How To Create Water Flowing Over Rock?

[-NG-]

Do you mean with photoshop?or a 3d app?

[Jonj1611]

Hi,

Sorry, meant to say, yes, I want to do it in post in photoshop. I have Photoshop 7.

Thanks
Jon

[-NG-]

Then i think the best way would be to paint it in.

[XepptizZ]

Or you could try using the clonestamp a lot on a new layer and then try applying pinch a bit and play with the blending options and other layer settinggs. A bit of painting is prolly required though.

[Jonj1611]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, ok, is there a general painting rule here, is there some kind of special brush, how do you get the colour of water with transparency? Sorry if this is a simple question, but I normally create 3D models and dabble with Photoshop very rarely. I have never yet actually done an image in post :)

Thanks
Jon

[malcolmvexxed]

there's not really a shortcut to this. I think because PS is a digital tool people look for easy way outs too foten. for a look like this i usually create a new layer and render over the top for the feel i want and then adjust opacity and merge. depends on how deep you want the rocks to seem from the water's surface. You still have to paint it, although at the very end it's possible to get some cool effects using tools like Plastic wrap in moderation.

[lokki]

building on malcolmvexxed (member.php?u=27456)'s Plastic Wrap suggestion, try this...

select the area of flowing water and copy to a new layer (ctrl/cmd+J)
duplicate that layer again, turn off the 2nd duplicate
apply the plastic wrap to the middle layer, and play with the following:
-blend modes... screen, darken, etc... each image will be different
-layer opacity
-levels to bring out highlights

Turn on the top layer and try starting with a motion blur. You may have to select different regions and apply different angles based on the 'terrain' of the water. Once you have the general directions, use the smudge tool to start blending them together. You may want to investigate Liquify to bend areas without losing the streak detail.

Again, play with blend modes. You may also want to duplicate the motion blurred layer, apply Gaussian blur, and set it to screen mode with lower opacity.

Post your results!

[Jonj1611]

Hi,

Many thanks for the replies. Yes, I guess at the end of the day I was hoping there was an option under plug-ins called "Water flowing over rock, push here" :)

Unfortunately my freehand artist skills are not up to much, so I will try really hard to get the correct effect.

Thanks again for all the suggestions, will post when completed.

Regards
Jon

[Skjoldbroder]

It depends a lot on the context, I'd say. But since water is transparent but reflective and refractive, you could try painting that kind of surface on top of the stones - but you could also add some foam where the water breaks over the rocks (don't overdo it though :))

generally : get some reference of flowing water, take a look at what that kinda stuff looks like, and pay attention to surface properties.

[BeckyWC]

Try the link below. Hopefully this will help you.


http://www.williampowell-artist.com/paintingexerciseintro.html

[Jonj1611]

Hi,

Thanks all, will give those techniques a go. :)

Jon

[-NG-]

You can make a layer, and run the cloud filter on it(with gray white or gray black), set the blending mode to hardlight adjust the perspective until it's how you want it. this can be a base for the water, then it's just a matter of masking and coloring and adding detail.

Fog and foam can be easilly created using this method.

Here's a small example.

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