DominatorX

How can i make sheet metal with photo shop. You know the metal with dimonds on it, seen on fire trucks, etc. PLz help.

ToXin

Hi, like most things there are too many different techniques to describe them all so I'll ask a couple of questions to focus what exactly you're looking for...

What kind of scale and size are we considering?
Do you want it to tile?

oh, do you want it 'clean and shiny' like aluminium, or 'rusty and distressed' likw this:


(this one uses an alpha channel and lighting effects to simulate a bump map, since the end use had bump mapping capability)

DominatorX

I want it shiny, I dunno about the scale the thing i wanna do is make text out of this so ya.

ToXin

So, something like this one perhaps?

It's a bit rough

DominatorX

Yeah that's awsome, but I do I make text out of it?

ToXin

Say something like this?



Or bigger / smaller text? Th reason I ask is that it makes a difference to how the ckecker plate is made so that it doesn't blur into a mess.

The basic Checkerplate is a pattern, which is then applied as a fill to enhance a simple texture - this way keeps maximum fiddleability to fine tune the appearance. (I'm only using PS5, I think 7 & CS have the ability to paint with a pattern using brush dynamics which could be even more useful)

DominatorX

Yeah, how canc I do that?

ToXin

Ok, I've made a set of illustrations so hopefully you'll understand my steps ;\

A couple of things first to explain why I've used specific sizes etc.

As the checkerplate needs to be reasonably small to be seen inside text, I started out with a 64 sq pixel doc. This is going to end up at 32.

Since the clouds filter produces a seamless tile in 64,128,256,512 etc I did this to make sure my little plate unit tiles at these sizes too.

Rather than creating a specific size plate and cutting text out of it, I made what I'll call a 'simple pattern tile unit', or unit. This means any size can be quickly and uniformally filled, save the pattern and you're good to go...


The first bit - make the 'unit'. [excited]

Step1: new doc @ 64 pixels square, guides put in at positions shown.



Step2: Background filled with 50% grey (more about that choice later).
Duplicate Background and rename this layer Top
Edit > Transform > Distort 'Top' and pull corners to guides...



Step3: Edit > Transform > Scale 'Top' to fit in middle...



Step4: Making the sides of the 'diamond'
Create another layer between Background and Top
Use the Polygon Lasso Tool to pick up the guides and fill triangles with shades as shown ( pick any shades you like, I found these to give a reasonable result)




Intermission: should have something similar to this -

ToXin

aahhhh, back with a coffee


ok then, Step6:

Merge Down 'Top' to 'Sides' so that the diamond is all on one layer, the break out the Edit > Transform > Scale tool to halve it's size into the top right...



Step7: Duplicate this scaled diamond layer, then use Filter > Other > Offset (-32,32) to put it into the bottom left



So, this is our 'unit' in realsize:



Select all and use Edit > Define Pattern to turn the unit into a pattern

One last thing, create a new document, with a larger size and fill it with the unit to check it tiles properly and doesn't have any 'artifacts'...




uhuh... pretty dull you may be thinking ' I'm underwhelmed'...well it only took 10 mins, whaddya expect!?!

Don't panic, that was just making a unit for a pattern.

ToXin

Apologies for the image heavy posts, if someone can tell me how to make thumbs I'll happily edit the pics down in size.