8/10/2019 How to Apply Textures to Uneven Surfaces _ Psdtuts+

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o w t o A p p l y T e x t u r e s t o U n e v e n

u r f a c e s

ames Davieson Mar 18th 2011 with 224 Comments

t o r i a l D e t a i l s

Program: Photoshop

Difficulty: Intermediate

Completion Time: 1-2 hours

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Applying texture to a flat surface, or flatly applying a texture across a whole image (as a

means to age it or degrade it) is simple stuff. Realistically applying a texture to an unevenurface is much more hands-on (more so than simply overlaying a texture and changing the

lending mode).

i d e o T u t o r i a l

Our video editor Gavin Steelehas created this video tutorial to compliment this text +

mage tutorial.

http://www.gsteele.com/

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t e p 1

ob number one, as ever, is pooling your assets together. I got the man from iStockphoto

ereand the tree bark (courtesy of K. Tuck) from stock.xchng here.

http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=1061143http://www.sxc.hu/profile/micromothhttp://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=000002429238

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t e p 2

ut out the face using the Pen tool (set to Paths not Shape Layers). Cut and paste it into your

lank canvas (1562 pixels by 1172 pixels at 300dpi). Open up the bark image, and import it

nto your working document. Resize and rotate the document as in the screengrab.

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t e p 3

Use the Clone Stamp tool to fill in the rest of the texture. Avoid easily recognizable

epetitions in the texture like the ones circled. Clone them out. I used a 200 pixel, soft-edged

rush to do this

t e p 4

urn the visibility of the Bark layer off (clicking the eye icon next to the layer thumbnail

will do this). Go to the Channels palette, select the channel with the best contrast, anduplicate this channel into a new document.

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t e p 5

Apply a 2 pixel Gaussian Blur to your new document and then adjust the Levels as in thecreengrab below. Save as Displace.psd.

t e p 6

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eselect the RGB channel (so all channels are selected and the image is now back in

olor) and return to the Layers palette. Make the Bark layer visible and select it. Go to

ilter > Distort > Displace. Set the Horizontal and Vertical scale to 1 (or try other values),

elect Stretch To Fit and Repeat Edge Pixels. Set the Layer Blending Mode to Multiply.

You can see how its distorted over parts of the face.

hasnt quite put it in the right place so move the Bark down the face until the distortions

match the face. Use this wrinkle (circled) as a guide as to where to put it.

t e p 7

Duplicate the Bark layer twice. Set one to Multiply with an Opacity of 100%. Set the

ther to Normal at 40% Opacity. Position in the Layer hierarchy as in the image below.

t e p 8

ommand-click on the Face Layer to create a selection. Select the Bark Normal 40%

ayer and go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal selection. Repeat this for the Bark

Multiply Layer. Zoom into 300% and use the Pen tool to draw around the eyes and the

mouth. Add a rough edge to the top of the mouth. Press Commmand-click on the Path

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humbnail to create a selection.

t e p 9

elect the Bark Normal 40% Layer Mask thumbnail to work directly on the Mask. Select

lack as the background color and then delete the selection from the Layer Mask. Repeat

his process for the Bark Multiply Layer.

t e p 1 0

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves and set up as shown below. Then fill the

Adjustment Layer Mask with black so the effects arent visible.

t e p 1 1

urn off the visibility of the Bark Layers and use the Pen tool to draw a paths around the

ard edges we need to mask. The bottom of the nose and cheek lines are good examples.

ommand-click on the Path thumbnail to create a selection from it.

t e p 1 2

elect a soft-edged (0% Hardness) brush, loaded with white (as the foreground color) and

et to 16% Opacity. Paint directly on the Layer Mask. Press Command + H to hide selection

he, if it helps. Draw over several times, applying more at the shadow source and less as

ou get further from the harsher shadows.

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t e p 1 3

Draw around other features which produce hard lines such as the bottom lip. Draw the

hadows in the same manner.

t e p 1 4

reate a selection from the Face layer by Command-clicking the layer thumbnail. Draw

ll the shadows in

t e p 1 5

Changing the Brush size to suit size of the area youre treating. Around the lip for

xample, use a small brush.

t e p 1 6

urn the Bark layers off to see the key areas of shadow. You can still work on the Mask

with the face showing. I flick between working with the Bark visible and invisible.

http://ams1.ib.adnxs.com/click?Jugv9IjR3z-GuChptAvbPxSuR-F6FO4_hrgoabQL2z8l6C_0iNHfP_CBcLfA8tUJLUG-vy40TjD7OotSAAAAAIzqHQCTBAAAXQUAAAIAAAB2mHoAeboEAAAAAQBVU0QAVVNEACwB-gAdZAAAHGgAAQUCAQIAAIoAMSjrRQAAAAA./cnd=%21sQZeOwiMrZQBEPaw6gMY-fQSIAA./referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fpsd.tutsplus.com%2Ftutorials%2Fphoto-effects-tutorials%2Fapply-textures-uneven-surfaces%2F/clickenc=http%3A%2F%2Fbs.serving-sys.com%2FBurstingPipe%2FadServer.bs%3Fcn%3Dtf%26c%3D20%26mc%3Dclick%26pli%3D7661322%26PluID%3D0%26ord%3D%5Btimestamp%5D

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t e p 1 7

n order to soften or erase any shadows that youre not happy with, change the brush color to

lack and draw on the mask in the same way as before. Keep working on the Mask until you

et it right.

t e p 1 8

Whilst drawing on the Mask, you should be changing your brush size and the opacity to suit

he shadow. For a big gradual shadow youll want around a 300 pixel brush set to 16%

Opacity, all the way down to 18 pixels and increasing the opacity to suit. Finally, apply a

6 pixel Gaussian Blur to the Adjustment Curve Layer Mask to soften the hard edges.

t e p 1 9

Duplicate the Bark Layer that sits beneath the Face Layer. Set them up so they are the

ame as the top Bark layers, one Normal at 40% opacity, one Multiply at 100%. Then underhose two layers create a new layer and fill it with C=61%, M=66%, Y=66%, and K=62%.

t e p 2 0

reate a selection from the Face Layer (Command-click the Layer thumbnail) and go toelect > Inverse. Then go to Select > Modify > Expand. Give it a 1 pixel expansion. Select

he Curves Adjustment Layer Mask and Fill the selection with 20% black.

t e p 2 1

reate a selection from the Eyes/Mouth Path you made earlier. Add some shadows by

rawing on the Curves Adjustment Layer Mask.

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t e p 2 2

o further fuse the elements together, and to grade the image, add a Curves and a

Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer to the top of the Layers hierarchy.

t e p 2 3

latten the image and go to Filter > Liquify. Select the Bloat tool and set up roughly how it

in the image below. We want to add a 3D quality to the areas such as cheeks, nose, and

orehead. Select an appropriate Brush size for each of these areas and click on each a few

mes rather than dragging the brush around.

o n c l u s i o n

You can always add some real world effects such as leaves and bugs to the final image go

uts. This technique works for applying any texture to any surface, for example you couldmake a brand new Mercedes SLK rusty and riveted, or make a house out of skin. Go have

un whilst you perfect your craft. You can view the final image below or view a larger

ersion here.

y J a m e s D a v i e s

am JamesZilla. I write tutorials for various magazines and websites when I'm not

esigning gig posters, t-shirts, catalogues, magazine, etc.

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