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tintagel
Legend
Joined: 12/04/2006
Location: United States
Posts: 356
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| Posted: 02/16/2007 at 3:37am | IP Logged
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Here is a brief tutorial on making basic lighting effects with Photoshop. I am using Linebacker's recent map, Cabin Scene, for this.
Let's start with your original:
First, I start with adding an Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer to the original. This layer should grouped with the original, but NOT merged.
I choose a contrast/brightness layer and set the contrast down a bit (-10 or so) and darken it from 30-60, depending on how dark I need it.
Next, select the area for the light. I usually choose a Fixed radius (it's a drop-down on the selection toolbar). Feather it to about 25% of the radius. So, if your radius is 200, feather it about 50.
Copy from the original layer, then paste ABOVE the top layer. This copies the brighter original over the darkened adjustment. If this is not bright enough, you can easily duplicate the copy and merge the two.
Next, delete areas that obviously do not get light (like behind walls).
Repeat this process for each light source, or do it once for all lights. Doing this individually will take longer, but will also give you independent light sources for overlap.
When you are done copying your lights, merge them all together. You might consider saving your photoshop file as something else, so you have the original layers to go back to. It's important that they are merged into one, though, if you want the lights to have color effects. Make a brightness/contrast adjustment layer that is grouped with your lights layer. Set this brightness and contrast a bit higher.
Next make a second adjustment layer (grouped) - for Color Balance. Play with the colors to your liking. I find that skewing the midtones and highlights a bit more yellow & red and the shadows a bit more purple helps.
If you find that your image isn't dark enough in the shadows, you can either further darken the adjustment layer - but that sometimes makes for strange colors when pushed too far. You could just add an additional layer between your original and lights, and color it black. Then use the Opacity slider to make it about 10-30% transparent, depending on what you like.
Finally, save your image for the web. Enjoy!
Oh, here is the Photoshop file, if anyone wants it.
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slashdevnull
Djinni (Admin)
Joined: 04/15/2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2597
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| Posted: 02/16/2007 at 6:43am | IP Logged
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Excellent tutorial! Thanks! 
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Please redirect all flames to /dev/null. Er, waittaminute, no! That's me!
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lupha
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Joined: 10/12/2005
Location: United States
Posts: 314
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| Posted: 02/18/2007 at 8:44am | IP Logged
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wow, very nice tutorial. I would never have thought of doing it that way. Thanks!
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Erdrix
Hero
Joined: 10/26/2007
Location: United States
Posts: 88
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| Posted: 12/10/2007 at 3:04pm | IP Logged
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*performs thread necromancy*
Does anyone know if this can be done with Corel Draw? I know, I know... I'm the only person in the world that uses it.
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dDemonicAngels
Janni (Moderator)
Joined: 06/11/2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 2045
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| Posted: 12/11/2007 at 9:31am | IP Logged
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I would not have done it this way either but it really very easy.
You can't use Corel Draw to do this but you can use Corel PhotoPaint, which is probably what you meant. PhotoPaint can spin wheelies around Photoshop with its eyes closed so your answer is yes. We few Corel users need to stick together.
Now when you getting it working, can you send me a tutorial??? 
dDA
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Erdrix
Hero
Joined: 10/26/2007
Location: United States
Posts: 88
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| Posted: 12/11/2007 at 11:47am | IP Logged
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AHA! I forgot about photo paint, I've been using draw for every thing and that's probably why I can't get it to do what I want it to do. Thanks for that reminder!
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mercutio
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Joined: 04/03/2006
Location: United States
Posts: 760
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| Posted: 02/22/2008 at 11:13am | IP Logged
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Sorry for the thread resurrection...how could I have missed this tutorial?
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Cisticola
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Joined: 11/09/2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1864
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| Posted: 02/22/2008 at 12:02pm | IP Logged
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Its how I learnt to do my lighting effects.....
Although I use Gimp the principle is the same 
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Serendipitous
Hero
Joined: 04/03/2008
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| Posted: 04/09/2008 at 8:52am | IP Logged
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*Bump* I probably shouldn't be bumping a topic at my level of posts (less than ten  ) but this tutorial isn't listed on the tutorial list and i wasn't sure if I should post it there or not. I'm just glad i found it so soon, now I can make all my future maps with proper lighting! Thanks a bunch!
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neopavlik
Henchman
Joined: 02/12/2008
Posts: 39
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| Posted: 04/09/2008 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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I concur.
It's been a great reference to me...the only different is my version of Photoshop has a very destructive "brightness/contrast" tool so I've been using "levels" instead.
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Dundjinni Mapping Software - Forums : Questions
Topic: Basic Lighting Effects in Photoshop
