Using 3D object layers from Photoshop

Create PSD documents in Photoshop that contain 3D object layers and animate and composite the 3D object layers in After Effects.

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Requirements

To complete the tasks demonstrated in this tutorial, you need the following software and files:

Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium

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Prerequisite knowledge

Intermediate knowledge of working with 3D layers in Photoshop

Using 3D object layers from Photoshop

With Adobe® Photoshop® CS4, you can create, import, position, light, and add texture to 3D objects. You can also import objects created in Photoshop into Adobe After Effects® and animate them in 3D. In this tutorial, you will learn how to import Photoshop compositions with 3D layers into After Effects. You will also learn how to animate these layers in After Effects.

Importing a Photoshop file into After Effects

Once you have created a composition with 3D layers in Photoshop, you can import that composition into After Effects. To import a Photoshop composition into After Effects:

1. Open After Effects.
2. Double-click in the Project window to import the Photoshop file into After Effects. The Import File dialog box opens.

   Tip: You can also choose File > Import > File to import the PSD file.

   

   Figure 1: Importing a Photoshop file into After Effects

   Note: A Photoshop PSD file with 3D layers previews just like an ordinary 2D image. The thumbnail shows a 3D logo or what you might look like a normal 2D image. However, if you import the PSD file as a composition and enable Live Photoshop 3D, you can work with any Photoshop document as a full 3D object layer.

3. To import a PSD file as a composition, choose Composition from the Import As dialog box and click OK. A dialog box opens in After Effects.
4. Choose Composition from the Import Kind pop-up menu.
5. Select Live Photoshop 3D and then click OK.

   

   Figure 2: Importing a PSD file as a composition

Working with layers in After Effects

The original Photoshop PSD file contains one 3D object layer. However, the imported composition has three layers that work together to make a fully 3D object layer. To work with layers in After Effects:

1. Press the Tilde key to maximize the Timeline panel at the bottom of the After Effects window. Select the image source layer in the Timeline and press the U key to reveal all of the layer's properties. Note that this also displays a number of expressions that link the layer to the controller layer above it.

   

   Figure 3: The expanded Timeline panel
2. Press the Tilde key again to return to the default workspace.
3. If you try to move or rotate the source layer, it will not change position. Instead, choose the controller layer and select the Rotate tool at the top of the After Effects window. Use the 3D Rotate widget that appears in the Composition window to rotate the image in 3-dimensional space.

   

   Figure 4: Rotating a 3D Photoshop composition
4. Select the Camera layer in the Composition panel, and then select the Unified Camera tool.

   

   Figure 5: Unified Camera tool
5. Right-click/Ctrl-click to toggle the 3D Track Z tool and drag to zoom in and out of the 3D composition.
6. Press F3 or choose Window > Effect Controls to open the Effect Controls panel. Choose the image source layer in the timeline to view the Live Photoshop 3D effect controls.
7. Select Use Photoshop Camera from the Camera menu in the Effect Controls panel to override the original composition camera with the Photoshop camera.
8. Select Use Photoshop Transform next to Objects to use the transform data from Photoshop.

   

   Figure 6: Using Photoshop Camera settings in After Effects

Creating a new composition using the image layer

You can create a new composition using the image layer of your imported Photoshop composition. To create a new composition:

1. Drag the Photoshop sequence to the New Composition icon at the bottom of the Project panel. You have created a new composition that behaves like a normal 2D layer.

   

   Figure 7: Creating a new composition
2. To reenable Photoshop 3D directly in the new composition, right-click the layer in the Timeline and choose Convert To Live Photoshop from the context menu.
3. Although you cannot animate the 3D layer, you can apply effects to it. Choose Effect > Color Correction > Colorama. Colorama appears in the Effect Controls panel, and includes a color wheel for adjusting the colors of the composition.

   

   Figure 8: Applying the Colorama effect to a composition
4. Select Colorama in the Effect Controls panel and press delete to remove it.
5. If you wish to change the texture, material options, or lighting of the 3D object, you need to make the edits in Photoshop. With the image layer still selected, choose Edit > Edit Original from the After Effects menu to open the source file in Photoshop.
6. Choose Window > 3D to open the 3D panel in Photoshop. Choose the Filter By: Lights tab (the fourth tab from the left).

   

   Figure 9: The Filter By: Lights tab
7. Change the foreground and background lighting to contrasting shades of the same color. To change the foreground color, select Front from the Infinite Lights menu. Then, click the Color swatch to open the color picker.
8. To change the background color, choose Back from the Infinite Lights menu. Then, click the Color swatch to open the color picker.
9. Choose File > Save, and then return to After Effects. The changes from Photoshop are carried over to After Effects.

   

   Figure 10: Applying Photoshop edits to an After Effects composition

Adding 2D and 3D layers to an After Effects composition

You can add your own 2D and 3D layers to the After Effects composition to make a fully animated title sequence. To begin:

1. Deselect all. Add a background layer by choosing Layer > New > Solid. The Solid Settings dialog box opens. Click OK to accept the default settings.
2. Move the background layer to the bottom of the stack in the Timeline panel.
3. To convert the solid layer to an animated background, choose Animation > Apply Animation Preset. Choose the sample file Smoky Background.ffx from the Adobe folder and click Open. The Smoky Background.ffx file contains multiple effects such as the Turbulent Noise effect that are already animated for you.
4. You can also add additional text to your composition. Choose the Horizontal Type tool from the Tools panel. Click in the Composition window and enter some additional text.
5. To animate the text layer, choose Window > Effects & Presets. The Effects & Presets panel opens.
6. Open the Animation Presets/Text/3D Text folder in the Effects & Presets panel to locate the 3D Basic Position Z Typeon effect.

   

   Figure 11: The Effects & Presets panel
7. Double-click to apply 3D Basic Position Z Typeon to the text layer.
8. To animate the 3D text you imported from Photoshop, choose the Rotation tool from the Tools panel.
9. Select the Controller layer and rotate the text using the widget that appears in the Composition panel.
10. To begin the animation, choose Animation > Add Orientation Keyframe to insert a starting keyframe.
11. Move the Current Time Indicator to the end of the Timeline and add another keyframe automatically by rotating the Controller layer once more.
12. Click Enable Motion Blur to add motion blur to all the layers and increase the realism of the animation.
13. To preview the finished 3D animation, click the RAM Preview icon in the Composition panel.

Where to go from here

• Creative Suite 4 Help and Support
• Learn CS4 Production Premium
• Using advanced 3D techniques, by Chad Perkins
• Using effects and painting tools for 3D , by Chad Perkins
• Converting from 2D to 3D, by Chad Perkins
• Lynda.com

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