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[ 89 ]STEP TWO:
LAY OUT THE SCENE
With your list of words ready to go, it’s time
to lay out a basic perspective guide. To keep
things simple, let’s build a centered two-point
perspective grid using the Brush tool and
Shift modifier key to constrain the strokes.
In my example, I created a new document
(File>New) that was 3000x3000 px so there
was enough room to build my text walls, know-
ing I would crop to the final size at the end.
Create a new Guide Layout (View >New
Guide Layout) with 8 columns and 30 rows,
and Gutter set to 0 for both. Click the Create
a New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers
panel to create a blank layer above your Back-
ground layer. Then, get the Brush tool (B), and
in the Brush Picker in the Options Bar, choose
a 3-px hard, round brush. Ensure snapping is
turned on (View>Snap), and that your Fore-
ground color is set to black (press D).
Choose which horizontal line is going to
be your horizon, then click near the edge of
your canvas at the intersection of two guides.
Hold down the Shift key, then click at the
corresponding intersection on the other side
of your document. Continue holding down
the Shift key, then click on the intersection
of the center vertical guide and the horizontal
guide that’s one row above your horizon.
Keep holding the Shift key, and click
again at the original intersection. Holding
that Shift key, click at the intersection of the
center vertical guide and the next higher
horizontal guide, and then at the opposite
edge. Work back and forth until you have
as many “levels” as you like. I stopped at
six, or about 1/4 of the width of the horizon
line. The number of levels isn’t as important
as the aspect ratio; however, the number
of lines you use is simply a visual reference.
More lines let you introduce smaller details
or other features later on.
Lower the Opacity of your painted per-
spective guide layer to about 5%, just barely
visible, then lock the layer (click the small
Lock icon in the Layers panel).
Create another blank layer and grab the
Rectangular Marquee tool (M). Drag out a
vertical rectangle, with roughly 2x3 propor-
tions. The exact size doesn’t matter very
much—this will be the frame you use to
assemble your text walls. With the selection
active, stroke it (Edit>Stroke) with a small
black stroke. Press Command-D (PC: Ctrl-D)
to deselect.