LyneFree33

Lyne's Cast Shadow Photoshop Action
(about 1 mb) Usage Tips screen capture images and notes below are included in the zip!

**FOR MORE TIPS on how I use prepare individual rendered
characters to place in/on a 2D background see below !**

I didn't realize I should have added how to "install" this action, in my readme!
Paste it into your photoshop-Actions, and then with photoshop open, Use your
Action's menu and then LOAD ACTION to have it show up for use. This should
keep the Cast Shadow Action in your Actions list for your use.

OR MAKE YOUR OWN SHADOW in Photoshop!
(go to bottom of this page for instructions)

HOW TO USE this Action-

Lyne's Creations Freebie Photoshop Action - Cast Shadow README

This assumes you know how to use Photoshop, install an Action and how to use it by pressing "play" within Photoshop.

Images included to help in this Action's use.

I created this action when my older filters became obsolete for use on my higher end machine/Photoshop... so I hope it is of some use to you.

IMPORTANT NOTES!

If you CAN'T FIND THE SHADOW after using this action!!- Use your MOVE TOOL and keep dragging UP AND TO THE CENTER to pull it into view! It is there! I created it for a specific character initially and sometimes it will cast the shadow out of view on it's layer.

This action does slant to the right. Using the Distort tool you can pull it to the left, change how it "falls", etc. Note on which side of your character the shadows are falling to help it look more 'real life'.

The way I work, I just move and modify the shape of the shadow until it looks right for the scene I am creating. I created the Action to show the shadow darker than it should be, so you can work it into place, and then take the steps shown in the enclosed images to refine it's look

I hope you enjoy using it! You can contact me via Renderosity IM or HiveWire PM, if needed.

Please do not share this Action- refer others to my website page - Thank you.

Lyne
Lyne's Creations

Want to know some of my art creation secrets?

After rendering a Poser Pro 2014 render with pretty high settings...

I prepare her in Photoshop by:

1.Using your Poser png, select the WHITE area (note: I put another layer below the character, colored white, to make it easier to see) around the character, then EXPAND the selection by ONE... check to make sure the character is masked out - all but for a thin outline of her...
Then BLUR at just 0.07.

2. INVERSE THE SELECTION- then use UNSHARP MASK at about 50
(this is to your taste so use more or less as you like.) Deselect.

2a. I will GENTLY BLUR the hair to make it look softer- more realistic

3. Then I use BRIGHTNESS & CONTRAST at about 10 to 14 ... again you decide how much, this is to enhance the richness of the color as well as contrast to make her "pop".

4. Lastly, add a TINY bit of SATURATION - only if the color is still not quite rich enough. Varies with renders...

There! Now she is ready to place onto a 2D background... IF you reduce the original to go into the background, it's a good idea to do a bit more "unsharp mask" to bring her back to her original (you do not need to blur her outline again at this point).

5. lastly, and VERY IMPORTANT to set into a 2d background! ADD A SHADOW with any 'cast shadow' method, or use my Free Cast Shadow Action offered here! :)

OR MAKE YOUR OWN SHADOW in Photoshop!
(some of the screen captures above may help clarify these steps too)

1. Duplicate your object or character's layer

2. Using the 'bottom layer' of this object or character:
2a. Go to Image: Adjustments: Hue/Saturation
2b. Pull both the Saturation & Lightness sliders ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT!

3. Click OK

4. Go to Edit: Transform: Distort - grab the top-center square and pull to the Left OR Right
IMPORTANT! look at your object/character. Which side of it is more shadowed? If the object
is brighter and more lit up on it's Right side, PULL THE DISTORT to the left. If the object
is brighter and more lit up on it's Left side, PULL THE DISTORT to the Right! WHILE PULLING
THIS HANDLE, ALSO BRING IT DOWN (ie: shorten or squash the black 'silhouette') at the same
time. It's Important to have a 'feel' for how you want your shadow to look... Does it need to be short
or elongated? Look up "Shadows cast from..." (name your object) on Google Images! You can get a good
idea of how shadows should look this way. I'm self-taught, this is how I learn. :)

5. Now Go to Filter: Blur: Gaussian Blur (see screen captures above) and give your new shadow a blur

6. Lower this layer's Opacity - again for the "look" you want... do you want very dense dark
shadows? Or very light shadowing... it's all a "matter of personal taste".