[TUTORIAL] Making Realistic Metal Layers

[SMASH]

Ok, so in this tutorial you will learn how to make this:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6170/doneaj5.png


Part 1: The Base Metal

Create a new project and make the size 1024x1024 (Ctrl + N for short)

Select the paint bucket and fill in the canvas with a foreground and background of black and white (doesn't matter which one goes on which)

Filter->Render->Clouds

And you should be here:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/796/90634376jh0.jpg

If yours doesn't look like this... take 2 weeks and learn the basics better. The cloud filter though IS random so it won't look exactly like this but similar.

Filter->Artistic->Dry Brush
Brush Size - 6
Brush Detail - 10
Texture - 2http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/118/58964715pb4.jpg


Filter -> Artistic -> Sponge
Brush Size - 0
Definition - 1
Smoothness - 8Image -> Mode -> Brightness/Contrast
Brightness - -45
Contrast - -64Making the metal seamless

Filter -> Other -> Offset

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2145/14664076tj2.jpg

As you can see there lines in the middle. Those are the "seams" that would show up if you tiled this.

Hit OK and select the CLONE tool (looks like a stamp and is right under the band-aid)

Hold ALT and select an area with out that seam. Then just click along the seam and use other parts to patch over it.

Then you can offset it back to where it originally was by using the offset tool again with the same input.

Now that you have your base metal, you can color it to adapt to certain types of metals using this method:

Image -> Adjustments -> Hue/Saturation
CHECK THE COLORIZE BOX FIRST
For a very subtle color effect, set Saturation at 5
I wouldn't set Saturation more than 50

Slide the Hue bar to select the color.

I'm going to go with a light blue:

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6712/43924364bu9.jpg

Save this as your base metal. All your metals from now on will start with this.

Part 2 - Adding on...
Setting up grids:

Edit -> Preferences -> Guides, Grid & Slices

Set it to this: http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/8895/16378886wo0.jpg

Hit OK
To show the grid: View -> Show -> Grid (Ctrl +')
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/3643/75921265wg4.jpg

Your canvas should now look like this.

Let's make a cool pattern to go over our base metals by using the polygon selector.

IF YOU FIND THAT THE POLYGON TOOL IS NOT SNAPPING TO THE GRIDS DO THIS: View -> Snap To -> Check Grids

Select the top two rows of boxes like this:http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/9341/15139135hy7.jpg

Right click the selection and Layer via Copy.

Double click on the new layer's right hand side to apply a layer style:

Bevel Emboss

Style - Inner Bevel
Technique - Chisel Hard
Depth - 10%
Direction - Up
Size - 2
Highlight Mode - Screen
Opacity - 50%Inner Glow
Blend Mode - Vivid Light
Opacity - 65%
Noise - 21%
Make the color something that compliments the metal (like a light blue on blue or a dark grey on a light grey).
Size - 18
Range - 60%Drop Shadow
Opacity - 20
Distance - 14
Spread - 19
Size - 40Change the fill of that layer to 0

Hit Ctrl+' to hide the grid and preview your work. It should look something like this:

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/861/18158302wd0.jpg

Since we don't want that one bar all alone we'll select the same on the bottom.

Select the bottom two rows
Set the Fill to 0
Right click on the top bars layer and select "Copy Layer Style" and paste it on the new bar.




In the end, there's tons of things you can add into these, vents, panels, ect. so the options are endless. I hope you liked this.

Final:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6170/doneaj5.png

Dano's Extension:

Filters -> Brush Strokes -> Spatter

Add some shaped layers, and apply blending effects like drop shadow and so on. The shape layers should be grey scale and untextured. When you save it as a diffuse texture, remove the layer textures, and then save the plain greyscale you get as bump.

With Dano's bump and specular advice I made a quick render in MAX

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9950/renderiv4.png

[Bastinka]

That doesn't look like a metal texture at all.. :|

[Tweek]

like you would know.

you seem to totally disregard that this is purely a diffuse map. and tadaah!
oh, look it works FINE as a diffuse map.

but smash, you dont want to have that dark shadowish stuff at the top.
leave that to the engine k

[Skyline]

No, I think it looks terrible even as a diffuse.

You can tell this is just a cloud filter with a sponge filter on it.

[Stealth]

cool, but what about realistic scrached up metal layers? how do we do those?

[Cortexian]

Doesn't look like anything to do with a metal material to me, diffuse map or otherwise. It looks like a Photoshop cloud render with some artistic effects applied.

[SMASH]

:-/. Oh well. I guess it's the effort that counts eh.

[Cortexian]

:-/. Oh well. I guess it's the effort that counts eh.
Maybe if you throw it ingame onto a box or something so we can see what the Engine does with it I'll change my mind >.<

[DaneO'Roo]

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/5707/wallplate2xi4.jpg

do exactly what smash said, but don't stop there. From where he finished, apply a splatter filter, and add some shaped layers, and apply blending effects like drop shadow and so on. The shape layers should be grey scale and untextured. After you save it as a diffuse texture, remove the texture layers, and then save the plain greyscale you get as a bump, and then you can do this:

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/5323/wallplate2renderedoq9.jpg


My layer layout in Photoshop was this:

TOP - Edge scratching Layer (set to overlay mode)

2ND FROM TOP - Shapes Layer (overlay mode, with drop shadow)

BOTTOM - Background - with my texture on it.

When saving as a bump, I'd simply whipe the background layer free of all texture.

To make a specular, you'd simply just greyscale the textured diffuse version, and up the contrast, then fine tune things like scratching and parts that you don't wan't shining.

[SnaFuBAR]

Smash, that's gotta be the worst metal tutorial I've ever seen.

hello www.sourceblog.org with the nice metal tutorials.

[Hunter]

DANO, you should make a tutorial on how to make metal textures like the SMG metal, but show us how to add scratches like this kind of scratch:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/martynball/smg2.jpg