COMPLETE GUIDE TO 3D & PHOTOSHOP
much technical hassle, reducing everything to
just purely creative process, I can play with
basic 3D models or import models created in
other 3D software, I can paint textures and
create my basic layout without wasting time
on technical hassles.” He uses 3ds Max,
ZBrush, After Effects and Fusion, as well as
Photoshop, and says “What I find really
interesting about this is that Photoshop
relates very well with all of them, making
my job easier, allowing me also, to
effectively separate the creative process from
the technical.”
Michael Fawke, founder of architecture and
interior design visualisation studio Plusform
(www.plusform.co), adds that “Establishing a
correct perspective and being able to add
objects with reasonable shadow and light
quality is a great feature for those that do not
have a dedicated 3D application. For designers
not looking to integrate 3D into theirworkflow, just having that option built into
Photoshop is a real plus.” But while
Photoshop’s 3D offering may not be enough
for artists like Fawke yet, one day it might be.
Juri Jablokov (www.dekus.carbonmade.
com), who recently finished his university
thesis about Photoshop’s 3D capabilities, says
“Technology and software evolve and more
efficient ways of getting results are developed.
These days, with Photoshop, it is possible to
texture your object directly on the surface in
the 3D viewport, as opposed to traditional
texture painting in 2D UV view... In Photoshop
CC there is also a Live Painting feature thatallows you to have both the 3D and 2D view
and both will update in real time as you paint
or edit the texture.” He wonders whether
Photoshop will split in future, with one version
with enhanced 3D capabilities, and one without.
Koch notes that with the increase of these
constantly progressing and “emerging
technologies such as OTOY (with the Octane
render plug-in) that soon will allow Photoshop
to make photorealistic renderings directly
without leaving the application, this will open
new possibilities for 3D illustrators to
accomplish things that previously required to
move to another software for rendering.”Type right: Staiger says “Photoshop’s 3D tools make it
fairly easy to create metallic typo which you can use for
any kind of cover or poster. Pick a classic typo, such as
Dark11 or any roundhand font. Create a 3D Object of it.”3D print from here: Staiger is a designer rather than a
producer, but he has experimented with 3D printing. “I
loaded a 3D elephant into Photoshop and prepared it
for the 3D print, which was done in less than five
minutes. It worked perfectly!”A bird’s eye view: Toggle here to display Scene, Meshes,
Materials or Lights. Remember that the 3D panels
works in exactly the same way as the Layers panel.
Toggle the eye on and off to see elements in the mix.How you see it: “Use the front camera in Orthographic
mode. Give the front mesh a round extrusion. Pick a shiny,
highly reflective material for the front and replace the
standard IBL by a detailed photograph with a high
dynamic,” adds Staiger. Orthographic Cameras maintain
parallel lines without convergence, and display the model
in accurate scale view without perspective distortion.PHOTOSHOP’S 3D INTERFACE
© Frédéric Müller© Cristian Koch© Uli Staiger