Doing More Using the Displacement Filter/Maps in Adobe® PhotoShop®

The Third in our “Creating Borders” Series

In last month's “Creating Borders” series, we discussed the Displacement Filter method of creating borders. Since then, D. Craig Flory, PPA Certified, Cr. Photog., ASP has shown us a way to streamline the technique with fewer steps, still achieving similar results.

At the end of the article, we will show samples with detailed instructions so you can duplicate the border technique in your studio.

Displacement Filter Technique...
NOTE - The highlighted steps show the changes.

1. Open image
2. Click on rectangular marquee tool.
   Make the selection of where you want
   your border to begin.
3. Go to Selction/Inverse or us the shortcut {Hit Ctrl + Shift + I (PC) or Command + Shift + I (Mac)} to inverse the selection.
4. Copy and Paste this into a new layer.
   
5. Crtl (PC) + Click [Command + Click
   (Mac)] on the Layer Thumbnail
   to recreate the selection.
6. Click Filter, Distort, Displace. First
   try default settings, then experiment
   with different settings. Click OK.

   NEW TIP: Exaggerate the scale
   settings... Try 200 Horizontal 300
   vertical.

7. Browse to the folder where PhotoShop is installed, usually at C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop\Presets\Textures. Pick any texture. Repeat this step and experiment with different textures.

   NEW TIP: Use the Displacement Maps located in the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop\Plug-Ins\Displacement Maps folder.

   NEW TIP: Actually any .PSD file can be used is the displace technique. See Image Two below for example.

8. To see your border effect, click on the top layer. Go to Layer/Layer Style/ and choose Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, Bevel & Emboss or any combination of effects.
9. To make your border stand out even more, click on the background layer. Go to Filter/Blur/Motion Blur. Change distance and experiment with different angles.

Before and After...

Samples… These are some samples of the displacement technique and the instructions on how to mirror what was done. *Note - Listed are only the fields changed... if something is not listed it was not changed.

Image One

Instructions:

1. 35 Px Feather on Selection
2. Displacement = Horizontal Scale: 999, Vertical Scale: 25 {Using Texture Mountains}
3. Deselect
4. Layer Style - Outer Glow = Color #fdd694 {Sampled off girls shirt}, Size: 32
5. Layer Style - Inner Shadow = Size: 38

Image Two

Instructions:

1. Displacement = Horizontal Scale: 75, Vertical Scale: 300 {Using Trees Shown Below } DO NOT USE Step 5 From Above.
2. Layer Style - Drop Shadow = Distance: 81px, Size: 87
3. Layer Style - Inner Glow = Choke: 4, Size: 10.
4. Layer Style - Stroke = Size: 17, Color: # bac9d0 {Sampled From Blue Jeans}, Opacity: 90.
5. Radial Blur = Amount: 16, Zoom, Good Quality

Image Three

Instructons:

1. Displacement = Horizontal Scale: 75, Vertical Scale: 100 {Displacement Map: Schnable Effect}
2. Layer Style - Satin = Color #ffd66b, Opacity: 50%, Angle: 19°, Distance: 17px, Size: 54
3. Layer Style - Drop Shadow = Opacity: 54%, Angle: 49°, Distance 28, Spread: 16, Size: 62
4. Deselect
5. Motion Blur = Angle: -24°, Distance: 73px

Image Four

Instructions:

1. Displacement = Horizontal Scale: 100, Vertical Scale: 140 {Using Texture: Stucco}
2. Layer Style - Outer Glow = Color #d1bfb4, Spread: 5, Size: 51, Range: 38
3. Motion Blur = Angle: -25°, Distance: 25px