Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Manual (Page 604)

597 USING PHOTOSHOP CS4
3D and technical imaging
Last updated 1/10/2010
• The original 2D layer appears in the Layers panel as a Diffuse texture map. It may be used on one or more
surfaces of the new 3D object. Other surfaces may be assigned a default diffuse texture map with a default color
setting. See “
3D panel overview (Photoshop Extended) ” on page 581.
3 (Optional) Use the Spherical Panorama option if you are using a panoramic image as your 2D input. This option
converts a complete 360 x 180 degree spherical panorama to a 3D layer. Once converted to a 3D object, you can
paint areas of the panorama that are typically difficult to reach, such as the poles or areas containing straight lines.
For information on creating a 2D panorama by stitching images together, see “
Create 360-degree panoramas
(Photoshop Extended) ” on page 249.
4 Export the 3D layer in a 3D file format or save in PSD format to retain the new 3D content. See “ Export a 3D layer ”
on page 603.
Create a 3D mesh
The New Mesh from Grayscale command converts a grayscale image into a depth map, which translates lightness
values into a surface of varying depth. Lighter values create raised areas in the surface, darker values create lower areas.
Photoshop then applies the depth map to one of four possible geometries to create a 3D model.
1 Open a 2D image and select one or more layers that you want to convert to a 3D mesh.
2 (Optional) Convert the image to grayscale mode. (Choose Image > Mode > Grayscale, or use Image > Adjustments
> Black & White to fine-tune the grayscale conversion.
Note: If you use an RGB image as input when creating a mesh, the green channel is used to generate the depth map.
3 (Optional) Make adjustments to the grayscale image if necessary to limit the range of lightness values.
4 Choose 3D > New Mesh From Grayscale, and then select a mesh option.
Plane Applies depth map data to a planar surface.
Two-Sided Plane Creates two planes reflected along a central axis and applies depth map data to both planes.
Cylinder Applies depth map data outward from the center of a vertical axis.
Sphere Applies depth map data radially outward from a center point.
Photoshop creates a 3D layer containing the new mesh. It also creates Diffuse, Opacity, and Planar Depth Map texture
maps for the 3D object, using the original grayscale or color layer.
Note: The Opacity texture map does not appear in the Layers panel, because that map uses the same texture file as the
Diffuse map (the original 2D layer). When two texture maps reference the same file, the file appears only once in the
Layers panel.
You can reopen the Planar Depth Map as a Smart Object at any time and edit it. When you save it, the mesh is
regenerated.
Combine 3D objects (Photoshop Extended)
Merging 3D layers allows you to combine multiple 3D models in one scene. Once combined, each 3D model can be
manipulated separately, or you can use position and camera tools on all models simultaneously.
1 Open two document windows, each containing a 3D layer.
2 Make the source document (the file from which you are copying the 3D layer) active.
3 Select the 3D layer in the Layers panel and drag it into the window of the target document (the file which will
contain the combined 3D objects).