Blog

30.03.2010

Realistic shadow

If you are satisfied with the first two versions of the shade, don't read the text below. Otherwise, run Photoshop (version is not important) and try to repeat the steps described under each picture.

As you can see, the first version of the shadow is based on the rejection of the object's (in our case, the object is a car) "standard" shadow. It works rarely. For example, when the shadow must lie in the plane perpendicular to our view – this option is not acceptable, because the shadow is not on the plane, where the car stands.

To implement it, make active the layer with the object, open the Layer Style [Layer > Layer Style > Shadow] Step #1 at the picture, select (Drop Shadow) and configure it (Step #2). As a result, you should get a shade similar to the one depicted in the first version picture.

The second version of the shadow: it is a blurred quadrangle. This option is significantly better than the first, but not good enough.

To implement this option, we need to create another layer [Layer > New > Layer], or press the key combination [Shift + Ctrl + N] and put a new layer below the layer with a car. Select the tool "Rectilinear Lasso" in the toolbar or press [L] (if you have not chosen a straightforward lasso tool, click a few times [Shift + L] or click the mouse pointer on the lasso tool and hold down the other versions of this tool). Then, draw a rectangle on a new layer, which resembles the shadow of the car with this tool. Fill the resulting selection with black (Press [G] or select Gradient Tool in the toolbar. Make sure that a primary color is black) – Step #1 in the second option. Now "degrade" the shadow of the gross margins. To do this, select the filter "Gaussian Blur» [Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur], set the radius of action (in the example 2.5 pixel). Now you should get a shade that is shown in the figure in the second option.

The third version of the shadow. More realistic, but not perfect.

You can get it in the following way: at first we need to imagine how a shadow will look like under the object when we look at it from above. Try to reproduce this form using the tool «Pen Tool» [P] (Steps #1, #2). Then, make the resulting curve selection by clicking on the button «Load path as a selection» in the book Pahts (step #3) or press [Ctrl + Enter]. Since the shadow is closer to its edge weakens choose the reflected gradient  from black to transparent black (steps #4, #5) and hold as shown in step #6.

Than remove the selection [Select > Deselect] or [Ctrl + D] and make a copy of the layer [Layer > Dublicate Layer] or [Ctrl + J] (step #7). We need it to get later a nice fuzzy edge of the shade later. A copy of the layer blur more [Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur] with the radius of the blur 40 pixels (step #8) and the next step is puting the opacity of 20% (Opacity 20%) or simply press [2] in the numeric keypad. The second copy blur less than the first one – with a radius of 20 pixels (step #10) and expose the opacity of 40% (step #11). Then simply combine these two copies by placing one strictly under the other, in a single layer: the scroll layers  elect the copy, which lies on the second and press [Ctrl + E], or binds the two layers and [Layer > Merge Linked]. We got a good shade from the entire car. Now we need to "bend" it.

Step #12 shows how to transform a shadow: select [Edit > Free Transform] or [Ctrl + T], with clamped [Ctrl] to move the marker (top) transformation in the right direction to get the required result. Press [Enter], to complete the transformation.

The greater the distance from the object surface is, the weaker is the shadow and vice versa. We have a shadow of the body, but now need to put shadow of the wheels, which should be stronger than the shadow of the body.

Create a new layer [Layer> New Layer] or [Ctrl + Shift + N]. Now make an oval selection in it [M] or [Shift + M] (step #13). Choose a simple linear gradient from black to transparent black, and carry it as shown in step #14. Clear the selection [Ctrl + D] (Step #15). Now choose the tool «Blur Tool» (step #16), set up the tool as shown in step #17. Then blur stronger more transparent part of the gradient is less than touching the dark part. Thus we have to harvest the shadows of the wheel. Makes 3 copies of this layer, as we have seen only 3 wheels – [Ctrl + J] * 3. It remains to place these copies under the wheels and transform so that the dark part of the shadow was at the wheel, and went clear under the car.

Categories: Design, Advisable, Lessons