Urban Decay

Learn how to create a 3d birds-eye view of a decaying city.


Steps:
8 Steps
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Important Tools:
  • Clouds
  • Difference Clouds
  • Levels
  • Extrude
  • Colorize
  • Glowing Edges
  • Blending Mode

Step 1 - Creating the Base
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Create a new image 400x400px with a "transparent" background. Press D to reset the Color Palette. Rename the existing layer "back"

Render some Clouds ( Filter > Render > Clouds ). Next, render Difference Clouds ( Filter > Render > Difference Clouds ) four times. Do this by using the top menu to execute the Difference Clouds filter once, then pressing Ctrl-F 3 times to repeat the last filter (in this case Difference Clouds) three times.


Step 2 - Adding Contrast to the Base
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LevelsLevels ResultBring up the Levels Menu ( Ctrl-L or Image > Adjustments > Levels... ). Use around the settings shown in the image to the left.


Step 3 - Using the Extrude Filter
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Extrude ( Filter > Stylize > Extrude ) the layer with the settings shown below.

Extrude 1 Extrude 1 Result

Extrude ( Filter > Stylize > Extrude ) the layer again with the new settings shown below.

Extrude 2 Extrude 2 Result


Step 4 - Adding Simple Color
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Hue/SaturationColorize layer "back" using the Hue/Saturation window ( Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation ). Use the settings in the image to the right.

Duplicate layer "back" by right clicking the layer in the Layer Palette and clicking "Duplicate Layer". Rename the new layer "lines".


Step 5 - Adding Definition using Glowing Edges
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Glowing EdgesApply the Glowing Edges filter ( Filter > Stylize > Glowing Edges ) to layer "lines" using the settings to the left.

Blending Mode MultiplyInvert ( Ctrl-I or Image > Adjustments > Invert ) the colors of the layer "lines".

Change the Blending Mode of layer "lines" to "multiply".

Merge Visible ( Layer > Merge Visible ) to merge all visible layers.


Step 6 - Hazy Effect
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The following three steps are optional.

Duplicate the only existing layer by right clicking the layer in the Layer Palette and clicking "Duplicate Layer". Rename the new layer "haze".

Gaussian BlurFirst, on the Layer Palette, change the Opacity of layer "glow" to 70%.

Apply a Gaussian Blur ( Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur ) to layer "haze" with a power of 3.5.


Step 7 - Glow Effect
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Create a New Layer ( Layer > New Layer... ) above layer "haze" and name it "glow".

Change the Blending Mode of layer "glow" to "Color Dodge". Reset the Color Palette ( Press D ).

GlowRender some Clouds ( Filter > Render > Clouds ) on layer "Color Dodge". Next, render Difference Clouds ( Filter > Render > Difference Clouds ) until you like how your image looks. Do this by using the top menu to execute the Difference Clouds filter once, then pressing Ctrl-F as many times as you want to repeat the last filter (in this case Difference Clouds).

Step 8 - Extra Color
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If you wish to add more color, create a new layer above all the existing layers. Set the Blending Mode of this layer to "Hue". Now add color to this layer and it should add color to the warp.

We came up with the following doing this:

Final Modified



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