Photoshop's Lighting Effects filter can create many unique and custimizable effects. It is extremely powerful, and offers many different styles and effects. This tutorial will demonstrate a smooth beveling effect far superior to the cheesy predictable look of Alien Skin's Eye Candy Inner Bevel.
Step 1- Creating the Shape
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First, make a new image, 500x500 pixels and fill the background with a dark color. Next, use the text tool to create any typographic character. Resize your character to fill most of the image, and fill it with a lighter shade of your background color.
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Step 2- Creating the Texture Channel
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To light the object, the filter refers to a 'texture channel', which describes the form of your object. Lighter pixels represent high areas, and darker pixels are lower.
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Select the layer with your shape on it and in the menu, go:
Select > Load Selection....
Press OK, and it will select the outline of your character.
Then, on the Channels window* press the "Save selection as channel" button. []
* to show the channels window you may have to go into Window menu and select: Show Channels. This Photoshop stuff is pretty tricky, isn't it?.
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Without purging your selection, click on the new channel it created with the selection.
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Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur... 9 pixels
Blur it again, only 6 pixels.
Blur it again, only 3 pixels.
Blur it again, only 1 pixel.
Now, to get rid of the jaggies around the edge of the selection
invert your selection (Ctrl+Shift+I), clear (Del) and deselect (Ctrl+D).
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Now zoom in and take a look at this beautiful complexion you have created.
Mmmmmmm, smooth.
Let's move on.
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Step 3- Lighting the Shape
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Go back to the Layers window and select the layer with your character on it. If it has a big T icon inside it , right click on the T and select "Render Layer"
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Now, in the menu go:
Filter > Render > Lighting Effects...
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In the Texture Channel select box, pick the channel which you were working in Step 2, most likely named Alpha 1
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Now, this is where your own artistic skills come into play. You may position as many lights around your shape as you wish.
There are 3 types of lights:
Spotlight- This type of light has 2 points and a radius. One point is where the light is coming from, the other point is where it is pointing towards.
Omni- This light is like an open light bulb. It shines in all directions from one point, with a radius.
Directional- This light has 2 points and no radius. It shines in the angle you position it, and the closer the two points are, the stronger the light will shine.
To add a new light drag the light icon [ ] on the bottom of the Lighting Effects window onto the point that you want the light. The selected light's properties will editable on the right side panel. To kill a light, drag it onto the trash icon [ ].
When you are done customizing your lighting, hit OK.
Click for a larger version
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Most of the modifiers are fairly self-explanitory. For my demonstration I"ll use the following values:
Gloss: -37
Material: 22
Exposure: 0
Ambience: 26
Height: 100%
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Click for a larger version
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There is a large white spotlight on the top-left shining into the center, and a small omni on the bottom right.
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If the final product appears rough, follow these instructions: |
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On the layers window, select "Preserve Transparency" and Gaussian Blur the layer a few pixels. That will make it look nice and smooth. Mmmmmmmm, smooth. |
Step 4- Added Effects
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For added effect, go in the menu:
Layer > Effects > Drop Shadow
The drop shadow will offer your shape contrast from the background.
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Click for final version
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You can get a nice effect by selecting the background layer and using the same light setting from your character, light effects it without a texture channel.
Grids and scan lines also look nice on the background.
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