TUTORIAL- Cutting in a track path in Photoshop
Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 4:50 am
A quick easy way to cut a track path into a base terrain in photoshop.
At some point, I'd like to supplement this with images for those not familiar with PS, but for now here goes...
1. You have your base terrain with random hills on a flattened layer. (If it's multiple layers see step 1a.)
1a. To create a flattened image out of your terrain, hit CTRL+A (select all) and then SHIFT+CTRL+C (copy visible) CTRL+V (Paste)
2. Create your track path with the pen tool as a solid black or white path to the width you want to smooth (you can always cut this away layer to narrow it up or smudge it out to widen it, so you want the average)
3. CTRL+Click on your track path layer to make a selection of your track path
4. Turn off your track path layer (keeping your selection)
5. Select your flattened base terrain layer
6. With the marquee tool selected, right click on your image and select "Copy as New Layer"
7. Paste as the top layer in your PSD
8. On your new track path layer, Lock Transparent Pixels (above the layer list, below blend modes, it's the first icon beside lock... checkered board)
9. This is the "tunable" step depending on what you want. With your Lock Transparent Pixels locked on your track path layer, BLUR 25px (or 10px twice, or play around and find what works best).
10. Turn off LOCK TRANSPARENT PIXELS.
You now have a track path cut into your terrain and ready for tweaking as a great base to start with.
At some point, I'd like to supplement this with images for those not familiar with PS, but for now here goes...
1. You have your base terrain with random hills on a flattened layer. (If it's multiple layers see step 1a.)
1a. To create a flattened image out of your terrain, hit CTRL+A (select all) and then SHIFT+CTRL+C (copy visible) CTRL+V (Paste)
2. Create your track path with the pen tool as a solid black or white path to the width you want to smooth (you can always cut this away layer to narrow it up or smudge it out to widen it, so you want the average)
3. CTRL+Click on your track path layer to make a selection of your track path
4. Turn off your track path layer (keeping your selection)
5. Select your flattened base terrain layer
6. With the marquee tool selected, right click on your image and select "Copy as New Layer"
7. Paste as the top layer in your PSD
8. On your new track path layer, Lock Transparent Pixels (above the layer list, below blend modes, it's the first icon beside lock... checkered board)
9. This is the "tunable" step depending on what you want. With your Lock Transparent Pixels locked on your track path layer, BLUR 25px (or 10px twice, or play around and find what works best).
10. Turn off LOCK TRANSPARENT PIXELS.
You now have a track path cut into your terrain and ready for tweaking as a great base to start with.