Are you ready to take your graphic designing skills to the next level? Look no further because we’ve got just the tutorial for you! In this article, we’re going to show you how to create a mind-blowing 3D bump map in Photoshop. Get ready to unleash your inner graphic designer and impress your clients with your newfound skills.

Step 1: Create a New Document

The first step is to create a new document in Photoshop. Go to File > New and set the dimensions to 1000 pixels by 1000 pixels. Set the resolution to 72 pixels per inch, and the color mode to RGB.

Step 2: Create the Base Texture

Create a new layer and fill it with any color or texture you like. We’re using a light grey color. Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise, and set the amount to 50%. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius to 2 pixels.

Step 3: Create the Bump Map

Create another new layer, and go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Then go to Filter > Sketch > Bas Relief. Set the detail to 15 and the smoothness to 3. You should now see a black and white image on your layer.

Step 4: Apply the Bump Map

Go back to the base texture layer, and right-click on it. Select Blending Options, and then select Bevel and Emboss. Check the box that says “Use Global Light,” and then adjust the angle to your liking. Then, under Texture, select the bump map layer we just created. Adjust the scale and depth until you’re satisfied with the effect.

Step 5: Play with the Lighting

Now that you’ve applied the bump map to your base texture, it’s time to play with the lighting to really make it pop. Click on the drop-down menu next to the Bevel and Emboss layer style, and select Drop Shadow. Adjust the angle and distance to your liking. Then, select Inner Shadow and adjust the settings until you’re happy with the result.

Step 6: Save and Export

Once you’re satisfied with the 3D bump map effect, it’s time to save and export your image. Save it as a PSD file so that you can make any necessary edits later on. When you’re ready to export, go to File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy). Select PNG-24 and make sure the “Transparency” option is checked. Then click Save.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve just created a mind-blowing 3D bump map in Photoshop. With this technique, you can create stunning textures for your websites, logos, and graphic designs. Experiment with different colors and textures to see what kind of effects you can create. Now go out there and show off your new skills to the world!

This article explains how to make a bump map with Photoshop. Instructions apply to Photoshop CC 2019 for Windows and Mac.

What to Know

  • Open a 2D texture map and then select Image > Adjustments > Desaturate, then invert the colors if desired.Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast, set the Contrast to 100, then import the map into a 3D animation program.Create the 3D map in Photoshop: Go to Filter > 3D > Generate Bump Map. It won’t look as good as what a 3D program can produce.

How to Prepare Bump Maps in Photoshop

For best results, use a map with a considerable amount of shading to simulate texture:

  • Open the 2D texture map or create one in Photoshop.
  • You can use layer styles such as pattern overlay to generate repeating textures.
  • Frank Ramspott / Getty Images
  • Select Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.
  • If you’ve generated your texture using layer styles and pattern overlays, you may need to flatten the layers.
  • In the bump map, lighter areas are interpreted as flatter while darker areas are interpreted as higher. Therefore, depending on how the image is shaded, you may need to invert the colors to produce the desired result. To do this, select Image > Adjustments > Invert.
  • Select Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.
  • Set the Contrast to 100 to increase the contrast between lighter and darker areas and then select OK.
  • Select File > Save As and save the map in a format that is compatible with your 3D modeling software.

Once you’ve created the bump map, all you need to do is import it into your 3D animation program. Different 3D graphics programs have different ways of integrating bump maps into a model or polygon surface. The controls for the bump map should allow you to define a range to make sure the raised textures and depressions don’t extrude to extremes or scale down so small that they hardly show.

Open the 2D texture map or create one in Photoshop.

You can use layer styles such as pattern overlay to generate repeating textures.

Select Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.

If you’ve generated your texture using layer styles and pattern overlays, you may need to flatten the layers.

In the bump map, lighter areas are interpreted as flatter while darker areas are interpreted as higher. Therefore, depending on how the image is shaded, you may need to invert the colors to produce the desired result. To do this, select Image > Adjustments > Invert.

Select Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.

Set the Contrast to 100 to increase the contrast between lighter and darker areas and then select OK.

Select File > Save As and save the map in a format that is compatible with your 3D modeling software.

What Are Bump Maps?

Bump maps are used in 3D modeling to artificially create textured surfaces without having to model the individual details. All 3D bump maps start out as 2D drawings, so before you open your modeling software, you should prepare the bump map image in Photoshop.

While it’s possible to create 3D maps directly in Photoshop by going to Filter > 3D > Generate Bump Map, the result won’t look nearly as good as what a 3D program can produce.

Bump maps are layered under full-color painted texture maps and use grayscale to instruct 3D modeling programs on how far to extrude polygonal surfaces. Black represents the highest extreme of extrusion, white represents the flattest areas, and shades of gray cover everything in between.

Rather than you having to manually choose every little bump on your model, a bump map automates the process. It tells the 3D program to change the polygons in relation to your bump map procedurally, which reduces the load on computer resources when it renders the model.

For example, if you were texturing a lizard’s skin, a bump map for the skin could use a mid-level gray as a baseline for the skin surface, with white for the deepest cracks and darker gray spots for the raised areas. You can even use a bump map to make facial highlights and shadows seem more realistic or add details such as folds and wrinkles to a model’s clothing.

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