Here’s a neat little pattern generated after messing around in photoshop for just a few minutes. It was made by using an adjustment layer, that allows you to map a spectrum of colors to existing art work. The command is call “Gradient Map”.

Very simple to accomplish.

1. In a new document, release the background layer (double click this layer in the layers pallet and select ok)
2. Use filter > render > clouds from the menu bar (this will fill your layer with clouds).
3. Create a new layer beneath your clouds layer, and fill it with black.
4. Change the blend mode of the clouds layer to “Pin Light”. (you change blends by using the top left drop down menu in the layers pallet)
5. At the bottom of the layers pallet, click the adjustment layer icon. (black and white circle, cut in half a a 45° angle)
6. Choose “Gradient Map…”
7. When the dialogue box pops up, click the black white gradient (not the drop down arrow, that actual gradient)
8. The gradient editor dialogue box will pop up, in the bottom half of the box, the drop down menu labeled “Gradient Type”
9. Change it from solid to noise

Nine simple steps, but don’t stop there. In this dialogue box, after choosing the noise gradient, you can randomize it, change the color mode from Red Green Blue (RGB) to Hue Saturation Brightness (HSB) or even Lightness Channel A Channel B (LAB). Corresponding sliders allow you to restrict the spectrum, and you can even add some transparency and increase or decrease the intensity of your map (Roughness Slider). Not bad for a little known and under appreciated command.

Advanced users will already know the advantage in using an adjustment layer (masks, channels, blend modes etc) and you can further edit your new pattern by using a levels adjustment layer, or even collecting all the visible layers together in a new-seperate layer – PC: Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E or Mac:Cmd+Shift+Opt+E – and using my favorite tools, burn, dodge and sponge.  A damn shame they destroy pixels..

ya ya ya, I know there are other methods, but all photographers love these.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 18th, 2007 at 12:49 pm and is filed under Photoshop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.