PureWhoopAss
Legions Developer
This tutorial I will be breaking out that interesting tron looking disc effect. This is very similiar to the previous tutorial so I Won't dig to deep on same things you should already learned from previous, or least have some concept. I'll be able to show you as well how to create your own effects, which is the purpose of this tutorial. I want to see some clever designs, make me happy
1) Ok class is in session, we need make a new document again and start out with 512x512 pixels again. We also need a black layer, this is common thing to have for effects. It's also always common to start out with white and then add color later when your done.
2) Next step is to use square marquee tool and make roughly half the top portion of the document white on a new layer.
3) We now are going to manipulate the layer. We need to use the marquee tool again, but this time we need to subtract some white off here. First go all the way vertically across multiple times until you have something like pictured below. The smaller the lines the more viewable the flag will be, the thicker will be the less viewable the flag will be in-game.
4) Now we need to do the same thing but vertically, we need to be careful not to make too many above one another. The best way is to make it in steps like a brick wall.
Please also note, we need to make thicker subtractions at the top of the layer and smaller subtractions at the bottom. The reason for this is the image squishes at the top and stretches at the bottom. Think of it as a piece of paper and you are making a cone out of it by making opposite
ends meet together, things at the top of the paper remain almost the same while things outside are more stretched.
5) Once you have a decent amount of brick like pattern like the picture below, we need to merge our layers. Make sure the layer isn't the locked layer because you won't be able to apply effects or make changes, so just copy and paste the layer if you have to.
6) Now we apply polar effects, go to filter/distort/polar coordinates. Again make sure the Top box is selected. If theres spacing or any abornality it's because the layer either has space or somethings extending beyond the viewable stage.
This time we are going use something different to color our effect (theres one other way which I will explain in next tutorial). This way of coloring our effect we have more control of what the color is going to appear, where that with the gradient tool it just adds subtracts color based on gradient modes.
7) First we need get a copy of our design off the merged layer. We can do this using the "Magic Wand Tool" in the tool bar on the right. Set the tolerence to about "1" that way its only selecting one color. Once you have that tool, select the black background.
8) Next we will use select inverse to select our effect. This should select the entire effect, just as long as there is some place spacing in the effect all the way through the middle. If not you make have to select any black spaces in the center.
9) First we need to copy our selection by hitting Control + C. Then "Paste In Place" so that our effects stays center. This is under Edit/Paste Special/ then "paste in place".
Please Note: You made a copy of your effect and below your new layer is the same effect, you may want to ad a new layer between this layer to hide the orginal copy
10) Now we are going to do some blending options to this layer. Go over to the right panel where the viewable layers are. Right click your layer with the effect on it and go to "blending options".
11) Select Outer glow, change the attributes as pictured. You can either make a huge glow, and turn down the opacity so the glow is translucent or you can make a medium glow. Either way is up to you. Understand that the brigther the color the less translucent, so you will have to experiement. Usually 20-30 opacity glow works best. You can also make a more advance glow using gradient option.
12) Next you can choose Inner glow and turn the mode to normal so that you can mask out the white color. I Would use a dark inner color because it will be more translucent in-game. Also make the stroke roughly "1 pixel" so that you have a white looking stroke for the shape.
There are many possiblities in editing this digital disc using blending options. Understand that the disc is very pixelated from the polar method, so if you want to smooth this out.. just go to gaussian blur at about .5 blur and it should get rid of the sharp pixels. This tutorial is designed for you to get an idea how to create it and experiement to make your own. Next I'll show you tricks on how to achieve certain effects.
Polar Cordinates is very effective with creating alot of effects, below is sample of how it works and what it creates. Use your imagination and you could make anything. The third sample shows how it stretches the image. Basically it takes the image and stretches it around in a complete circle, think of it like a race track. Center is where the image pinches and edge is where the image skews all around to fill in the edges.
1) Ok class is in session, we need make a new document again and start out with 512x512 pixels again. We also need a black layer, this is common thing to have for effects. It's also always common to start out with white and then add color later when your done.
2) Next step is to use square marquee tool and make roughly half the top portion of the document white on a new layer.
3) We now are going to manipulate the layer. We need to use the marquee tool again, but this time we need to subtract some white off here. First go all the way vertically across multiple times until you have something like pictured below. The smaller the lines the more viewable the flag will be, the thicker will be the less viewable the flag will be in-game.
4) Now we need to do the same thing but vertically, we need to be careful not to make too many above one another. The best way is to make it in steps like a brick wall.
Please also note, we need to make thicker subtractions at the top of the layer and smaller subtractions at the bottom. The reason for this is the image squishes at the top and stretches at the bottom. Think of it as a piece of paper and you are making a cone out of it by making opposite
ends meet together, things at the top of the paper remain almost the same while things outside are more stretched.
5) Once you have a decent amount of brick like pattern like the picture below, we need to merge our layers. Make sure the layer isn't the locked layer because you won't be able to apply effects or make changes, so just copy and paste the layer if you have to.
6) Now we apply polar effects, go to filter/distort/polar coordinates. Again make sure the Top box is selected. If theres spacing or any abornality it's because the layer either has space or somethings extending beyond the viewable stage.
This time we are going use something different to color our effect (theres one other way which I will explain in next tutorial). This way of coloring our effect we have more control of what the color is going to appear, where that with the gradient tool it just adds subtracts color based on gradient modes.
7) First we need get a copy of our design off the merged layer. We can do this using the "Magic Wand Tool" in the tool bar on the right. Set the tolerence to about "1" that way its only selecting one color. Once you have that tool, select the black background.
8) Next we will use select inverse to select our effect. This should select the entire effect, just as long as there is some place spacing in the effect all the way through the middle. If not you make have to select any black spaces in the center.
9) First we need to copy our selection by hitting Control + C. Then "Paste In Place" so that our effects stays center. This is under Edit/Paste Special/ then "paste in place".
Please Note: You made a copy of your effect and below your new layer is the same effect, you may want to ad a new layer between this layer to hide the orginal copy
10) Now we are going to do some blending options to this layer. Go over to the right panel where the viewable layers are. Right click your layer with the effect on it and go to "blending options".
11) Select Outer glow, change the attributes as pictured. You can either make a huge glow, and turn down the opacity so the glow is translucent or you can make a medium glow. Either way is up to you. Understand that the brigther the color the less translucent, so you will have to experiement. Usually 20-30 opacity glow works best. You can also make a more advance glow using gradient option.
12) Next you can choose Inner glow and turn the mode to normal so that you can mask out the white color. I Would use a dark inner color because it will be more translucent in-game. Also make the stroke roughly "1 pixel" so that you have a white looking stroke for the shape.
There are many possiblities in editing this digital disc using blending options. Understand that the disc is very pixelated from the polar method, so if you want to smooth this out.. just go to gaussian blur at about .5 blur and it should get rid of the sharp pixels. This tutorial is designed for you to get an idea how to create it and experiement to make your own. Next I'll show you tricks on how to achieve certain effects.
Polar Cordinates is very effective with creating alot of effects, below is sample of how it works and what it creates. Use your imagination and you could make anything. The third sample shows how it stretches the image. Basically it takes the image and stretches it around in a complete circle, think of it like a race track. Center is where the image pinches and edge is where the image skews all around to fill in the edges.
