PDN Fanatics

Hi guys! This is my first tutorial, so it might not be the best, but it will be good!



You will need the following Plugins:
Effects -> Distort -> Crystalize
Effects -> Height Field to Normal Map (You only need the HeightToNormal.dll)
Effects -> Distort -> Tile Reflection
Effects -> Erode/Dilate

You will need the following textures:
csm725's Cobblestone



1. Open a new canvas

2. Pick two colors that don't contrast that much, I chose dark blue and dark pink.

3. Run clouds at these settings:
Scale: 800
Roughness: 0.25
The clouds will give us the two colors we want in our image, and spread it out randomly. It's great for making textures.

4. Effects->Distort->Crystalize at these settings:
Size: 15-30
This will take the image and turn it into a crystal-like masterpiece. It's useful for many things, including textures, abstracts, etc etc.

5. Effects->Distort->Tile Reflection at these settings:
Angle: 0.00
Tile size: 25
Curvature: 10
This will take our image and turn it into a shiny tiled floor. Very useful for making floors.

6. Duplicate the layer you just did all that stuff on, and run Height Field to Normal Map with these settings:
Bumpiness: 7.02
Height Field to Normal Map (HF/NM) is the most useful plugin for textures in the world. It gives them depth, and more reality to the texture.

6.5. Set the layer blend mode to Overlay, and press Ctrl+Shift+G to make the HF/NM black and white. Merge the two layers.

7. csm725's Cobblestone Texture Tutorial on a new layer.
It's never a bad idea to try combining different textures, you never know what new texture you will get in return!

7.5. Set the layer blend mode to Overlay. Then run Tile Reflection with the same settings as you did the first time.

8. Merge the two layers. Your texture should now all be on one layer.

9. Duplicate your texture layer, and run Height Field to Normal Map again with same settings as before.

9.5. Press Ctrl+Shift+G to make the HF/NM B&W (black and white) again. Set the layer blend mode to Overlay. Merge the two layers again, and then you're done!

Here's what you should get, if you are following correctly:


Here are some cool things you can make with my tile texture:

Very cool Weylin! Gotta give that one a go.

Add some Ripple, then Layer/ Rotate to get the stepped effect and you're pretty close to replicating my Vipers Pit image ... Click

Adding Ripple to yours:

very good first tutorial mate and i had wondered how you did that viper pit image welshy! looks like you have stalkers nicking your secrets mauahahaha!

OOOOOHHHHH she says! Stashing it away like a squirrel.

My the ideas are flowing thick & fast...

Field Height to Normal Map is a far useful plugin that many users don't realize. In fact, many sophisticated 3D programs use it for mapping realistic face. It's good to see it being use in other way. I sometime use it for my terrain experimentation.

Also, if you use a bit of technique I use with Displacement Map, you could make it wavy.

Wow, love this tutorial Weylin, really nice use of the Height to Normal Map plugin.