Creating a Reflection Map

by  Daniel Ledarney

Summary: Choose a file; make a selection; use Quick Warp to bend the image; capture image as pattern.

General
You may use painter's quick warp innovation to curve any image into a useful environment map or reflection map. Reflection maps is a visual illusion that shows an environment as seen through a fish-eye lens or reflected in a shiny metal orb. You can use maps to improve and enhance your images.

1. Opening an image and making a selection.
Open your image. Using the rectangle selection tool, make a 256 or less pixel square selection, holding down the shift key to constrain the selection to a square as you drag, as you check the width in the controls: selection palette. If you need to move or scale the selection, use the selection adjuster tool. Copy (Ctrl-C) the square selection (edit, copy), and paste (Ctrl-V) it into a new file by choosing edit, paste, paste Into new image.

2. Bending the image.

The "fish eye lens" effect that adds realism to the map- most surfaces reflective surfaces are not flat. To used Quick Warp choose effects, surface, control, quick warp and selecting the sphere option. You may use the default settings of power 2.0 and angle factor 2.0 or play around with them until it suits your needs. This effect applies to the entire canvas.

3. Saving the image as a pattern.

The map may "captured" as a pattern into the current pattern library. With the environment map image open, select all and select capture pattern from the art materials palette's pattern menu. Name the map and click OK. The environment map is now in the library for your use to enhance your images.

copyright © '98-'08 Don Ledarney, all rights reserved.