Among the most complex of Photoshop's
filters is 3D Transform. Found with the Render filters, it
is used to manipulate a selection to make it appear to be
wrapped around a cylinder, ball, or cube. Until you're
familiar with the controls, using the filter can be a
frustrating experience.
The 3D Transform filter will apply its
effect to an active layer or to a selection. For this
explanation, we'll look at working with the entire contents
of a layer. (The bottle is PhotoSpin image #0150003.)
After selecting the menu command Filter>
Render> 3D Transform, the dialog box appears, showing you a
small preview window depicting your selection. There are
four basic steps to applying the filter:
• Setting the 3D object.
• Editing the 3D object.
• Manipulating the selection.
• Adjusting the camera (view).
Select one of the three basic 3D shapes.
Drag with the appropriate tool to delineate the dimensions
of the 3D surface around which the selection will be
wrapped. The 3D object will appear as a wireframe.
The Selection Tool (black arrow, keyboard
shortcut V) can be used to reposition the 3D wireframe. The
Direct Selection Tool (white arrow, keyboard shortcut A) can
be used to alter the basic shape of the wireframe. There are
specific points, called vertex points, on each of the three
wireframes that can be manipulated. They are hollow square
points along the paths of the 3D object. They are shown here
marked by red dots.
The lower vertex point on the cylinder and
cube can be used to tip the "object" up or down. If you try
to create an object that couldn't exist in nature, the
wireframe will turn red and you'll not be able to execute
the filter.
The Add Anchor Point Tool and Delete Anchor
Point Tool can be used to add and subtract additional points
from the wireframe. (The Delete Anchor Point Tool cannot be
used on the existing vertex points, only on round or
diamond-shaped anchor points.) The 3D Transform dialog box's
tools also include the Convert Anchor Point Tool for
changing anchor points from smooth to corner (and from
corner to smooth), and a Hand and Zoom tool to change your
view in the Preview window.
The goal is to create the object as it would
appear when oriented to match the selection as it is now. It
this case, we want to create a bottle shape that is
perfectly horizontal to the point of view. In other words,
the label we have created, which we want to match the bottle
as it exists in the image, is straight in the image.
Therefore, we want to create a wireframe of
the bottle that is also straight. While it is only necessary
to create that part of the object that is the size and shape
of the selection, we'll work with a wireframe that
represents the majority of the bottle.
Once the 3D wireframe's shape represents the
surface around which you want to bend your selection, it's
time to make the selection become "3D." The Trackball Tool
is used to manipulate the "object" and the selection in
three dimensions. Now we want the label and the wireframe to
match the orientation of the bottle in the image.
The Pan Camera tool is used to reposition
within the window. (Remember that the 3D manipulation
(Trackball Tool) and the movement within the window (Pan
Camera Tool) affect only the selection, not anything on
other layers (or outside the selection) in the image.)
Keep in mind that any part of the "back" of
the 3D object (or top or bottom) that appears in the preview
window will be created as a grayscale object in your image.
(If unwanted, it can be selected and deleted. It will appear
on the active layer. This is one of the reasons that I
suggest making a copy of the layer or selection before using
the 3D Transform command.)
Once we've got the wireframe and selection
positioned, we can use the controls on the right side of the
dialog box to adjust the final appearance. The Field of View
slider ranges from 1 degree to 130 degrees. It represents
the "camera lens."
The Dolly slider zooms the view in and out.
It can go from 1 to 99.
The Options button allows you to choose low,
medium, or high resolution, as well as low, medium, high, or
None for anti-aliasing. You can also choose to hide or
display the background in the preview window. Be aware that
higher quality rendering and anti-aliasing add considerable
time to the application of the filter.
When it all looks just right, click the OK
button. After the filter is applied, matching highlights and
shading will add realism to the image.
Because you cannot see the entire image in
the preview window, exactly matching a background, such as
this bottle, can be difficult. However, with some practice,
and an understanding of how the 3D Transform filter works,
it can be used efficiently to manipulate a selection in
simulated 3D.