separate Extended offering.

Whenyou select a 3D layer, the 3D panel shows the components of the associated3D file. The top section of the panel lists the meshes, materials,and lights in the file. The bottom section of the panel shows settingsand options for the 3D component selected in the top section.


A. Display Scene, Meshes, Materials, or Lights options B. Renderpresets menu C. Customize render settings D. Selecttexture to paint on E. Crosssection settings F. Toggle overlays G. Add new light H. Deletelight

The buttons at the top of the 3D panel filter the components that appear in the top section. Click the Scene button to show all components, click Materials to see just materials, and so on.

    • Choose Window> 3D.

    • Double-click the 3D layer icon inthe Layers panel.

    • Choose Window > Workspace > Advanced 3D.

  1. Click the Scene, Mesh, Materials, or Lights buttonat the top of the 3D panel.

  1. Click the eye icon next to the mesh or light entryin the top section of the 3D panel.

    Note:

    You cannot turn material display on or off from the 3D panel. To show or hide materials, change the visibility settings for their associated textures in the Layers panel. See 3D Materials settings.

  1. If not already selected, click the Scene entry at the topof the component list.

    • Click theScene button to show all scene components. Then select a mesh, material,or light in the top section.

    • Click the Meshes, Materials, or Lights button to temporarilydisplay just those components. Then select a single mesh, material,or light.

The ground plane is a grid that reflects the position ofthe ground relative to the 3D model.

  • To view the ground plane, click the Toggle icon at the bottom of the 3D panel, and select 3D Ground Plane.

Note:

The Toggle icon is enabled only if OpenGL is available on your system. Pokemon uncensored rom hack.

  1. At the bottom of the 3D panel, click the Toggleicon , andselect 3D Light

Outline the selected material ormesh in the document window

  1. At the bottom of the 3D panel, click the Toggleicon , andselect 3D Selection.

When you select materials or meshes in the panel, a colored outlineappears in the document window, helping you identify the currentitem.

Note:

To change the color of 3D overlays like materialand mesh outlines, customize options in the 3D section of the Preferencesdialog box.


A. Materials are surrounded by a colored line B. Meshesby a bounding box

Use 3DScene settings to change render modes, select a texture to painton, or create cross sections. To access scene settings, click theScene button inthe 3D panel, then select the Scene entry in the top section ofthe panel.

Specifies the render preset for the model. To customize options, click Edit. For more information, see Change 3D render settings.

Choose a setting which provides the best display quality while maintaining good performance:

Renders with OpenGL using the GPU on the video card, producinghigh-quality results, but lacking detailed reflections and shadows.For most systems, this option is best for editing.

Renders using the CPU on the computer motherboard, with draft-qualityreflections and shadows. If your system has a powerful video card, theInteractive option may produce faster results.

Best reserved for final output, this option fully renders reflections and shadows. For more information, see Render a 3D file for final output.

Note:

Tiles are temporarily drawn across the image during Ray Traced rendering. To interrupt the rendering process, click the mouse or spacebar. To change the number of tiling passes, trading processing speed for quality, change the High Quality Threshold in the 3D preferences.


When painting directly on the 3D model, use this menu to choose which texture map to paint on. See 3D painting.

Note:

You can also choose the target texture from the 3D > 3D Paint Mode menu.

Sets the color for global ambient light visible on reflective surfaces. This color interacts with the ambient color for specific materials. See 3D Materials settings.

Select to create a planar cross section that can intersect the model at an angle you choose. Allows you to slice through a model and view interior content. See View cross sections.

You can view a cross section of a 3D model by intersectingit with an invisible plane that slices through the model at anyangle and displays content only on one side of the plane.

You can vary the render settings for each side of a crosssection to combine different views of the same 3D model, such asWireframe with Solid.

Eachmesh in the 3D model appears on a separate line in the top sectionof the 3D panel. Select a mesh to access mesh settings and informationin the lower section of the 3D panel.

Information includes the number of materials and textures appliedto the mesh, as well as the number of vertices and faces it contains.You can also set the following mesh display options:

Note:

To see shadows, set the lights and select Ray Traced for render quality. See 3D Scene settings.

Controls whether the selected mesh displays shadows on its surface from other meshes.

Note:

To catch shadows from the ground plane on meshes, select 3D > Ground Plane Shadow Catcher. To align these shadows with objects, select 3D > Snap Object To Ground Plane

Controls whether the selected mesh casts shadows on other meshsurfaces.

Hides the mesh, but displays any shadows on its surface.

Controls the softness of shadows cast by the selected mesh. The setting is helpful when blending 3D objects with layers below.

Use the mesh position tools to move, rotate, or scale a selected mesh without moving the model as a whole. The position tools operate in the same way as the main 3D position tools in the Tools panel. For information on each tool, see Move, rotate, or scale a 3D model.

Note:

To manipulate the entire model while an individualmesh is selected, use the 3D tools in the Tools panel.

The top part of the 3D panellists the materials used in the 3D file. One or multiple materialsmay be used to create the overall appearance of the model. If amodel contains several meshes, there may be a specific materialassociated with each mesh. Or a model can be built from one meshbut use different materials in different areas.


A. Displays Materials options B. Selectedmaterial C. Materials picker D. MaterialDrop and Select tools E. Texturemap menu icon F. Texture map types

For a selected material in the top section of the 3D panel, thelower section shows the particular texture maps used by that material.Some texture types, such as Diffuse and Bump, commonly rely on 2Dfiles to supply a particular color or pattern that creates the texture.For other texture types, you may not need a separate 2D file. Forexample, you can directly adjust Gloss, Shine, Opacity, or Reflectionby entering values.

The texture maps used by a material appear as Textures in theLayers panel, grouped by the texture map category.

Note:

To see a thumbnail of a texture map image, hoverthe mouse over the texture name (for example, Reflection or Illumination).

The color of the material. The diffuse map can be a solid color or any 2D content. The Diffuse color swatch value sets the diffuse color if you choose to remove the diffuse texture map. You can also create a diffuse map by painting directly on the model. See 3D painting.

Increases or decreases opacity of the material (0-100%).You can use a texture map or the scrubby slider to control opacity.The grayscale values of the texture map control the opacity of thematerial. White values create complete opacity and black valuescreate complete transparency.

Creates bumps in the material surface, without altering the underlying mesh. A bump map is a grayscale image in which lighter values create raised surface areas and darker values create flatter surface areas. You can create or load a bump map file, or begin painting on the model to automatically create a bump map file. See 3D painting.

The Bump field increases or reduces bumpiness. It is only active if a bump map exists. Enter a number in the field or use the scrubby slider to increase or decrease bump strength.

Note:

Bumpiness is most pronounced when a surface is viewed head on, rather than at an angle.

Like a bump map texture, a normal map increases surface detail. Unlike a bump texture map, which is based on a single-channel grayscale image, a normal map is based on a multi-channel (RGB) image. The values of each color channel represent the x, y, and z components of a normal on the model surface. A normal map can be used to smooth the surfaces of low polygon meshes.

Note:

Photoshop uses World-space normal maps, which offer the fastest processing.

Stores the image of the environment surrounding the 3D model. Environment maps are applied as spherical panoramas. The contents of the environment map can be seen in the reflective areas of the model.

Note:

To prevent an environment map from reflecting on a given material, change Reflectivity to 0%, add a reflectivity map that masks the material area, or remove the environment map for that material.

Increases the reflection of other objects in the 3D scene,and the environment map, on the material surface.

Defines a color that doesn't rely on lighting to display.Creates the effect that the 3D object is lit from within.

Defines the amount of light from a source that reflects offthe surface and back to the viewer. You can adjust glossiness byentering a value in the field or using the scrubby slider. If youcreate a separate glossiness map, the intensity of colors in themap controls glossiness in the material. Black areas create fullglossiness, white areas remove all glossiness, and middle valuesreduce the size of a highlight.

Defines the dispersion of the reflected light generated by the Gloss setting. Low shininess (high dispersion) produces more apparent light, with less focus. High shininess (low dispersion) produces less apparent light and brighter, crisper highlights.


Note:

If a 3D object has more than the nine texture types Photoshop supports, additional textures appear in the Layers panel and the 3D Paint Mode list. (To display the latter, choose 3D > 3D Paint Mode, or use the Paint On menu in the Scene section of the 3D panel

The color displayed for specular properties (for example,highlight glossiness and shininess).

Sets the color for ambient light visible on reflective surfaces. This color interacts with the Global Ambient Color for the entire scene. See 3D Scene settings.

Sets the refractive index when scene Quality is set to RayTraced and the Refractions option is selected in the 3D > RenderSettings dialog box. Refraction is the change in light directionthat occurs at the intersection of two media (such as air and water)with different refractive indexes. The default value for new materialsis 1.0 (the approximate value for air).

The 3D Material Drop tool works much like the traditionalPaint Bucket tool, letting you sample and apply materials directlyon 3D objects.

Note:

For a visual example of an outlined material, see Outline the selected material or mesh in the document window.

Material presets let you quickly apply groups of texture settings. The default presets provide various materials like steel, fabric, and wood.


You can load an existing 2D texture file for any of thenine available texture map types.

A bump texture map filled with a neutral grayscale valueprovides more range when painting on the map.

The bump texture map is created and added to the texture mapfiles listed in the Materials panel. It also appears as a texturein the Layers panel.

Note:

If the deleted texture is an external file, youcan reload it using the Load Texture command from the texture mapmenu. For textures that are internally referenced by the 3D file,choose Undo or Step Backward to restore a deleted texture.

A texture map is applied to a particular surface area ofthe model, depending on its UV mapping parameters. You can adjustUV scale and offset if necessary to improve how the texture mapsto the model.

3Dlights illuminate models from different angles, adding realisticdepth and shadows.

Note:

To precisely position image-based lights, use the 3D Axis, which wraps the image around a sphere. (See 3D Axis.)

Light guides provide spatial reference points for youradjustments. These guides reflect the type, angle, and attenuationof each light. Point lights appear as a ball, spot lights as a cone,and infinite lights as a line.

Note:

You can change the guide color in the 3D sectionof the Preferences dialog box.

To store groups of lights for later use, save them as apreset. To include the preset in other projects, either add to orreplace the existing lights.

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