Bumpy Planets [TUTORIAL]

[Flynn]

Hello everybody,

I'm going to make a tutorial today. It's going to be ... fun. It uses parts from a tutorial I found elsewhere on the internet, but used on Planet textures instead... If you'd like to see the tutorial that inspired me, just ask and I shall deliver!

REQUIREMENTS: PHOTOSHOP (Or some similar program) and minor experience (even then, you only need to know where things are)

Right, this tutorial will teach you how to expose certain areas of you planet's terrain to make it highlighted and bumpy, which combines cleverly with the Star's light to make it look reflective and so on...

So, you have your planet texture:



Now, duplicate this layer to form two layers. On your new layer, perform "Filters >> Stylize >> Emboss" ... Choose any angle which you think seems suitable, but use 330% and 1 - 2px height.

Now duplicate this new layer, and desaturate both layers (CTRL-SHIFT-U)... It should look like this:


Next, on the top most layer (name is 'black' if you like), add a 'levels adjustment layer' and make it dark with white highlights by dragging the middle notch to the RIGHT. Experiment if you like to get the best result. Now merge the adjustment layer down to form 1 layer (plus your base layer and soon to be edited embossed layer).



Now, add another levels adjustment layer above the unedited EMBOSSED layer but make it white by dragging the grey and white notches to the left (NOTE: Make sure you make the black layer invisible at this stage so you can see what you're doing to the other layer)

Now merge again so you have a blackish and whiteish two layers, and your main layer.

FINALLY change the black layer's layer BLENDING MODE to Linear Dodge (ADD) and the white one's to MULTIPLY. You should have something like this: (doesn't look great on mine, looks better with simpler textures...)


I reduced the opacity of the black layer to 70% and the white to 30% for a more subtle touch.

Thanks and I hope this helped!
Flynn...