Textures for 3D rendering - how to edit multiple layers simultaneously?

[_tasud]

I'm attempting to make a new texture for 3D rendering from existing material files I have.  3D modelling programs require several images in order to properly render a texture, such as diffuse/albedo, rougness, normal/bump, displacement, etc.

When editing a material, it's necessary to edit each of these texture maps exactly the same in order for it to render properly later on in the pipeline.  Currently, I have a PS document open with the UV map of the mesh as a template and the different texture maps as separate layers.  What I am trying to do is repaint the grout lines in a brick texture using the clone stamp and patch tool.  However, I am finding that working on, say, the albedo layer does not affect the normal map, which is obvious enough because they are different layers.  It will take far too long to attempt to recreate each clone and patch step through all of the texture maps (five in total). So my question is whether or not there is a method to make edits affect all of the layers? In other words, can the clone tool, for example, select the area to be cloned, in all five layers, and then clone the pixels elsewhere, again in all five corresponding layers?

Thank you

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

I know of no such method on Photoshop, but a workaround might be the use of a multichannel image.

One can Clone Stamp, Paint (edit: though that may be of very limited use as the color one paints with is the same for all Channels), … on many selected Channels at once and reassemble them into Layers later on (which could be automatised).

[c.pfaffenbichler]

No wonder this seemed familiar … check out this thread:

Re: clone stamp on multiple layers/images at once

[davescm]

Hi

Photoshop is the wrong tool for this. Take a look at Allegorithmic's Substance Painter/ Substance Designer which are built do do this easily.

Dave