Creating a bevel with a custom specular "sphere map"? Art Text 2 cool feature!

[toglia3d]

I've been a faithful photoshop user for quite some time now, but today I got wickedly impressed by this tiny software that features this awesome specular highlighting technique that photoshop does not do by default.

This software is called "Art Text 2".
BAHHH! I had prepared some image links but cause I'm so new I can't put them.
belightsoft.com/products/arttext/img/featrues_screen_sm.jpg
toglia3d.com/photoshop/TextArt2_Exp2.jpg

As you can see, the bevel reflection is created using the specular information of the "sphere map". Furthermore the program allows you to change the sphere map highlights interactively, and even choose your own image sphere maps. This is just amazing, isn't it? Creating realistic metal text or things is just super easy with this. I think everyone of us has had problems doing realistic metal effects on photoshop, am I wrong?

In Photoshop you have the "bevel and emboss" style feature, and it works pretty well, but it isn't made for say: reflecting a window on the beveled text.

Sphere maps are commonly used in gaming to simulate realistic reflection of 3d objects, and I can think of a million ways of using this technique on 2d.

Does any one know a way of simulating this sphere map reflection on layers on Photoshop?

Thanks for you attention.

 

[$1r_M4x1mu$]

Hi toglia3d

Not exatcly the same, but you will get a pretty similar effect to the one you posted, by using this paths based plugin.
Path Styler Pro

Or if you want to stick whit Photoshop 3d tools, and texture maps, this may help.
3D Fundamentals | dekeOnline

Have fun

 

[toglia3d]

That plugin is quite amazing. I always take hours doing stuff like that. And some samples are just beautiful and very complicated to do without such a thing. I'll definitely take a better look at it.

On the other hand, I'm keeping a way from Photoshop's 3d features, firstly because I'm an Autodesk Maya user, secondly because I find it a bit awkward to use. But most importantly because getting good results is painful, labours and slow. There is a ton of things to take care of like lights, textures, cameras, render options, etc. And after that real lighting might not give as clean results as expected. Do you agree with this?

I have to say I'm still very impressed with the simplicity of Art Text. In my case I have a ton of sphere maps I have made over the years, so doing a cool gold/metal/plastic/ 3d looking text or figures just takes me a few clicks... After I think all of the hours I have tweaked gradients to look good and "3d" I'm kinda hating photoshop for not having this feature.

Thanks for adding to the conversation.

 

[$1r_M4x1mu$]

Agreed whit you, also i rather using some third party 3d modeling/rendering tools like C4D, Modo, lightwave or Zbrush, those tools offer you a vastly quantity of features and 3d modeling options than PS, that's why i also ignore PS 3D tools for now, even dough a i have it.

I think for 3d in ps being able to be a really useful feature, it has to mature a lot more yet, for simple 3d text or shapes and basic lightning it will work quite well dough, this being my personal opinion of course.

 

[toglia3d]

I'm using the Path Styler "tryout". And.... WHAT??? This thing is just mind blowing, I think I'll end up buying it sometime. I just can't believe I had missed this stuff for so long. Mac icons don't look as hard to do now. Do you know of any alternative plugin like this? Still no "window reflection" on text though.

Thanks, man. I owe you!