Photo Effects Week: Create a Planet Using Photoshop’s 3D Capabilities
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Photo Effects Week: Create a Planet Using Photoshop’s 3D Capabilities

on Oct 29th 2011 with 31 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Adobe Photoshop CS5
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Estimated Completion Time: 15 Minutes
Download Source Files

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

This week we are celebrating the launch of PhotoDune, Envato’s new stock photography website with a series of photo effect and photo manipulation tutorials that showcase the images from our new marketplace. The 3D tools in Photoshop CS5 Extended make it easy for anyone to add 3D elements to their images. In this tutorial you will create a planet using a 3D Sphere, and utilize the new Repousse feature to extrude objects in 3D space. Let’s get started!

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial. Unfortunately, the PhotoDune author did not respond to our request to distribute their image to our premium members but any rocky or grungy texture should do.

 
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By

Rollover to read this author's bio or click through to see a full list of posts by this author.

A.J. Wood is an Adobe Community Professional & Adobe Certified Instructor based in Dallas, TX. The only thing he enjoys more than photography & teaching is spending time with his family. Chat with him on G+ or catch his blog.  

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  • http://www.artedelweb.it TheMaker

    Even though I understand there are some useful techniques for newbies, I think this is not a tutorial worthy of PSDTUTS.

    • tsn

      I must agree

    • Madalincmc

      Yes you are right, this one is not i expect from RsdTuts.

    • Nathan Rattray

      I agree

    • Maux

      I really liked! I think all of the tutorials are worth.
      People have to remember the author’s efforts at getting his ideas, techniques used and the degree of user awareness in general.
      If you do not like the end result, help to add new ideas or techniques, not just criticize.
      The PSDTUTS +, and helped me a lot about all of the tutorials already published here.
      The internet is full of critics, because it is easy to criticize, but it’s hard to do …

      • http://psd.tutsplus.com/ Grant Friedman

        Thanks for the feedback. I’ll agree that the final image could use some polishing. I think AJ is a good instructor however and that he did a good job showing you guys what you can do with Photoshop’s 3D features. In the future, I will make sure that AJ spends a bit more time polishing the final result. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a lot of time to revise the final image this time around.

  • Hugo

    I agree that the end result really doesn’t look nice. Also, there have been quite some good 3D tutorials here on PSDTuts+ so why publishing this one?

  • Alex

    Guys, keep in mind. This is just a tutorial, I’m sure you’re expected to do some of the work yourself, this just shows you how to compose an idea and maybe some useful tricks and tips. Do some things of your own, you don’t have to copy the tutorial exactly.

  • http://titan-creative.net S3bY

    Indeed, the final image is not that great, but it is a good tutorial! Ignore the bad background and pay more attention to techniques!

  • MT

    I was just wondering when he made the ring, why make a selection, then jump it to a new layer and load the same selection again from the new layer, and then delete the layer? Why not just use the selection that was already there?

  • http://octv.be Mbile

    Whack… What’s wrong with you guys sometimes you present such beautiful tutorial… And sometimes it’s disappointing…

  • http://www.xhtmlpress.com xhtmlpress

    This really good tutorial from the author Wood. I appreciate all your efforts

  • http://elka.deviantart.com elka

    Even though the final result wasn’t of high standard. I now know how to make a planet using this technique.
    So I think that this tutorial was great. Thanks!

  • http://blog.amsomr.com/ amassine

    I like it , thank you

  • http://earning-tips-photoshop-tutz.blogspot.com/ Mohaiminul

    Very helpful for creating cool dynamic effects.

  • Ryan

    It might not be the best tut but you have a good style for screencasts AJ. Would definitely check out more videos if you put them on.

  • http://dribbble.com/yvonnetang Yvonne Tang

    Interesting way to create planet rings. I usually just use free transform + perspective. Yours is definitely more accurate. Thanks for the idea.

  • Chris

    I prefer the Greg Martin version of this:
    http://gallery.artofgregmartin.com/tuts_arts/making_a_planet.html for the planet and
    http://gallery.artofgregmartin.com/tuts_arts/making_a_star_field.html for the stars.

    He is a master of space related photoshop art.

  • aMs

    With all the respect to techniques used, the final outcome is terrible…

  • http://www.pixel77.com/ Doink

    A.J. Wood created a planet, he liked it and he put a ring on it :)

  • http://ali.8pa8.com Ali

    As for my trust in PSD tuts I try to remember that this is a tutorial and it’s meant to teach components rather than end results (which is a plus in tutorials). Most of us know musical exercises that sound awful to the listener but teach good techniques. Now I don’t mean to say the end result is awful! but it lacks the polishing part.

  • http://heartworkbylaura.blogspot.com Laura

    Thanks. I need more information on the 3D features and this helped a lot.

  • Sect

    I’m interested to learn more about the 3D capabilities in ps, but as soon as I see a ……

    ….

    ….

    ….

    ….

    lens-flare filter used in the finished piece, I can tell you my interest has changed into something else, especially when it’s on a website focused around teaching people to be better artists. This kinda stuff brings your brands overall value down slightly to me if you’re gonna leave it up after all this negative feedback.

    Sorry I don’t have anything nice to say, I’m sure some hard work went into this.

  • http://www.maurisource.com maurisource

    Nice tuts, I wonder on photoshop what keyboard shortcut you use to quickly Zoom-in Zoom-out the Planet? I use a Mac.

  • http://www.gedespro3d.com 3d

    I´m absolutly impressed with the time necessary to make this image. ¿15 minutes?, that´s great productivity.

  • http://hsquares.blogspot.com sandy

    Thanks for the tutorial though!

  • http://cargocollective.com/marcelaneamtu Marcela Neamtu

    Just awesome!! Thanks A.J.

  • http://infografia-3d-arquitectura.blogspot.com/ Joe 3d

    You did the hard part easy. Thanks a lot.

  • Todd Denton

    I am trying to teach myself how to use the software. I found this very helpful and have High hopes I can find more of such tuts. I could care less what the finished picture looks like ! I know the” finesse” is always left to us, the individual, as are manners. As a teaching tool , this was just fine. I thank you for it. Best wishes to you and yours……..Todd

  • http://f4lyn.deviantart.com Nathan

    Seems like a joke to me. Many tutorials that are not “great” are far better that this.

  • Sunny

    Such a great tutorial! helpful tips! Thanks!