Topic 2: Manipulating 3d Objects

The advantage to working with 3D objects is, obviously, that you can work with them in three dimensions. You can also return to a 3D layer at any time to change lighting, color, material, or position without having to re-create a lot of the art. Photoshop C56 includes several basic tools that make it easy to rotate, resize, and position 3D objects. The 2D tools in the options bar manipulate the object itself. The Camera widget in the lower left corner of the application window manipulates the camera so you can view a 3D scene from different angles.

You can use the 3D tools whenever a 3D layer is selected in the Layers panel. A 3D layer behaves like any other layer- you can apply layer styles, mask it, and so on. However, 3D layer can be quite complex.

Unlike a regular layer, a 3D layer contains one to more meshes. A mesh defines the 3D object. In the layer you just created, the mesh is the cube wrap shape. Each mesh, in turn, includes one or more materials- the appearance of a part or all of the mesh. Each material includes one or more maps- which are the components of the appearance. There are nine typical maps, and there can be only one of each kind. However, you can also use custom maps. Each maps contains texture- the image that defines what the maps and materials look like. The texture may be a simple bitmap graphic or set of layers. The textures might be us by any many different maps and materials. In the layer you created, the image of the wood composes the texture.

In addition to meshes, a 3D layer also includes one or more lights, which affect the appearance of 3D objects and remain in a fixed position as you spin or move the object. A 3D layer also includes cameras, which are saved views with the objects in a particular position. The shader creates the final appearance based on the materials, object properties, and renderer.

That may all sound complicated, but the most important thing to remember is that the 3D tools in the options bar move an object in 3D space and the Camera widget moves the camera that view the object.

1. In the Tools panel, select the Move tool.

All the 3D capabilities are embedded into the Move tool, which is recognizes when a 3D layer is selected and enables the 3D tools.

2. Select the Drag The 3D Object tool in the 3D Mode area of the options bar.
3. Click on the wood, and drag it to move it from side to side or up and down.
4. Select the Roll the 3D Object tool in the options bar, and then click and drag the cube.
5. Experiment with the other tools to see how they affect the object.

When you select a3D object, Photoshop displays the colourful 3D Axis widget, with green, red, and blue representing different axes. Red represents the x axis, green represents the y axis, and blue represents the z axis. ( Hint. Think of RGB color to remember the order.) If you hover the mouse over the center box until it turns yellow, you can click the box and drag to scale the object uniformly. Click an arrow to move the object along that axis, click the curved handle just before the arrow to rotate on that axis, and click the smaller handle to scale along that axis.

6. Rotate, scale, and move the cube using the widget.
7. Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the Camera widget in the lower left corner of the application window (it has two axes visible), and choose Top.

Options in the Camera menu determine the angle from which you can see the object. The camera angle changes, but the object itself does not. Don�t be fooled by its relationship to the background image, that image is not 3D, so Photoshop leaves it in place when it moves the camera for the 3D object.

8. Choose other camera views to see how they affect the perspective.
9. When you are done experimenting, choose File> Revert. You should see the front view of the cube again.

Topic 3: Adding 3d Objects

The wooden cube is just one of five 3D elements in the scene. You will create all of the 3D objects, and then merge them onto single 3D layer, where you can work with them as a group. On one layer, they will share cameras and lights.

Topic 4: Creating A 3d Postcard

In Photoshop CS6, you can transform a 2D object into a 3D postcard that you can manipulate in perspective in a 3D space. It is called a 3D postcard because it is as if your image became a postcard you could turn over in your hand.

You will use a 3D postcard to create the card that leans on the wine bottle.

1. Click the Layers tab to bring the Layers panel forward.
2. Make a Card layer visible, and select it.

The card doesn�t look much different, because viewing the front of it. When you manipulate it later, it will be much more obvious that it is a 3D postcard. Meanwhile, you can be sure it is a 3D object because Photoshop switches to the 3D panel, display the Secondary View window in the upper left corner, enables the 3D tools in the options bar, and displays the camera widget in the lower left corner of the application window.

Topic 5: Creating A 3d Mesh From A New Layer

You used a 3D mesh preset to wrap the wood layer around a cube, but you can also use a mesh preset with a new, empty layer. You will do that to create a wine bottle.

1. Bring the Layers panel forward, and make sure the Card layer is selected.
2. Click a Create A New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers panel A new layer, named Layer 1, appears above the Card layer.
3. With Layer 1 selected, choose 3D> New Mesh From Layer> Mesh Preset> Wine Bottle. A gray wine bottle shape appears in front of the card. Later, you will apply materials to the shape to make it look like a glass wine bottle.
4. In the Layers panel, rename the layer Bottle.

Topic 6: Creating A 3d File

In Photoshop CS6, you can open and work with 3d files exported from various applications, such as Collada, 3DS, KMZ (Google Earth), or U3D. you can also work with files saved in Collada format, a file interchange format supported by Autodesk, for example. When you add a 3D file as a3D layer, it includes the 3D model and a transparent background. The layer uses the dimensions of the existing file, but you can resize it.

You will import a 3D wine glass that was created in another application.

1. Choose 3D> New 3D Layer From File.
2. Navigate to the Lesson 12/Assets folder, and double-click the WineGlass.obj file.

The wine glass shape appears in front of the bottle, centered in the document window.

3. Choose File> Save to save your work so far.

Topic 7: Creating 3d Text

Even text can be three-dimensional. When you�ve created 3D text, you can rotate it, scale it, move it, apply materials to it, change its lighting (and the accompanying shadows), and extrude it. You will create 3D text for the front of the wooden table.

1. Select the Horizontal Type tool (T) in the Tools panel.
2. Drag a marquee across the middle of the window.
3. In the option bar, select a serif font such as Minion Pro, Bold for the font style, and 72 pt for the font size.
4. Type HI-WHEEL, in all capital letters.

You�ve created text, but it is not three-dimensional yet. You will convert it now.

5. Click the Update 3D Associated With This Text button in the option bar. Now the text is 3D, and Photoshop displays its ground plane and the rest of the 3D work environment.