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PeteFalcon
Inspiring
August 12, 2017
Answered

Displacement Map on photoshop layer

  • August 12, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 2280 views

I am having a problem doing a Displacement Map on an imported layer from Photoshop.

The layer is a side-angle profile shot of a guys head. There's not background or border, it's just a photo that I lasso'd out his head only. The goal is to make an animation where he's walking across the screen from left to right, and kind of shaking his head left to right as he strides. In other words I need this 2d layer to look like he's slightly turning his head towards the camera and then slightly turning it away.

These are the steps I've taken so far. I got these from a youtube tutorial where the guy got it to work. So I'm not sure why this isn't working for me...

Import the .psd into my AE project

Pull the photoshop layer (Guy's Head) into the composition

Duplicate the Photoshop layer

On the duplicated layer, use the brush tool to draw in the dark parts (further away) and the light parts (closer)

Add gaussian blur to this colored layer

Precompose this layer and name it Depth Comp

Hide Depth Comp and select it

Go to Effects > Distort > Displacement Map

Toggle the displacement map to get it to move.

This seemed to work in this guys tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztj3JsYQ5Og&authuser=0

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Rick Gerard

First Problem:

On the duplicated layer, use the brush tool to draw in the dark parts (further away) and the light parts (closer)

50% color value does not move a pixel, 0% moves left  or down, 100% moves right or up. There is no further away and closer using displacement map. You need a different tool or much more complicated color values to simulate further away and closer with displacement map.

Second Problem:

On the duplicated layer, use the brush tool to draw in the dark parts (further away) and the light parts (closer)

Rendering order means that the brush stroke is rendered after displacement map checks the color values. If you paint on a layer you must pre-compose that layer before applying displacement map or intelligently use some of AE's newer advanced features.

If you want to understand how displacement mapping works take a look at this zillion year old example I made on a long dead website on Advanced Displacement Maps.

If you want to simulate 3D displacement the easiest way to do that is to use Freeform from Metal. It's the easiest tool I know of that allows you to simulate depth with a grayscale gradient map to simulate closer and farther away. FreeForm Pro-The Ultimate Guide by Chris Lavelle​ is one of the best demonstrations of amazing tool.

Moving pixels left or right and up or down may be sufficient for your project so just pre-composing your gradient may do it for you but you can do some pretty amazing things using Freeform or Freeform Pro. This tutorial from the amazing Mike Sevigny demonstrates using projection, camera tracking and Freeform to do an amazing job of bending things in a moving camera shot.

2 replies

R
Community Expert
Rick GerardCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
August 12, 2017

First Problem:

On the duplicated layer, use the brush tool to draw in the dark parts (further away) and the light parts (closer)

50% color value does not move a pixel, 0% moves left  or down, 100% moves right or up. There is no further away and closer using displacement map. You need a different tool or much more complicated color values to simulate further away and closer with displacement map.

Second Problem:

On the duplicated layer, use the brush tool to draw in the dark parts (further away) and the light parts (closer)

Rendering order means that the brush stroke is rendered after displacement map checks the color values. If you paint on a layer you must pre-compose that layer before applying displacement map or intelligently use some of AE's newer advanced features.

If you want to understand how displacement mapping works take a look at this zillion year old example I made on a long dead website on Advanced Displacement Maps.

If you want to simulate 3D displacement the easiest way to do that is to use Freeform from Metal. It's the easiest tool I know of that allows you to simulate depth with a grayscale gradient map to simulate closer and farther away. FreeForm Pro-The Ultimate Guide by Chris Lavelle​ is one of the best demonstrations of amazing tool.

Moving pixels left or right and up or down may be sufficient for your project so just pre-composing your gradient may do it for you but you can do some pretty amazing things using Freeform or Freeform Pro. This tutorial from the amazing Mike Sevigny demonstrates using projection, camera tracking and Freeform to do an amazing job of bending things in a moving camera shot.

Roei Tzoref
Roei Tzoref
Legend
August 12, 2017
Precompose this layer and name it Depth Comp

BTW, Don't have to as of CC2017 compound effects have effect toggle that allows you to use the effect on your matte without the need to precompose.

Go to Effects > Distort > Displacement Map

you are applying it to the source layer, not the depth matte, right?

show us some screenshots and be specific what exactly is not working for you.

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