On THE ARCHITECT this week, I will be showing you guys how to cast shadows easily on photoshop. So grab your PC and let's get down to serious business.
Hi folks.
I am back
again this week and with a new cool topic. I am very pleased with the level of
response/feedback I got last week from the earlier post (how to use the Revit
software as your sketch pad) and after receiving direct mails and messages
from readers on certain problems, I decided to pick this topic for this week. Always
remember that I will be constantly posting short tutorials on various aspects
of the use of the Revit and Photoshop softwares (contact me for problems from
any other software) here. I will also be willing to listen to problems and
challenges from them when posted on the comments thread under this post. Now I
hope you will find that of this week useful too. Happy reading!
THE SIMPLEST WAY TO CAST
SHADOWS ON PHOTOSHOP
A lot of architects are
massively moving into the use of Photoshop for architectural visualization. The
software (which was never made for architects) can become a very effective tool
in bringing out the best from any sort of presentation you wish to embark on as
an architect. For me, I think the best part of its use is its amazing ability
to reduce the time (and very drastically too) you spend in getting your initial
presentations ready. Since I learnt the use of the software, sometime between
2011 and 2012, I have grown to the point that I can get a house ready for
presentation in less than 15mins. And I mean, including both effects, adding up
content and preparing your labels. It is that quick. You can also budget to get
a design done for first presentation inside 4hours if you already have a good
idea of what your layout plan is going to be and combing Revit and Photoshop. I
just feel glad that I met Photoshop - in short.
However, while people
who haven't used it before are hoping to learn and begin using it one day, those
who currently use it, still have certain challenges they haven't overcome. An
instance is the casting of shadows. I realized that after bringing in content (let's
say tress, human figures, animals, etc), they end up either leaving them flying
(that's what it looks like without shadows) or they try hard to represent
shadows in any way possible, thus ending up with something so far from
realistic. So here, I have put together a very easy and simple way to cast
shadows on Photoshop.
NOTE:
I am using CS5 for this class. If you do not use CS5, all you need to do is to
locate the positions of the tools I have used here, on your own interface. The
functions should still be exactly the same. The image I will be using for the
project was done and rendered on Revit with no 'after-effects'. It is so, so as
to make the base image as simple as possible in order not to distract the
reader from the essence of the tutorial.
You will notice that my
shadows will not be following the 'correct' direction they should with regards
to the position of the sun. That is so because observing thus will hinder me from
giving you descriptive images for the class. However, when retrying these steps
in your own project, make sure your shadows are placed according to the
position of the sun as that will improve the realism of your visualization.
I am also assuming that
you have imported the image (photo of building) you wish to improve with Photoshop
and about ready to bring in your contents/components. I will be using a tree
as the sample content here. You will notice that I have an erected wall in my
image; this was done to illustrate how you can make the shadow responsive to
obstacles.
STEP 1.
GET THE TREE POSITIONED
AND READY TO USE
You can bring in
contents by simply dragging from the folder on your PC where the content is
saved and dropping it into the Photoshop interface by one quick swoop (see
image 1). Or you can go through:
 |
| image 1 |
Ø File
(on your menu tab on top) then
Ø Place
Ø Folder
opens. Pick the tree image or any other content you which to use
Ø Content
loads.
After you have brought
in your content, you will notice that it will have this framed-line all around
it (see image 2). Using the frame, you can adjust the content and make it sit
the way you like. For
 |
| image 2 |
instance, you can reduce the size/scale of the content (see
image 3). When you are done, just
 |
| image 3 |
double-click within the framed-lines, to de-select
the content (see image 4).
 |
| image 4 |
STEP 2.
GIVE BIRTH TO THE SHADOW
The shadow we are
creating will actually be born out of the content you have loaded. To produce
the subject for the shadow, check for the layer that refers to the content on
the layer-bar to your right (see image 5). When you find it:
 |
| image 5 |
Ø Right
click on the layer of the content
Ø A
menu will appear. Search for 'Duplicate layer' and then select it
Ø A
dialogue-box appears. Enter a new name for the shadow-subject. I called mine 'tree
shadow' (see image 6).
 |
| image 6 |
Ø While
making sure the 'tree-shadow' is highlighted on the layers-bar on the right,
right-click within your work-space (in which you have the images).
Ø A
menu appears. Search for 'Free transform' and then click.
Ø Holding
down your mouse on the highlighted/framed-image that will follow, drag the
tree-shadow away from the original tree. We now have two tree-images (see image
7).
 |
| image 7 |
STEP 3.
MAKE THE 'TREE-SHADOW' SHADOW
Ø Right-click
on the 'tree-shadow' layer on your layer-bar on the right and select 'Blending
options' from the menu that will appear. (see image 8)
 |
| image 8 |
Ø On
the 'blending options dialogue' search, select and check the 'Colour Overlay'
option (see image 9). The colour of your 'tree-shadow' image should immediately
turn red (may turn some other colour depending on the version of Photoshop you
use).
 |
| image 9 |
Ø Now
click within the box to your right (see image 10) and change the colour to very
deep black. When you are done, click 'ok' for the dialogue-box to close.
 |
| image 10 |
Ø Then,
on the layer-bar, with the 'tree-shadow' still highlighted, search for the 'Opacity'
button and reduce the image opacity to '85%'. You will notice that the tree-shadow
will become a bit transparent. (see image 11). Now your shadow is made. Let's
cast it then...
 |
| image 11 |
STEP 4.
CASTING THE SHADOW
Ø Making
sure the tree-shadow layer is highlighted, Right-click within your work-space
and select 'Free Transform' from the menu that will appear. The tree-shadow
image will be line-framed again.
Ø Right-click
again within the Framed-lines and select 'distort' from the menu that will
appear.
Ø Now,
using the four-nodes on the four corners of the line-frames, begin to drag and
adjust the tree-shadow. Your aim is to get it into a lying position just like a
real shadow (see image 12).
 |
| image 12 |
Ø When
you are done adjusting, double-click within the framed-lines. It should now be
looking like what I have in image 13.
 |
| image 13 |
Ø Also
make sure that the tree-shadow layer is under the tree layer on your layer-bar.
If they are not, drag the former down until it sits under the later. This is to
make sure that the tree is over the tree-shadow in the work-space.
STEP 5.
MAKING THE SHADOW
REALISTIC
While we have a
shadow-looking tree-shadow done, we still need to make the shadow look real.
This how to do so:
Ø Reduce
the 'Opacity' (sitting above the layer-bar) further to 65% (and make sure
tree-shadow layer is highlighted before doing so)
Ø On
your tools-bar to the left, search and select the 'blur' tool. (Set the
point-size to 50. Point size can be found towards to top-left).
Ø Then
right-click on the tree-shadow layer and select the 'Rasterize Layer' option
from the menu that will appear. This will make the tree-shadow a responsive
image.
Ø Then
begin to rub the blur tool all over the image of the tree-shadow in your
work-space still with the tree-shadow layer highlighted on your layer-bar. This
will make the tree-shadow image look even more realistic. (see image 14)
 |
| image 14 |
STEP 6.
MAKING THE SHADOW RESPONSIVE
Our shadow is looking
set and real but we can still make it responsive. Note the obstacle (the wall)
I have in my own model. The obstacle is there to illustrate how the shadow can
be made to respond to the new plane that should be formed by the obstacle. So
here is how to make the shadow respond to obstacles/obstructions:
Ø Duplicate
the tree-shadow layer by right-clicking the layer on the layer-bar and
selecting duplicate. Leave the name as 'Tree-shadow 2'
Ø Select
the 'Polygonal Lasso tool' on your tool-bar to the left and while still
highlighting the 'Tree-shadow 2' layer, run the lasso tool around the area of
the 'tree-shadow 2' image that does not reach into the wall. (see image 15)
 |
| image 15 |
Ø Now
press your 'delete' button on your keyboard
Ø Then
change the highlighted layer on your layer-bar from 'tree-shadow 2' to
'tree-shadow'
Ø Right-click
within the lasso-tool select zone on your work-space and choose 'select
inverse'
Ø Press
the delete button on your keyboard
Ø Right-click
again and select 'deselect'
Ø Now
making sure that the 'tree-shadow 2' layer is highlighted on your layer-bar,
right-click within the work-space and select 'free-transform'. This will place
'framed-lines' around the shadow cast unto the surface of the wall. (See image
16)
 |
| image 16 |
Ø Right-click
within the frame and select 'distort'
Ø Now
using the nodes on the edges of the framed-lines, distort the 'tree-shadow 2'
until it appears to be lying unto the plane of the wall (see image 17).
 |
| image 17 |
Ø Now
double-click within the frame to deselect
|
| Image 18 |
This is how to get your
shadow done. In an ideal manner of application, it wouldn't take more than half
a minute to do. At the end your own should look like Image 18. I assume you
enjoyed the class. Now can I get your feedback? The more comments you post here,
the greater the motivation I get to give you a new lesson. Cheers!
THE ARCHITECT runs every Tuesday. Subscribe to this blog (via social media and email) to receive update alerts on new posts.
FROM MY ARCHIVES
I began a routine here last week. I promised
that for each post I make, I will be attaching one of my designs from the
archives. Although I will not be including sensitive ones (real jobs of my
clients) as that could attract legal action but you can learn a thing or two from
my use of these softwares through the ones I will make available. The designs
will be ones I did with just Revit and Photoshop. No Studio Max, After Effect
or Vector works. Enjoy this new one I did back in 2011. The photoshop effect was done in 2012 though. Observe that I was still a beginner with photoshop back then. Regards!
------
We will love to get a comment from you. Scroll down to leave a comment...people are commenting already!
To follow our authors on Social Media, Click Here
Simply genius. Loving this series.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this.
ReplyDelete