Preserved Topic: Steve...Displacement

Hey all...

First of all, I would like to say that tutorial is one of the finest I have ever read, but I'm having a little trouble understanding some parts. Maybe some of you can better explain it... Throughout the tutorial he says that the Displacment filter uses two channels. The red and green.... Is this ACTUAL channels, in the channels pallette, or is this seperate individual layers ? On page 8 of the tutorial, with the forest background, he shows the two channels he used to create the crystal ball effect, and I dont understand how it uses two different channels. And if it DOES use two different channels, how do you EDIT just the red and green channels? Can anyone explain this in better detail?

Thanks,
Adam S.
razordesigns.net

Look at the Channels palette. It's usually grouped with Layers and Paths palette. Just grap the tab that says Channels and drag it out (or just select the tab, but that's boring).

For Displace with RGB mode, the Red and Green channels are the ones that are used for Displacement. The Red channel tells how far to the left or right (horizontal) to move things around. The Green channel is up an down (horizontal).

Jeez. Be back in a bit with some visuals.

edit: Okay, Channels, I'll try to stick to that.



There ya go. RGB doc with Red selected. Some stuff drawn in here and there. That's how you work in the seperate channels. Just select an individual channel and go to work. To see what it looks like, select the top one (RGB). Save and Displace.

This is how I prefer to make a D-Map. You can also use CMYK or Multichannel. You can even use Grayscale, but that's a bit different (just diagonal as opposed to horizontal and vertical).

I've got *tons* to say about Displace, but I'm staying focused.


[This message has been edited by warjournal (edited 06-24-2001).]

That 'bout covers it


Post again if you're still scratching your head. And don't be shy. I've gotten lots of questions on the forum and privately. It's *is* tough to wrap your gray matter around. I made the tutorial as clear as I knew how to, but until the "lightbulb" goes on for you personally it's really confusing. I know. You're in good company.

Press on!

Whoa,
Thanks for the reply....That does clear up some confusion. I've been using Photoshop for about 4 or 5 years now, and Ive got a good grasp on almost every filter except the Displace. I just can't visualize in my head while Im making the DMap on what effect its going to have the image being displaced...I guess its just something to pratice with.

I've been trying to create the forest crystal effect for sometime now, and I just can't seem to do it.

Thanks again,
-- Adam S.

You are required to have a *very* strange head in order to visualize it!

Actually, I think warjournal can close his eyes and see the finished file.

I have a general sense of what's going to happen. If I'm not delighted the first time, I screw around with it.
(turns out I screw around with it a lot - should have seen the clumps of hair on the floor when I was writing the tute!)

You just gotta get friendly with channels for one thing. For another thing, I prefer to work with multi channel files, not RGB files which are warjournal's preference. If there is no difference in outcome, why do I prefer multichannel? Because RGB files make it too easy for me to get sidetracked into thinking of the DMap as an image in its own right. I see those strong, pretty colors and I lose track of the total separateness of what the channels do.

Find what works for you. Channel 1 (or "RED" if in an RGB file) provides side-to-side displacement. Channel 2 (or "GREEN" if in an RGB file) provides up-and-down displacement. It's easier for me to deal with if I keep them separate in my mind. It's easier for me to do that with a multi-channel file. Channel 3 on up (or "BLUE" if in an RGB file) does nothing at all.

To each their own.

Take it slow. Be methodical. Practice your scales before you take on the concerto. It's the sort of thing that doesn't make *any* sense, and then one day ... it does. Just how it goes.

Well, belive it or not, I got something that half way looks like the forest cyrstal orb thats on the tut page.

Im very surprised.....Ill fool with it some more and see what I can come up with.

Thanks for all the help, it is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-- Adam S.
razordesigns.net

LOL Thanks, Steve. I guess I've got on the strangest heads around. Yeah, I pretty can tell what a D-Map will do by looking at the RGB or first two channels. But, by the same token, I build D-Maps with extreme intent.

I want this to go there. This part to go that way. Lay a gradiant like so and fade it like so. Curve this, Invert that...

But I'm staying focused.


---
I, Warjournal, Techincal-Slop Author Extraordinaire.

peoples heads work in different ways... i guess its like in 3d....some people get it and can maipulate objects in a 3d enviro fairly easyly ... while others find it damn hard to understand....

I noticed that Maruman. It's called spatial awareness and everyone has it to some degree. People who are naturally better at 3D video games have been proven to have better spatial awareness abilities.