# Shadows with Photoshop



## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

Can you tell me how to make a shadow that looks natural with Photoshop 7.0?

When I create a shadow on a face, it never looks like a real natural one from a picture. It simply looks like a dark and well defined section on the face. It's also too homogeneous.

Thank you


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

You're best bet may be to look for tutorials online. Shadows can be very tricky when you're just creating it out of whole cloth and want it to look natural. Cast shadows are a bit easier but still fairly involved. One such tutorial for cast shadows is http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/cast_shadow/cast_shadow.htm. It may give you some ideas about how to create shadows by blending multiple layers and gradients into a more realistic looking shadow. You may find even more pertinent tutorials with a little more looking.


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

Although your link is quite interesting, that's not exactly what I need. It's not too hard to draw a cast shadow. I'm looking for a good way to draw a natural looking shadow on a face that has no shadow at all. It's quite different from what you are refering to.

I've found nothing so far on the net. Only links to instuctions relating to yours.


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

I finally discovered the burn tool with "drop shadow" brushes. That's the best (more natural) I've found so far.


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## lister (Aug 10, 2004)

You can try painting the shadow on a new layer above the face and then change the blending mode and opacity to fit, then mask out areas by hand. You will also have to lighten other areas of the face to correspond with the shadow to make it more believable.

Of course, PS can only only make what you tell it (CSI is a fantasy after all), so an understanding of light and how it behaves when it strikes different objects is needed. And a lot of experience in PS.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

And actually if you read my post again, it is not referring to the cast shadow but the techniques employed in making a realistic looking shadow....the shape and source was not the main thrust. Also, if you understand displacement maps, those can be extremely effective tools in creating good shadows because you can simulate the look a shadow would have as it encounters textured (uneven, raised, sunken) objects within the shadow.


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

Indeed, those can be extremely effective tools in creating good shadows but also very strenuous trial and error processes. You also have to be very familiar with the layer techniques (wich I'm not). The burn tool technique can be mastered a lot faster, at least for me. I've just managed to create a very realistic shadow on my face from a picture I've inserted into another one, in only minutes.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

Yeah, you'll notice I didn't say "I" found them to be extremely effective. I just looked at what Bert Monroy (Photoshop Expert) was doing and was amazed as he made shadows on desert dunes come alive.


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

I'm thinking of writing a tutorial on this one.
as I have a unique technique for creating realistic
looking shadows (cast shadows) when compositing
objects. It requires CS2 or higher, though (sorry, no Elements).

Here's a sample of an early rough draft of my work (1280x960)

It wasn't finished.

If there's a way to do this easily in Elements, I'll find it.

It can also be done in Photoshop 7 with the "distort" filter,
but it's not as good as the more advanced luminance masking and warp
tools available in Photoshop CS2.

I also highly recommend a good Wacom tablet (Intuos or better).
As for myself, I couldn't live without it, now that I've used it for years.


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

karbo said:


> I'm looking for a good way to draw a natural looking shadow on a face that has no shadow at all. It's quite different from what you are refering to.


Put the shadows on a layer just above the target layer, use target layer as clipping path,
and set the blending mode to "darken". Play with the blending mode sliders and the 
layer opacity controls if needed.

Alternatively, a "bump map" could be made of the target layer, and then it can be overlayed 
with a solid gray fill. 
A "bump map" is nothing more than grayscale texture map, which modulates the luminosity
of the layer or layers within its clipping group.
If a bump map is used as a displacemet map, we wtart moving pixels around,
which is not what we
really want. when dealing with cast shadows, it is the intensity (or luminance) modulation
that gives this illusion.

Why? The sun is a long, long way off, so its rays are essentially parallel.
So, to conform shadows to a texture, or any layer, we want pixel modulation,
not pixel relocation.

But this applies to shadows.

For instance, if you wanted to apply the face of Betsy Ross to Mount Rushmore,
you would want to use a displacement map first, and THEN come
back and fix your shadow layer, as above.

A word on opacity control:
sometimes it's useful to duplicate a layer, set last one to "overlay" mode, 
merge down, then fill the layer
mask with 50% gray. Then, paint into the mask to selectively and manually 
modulate the transparency.

Do you have a graphics tablet?


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

Not sure what a graphics tablet is. I'm using Photoshop 7.0.


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

karbo said:


> Not sure what a graphics tablet is.


Then, you don't have one. 

Look here:
http://www.wacom.com/index2.cfm


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

Indeed, I don't have one.


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## Darkst4r (Oct 20, 2007)

Hi , i need the same effect.Can you tell me how to use the burn too without the shadow being redish ? i want a dark shadow but with the pic im using the shadow appears dark red the more i burn it,thanks.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

Excuse me if this has already been recommended, but have you used the Burn tool?


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