Expert: Scott Valentine - 11/19/2009

Question
I'm using CS2 I have a photo of a couch and a photo of a Blanket (that was taken laid flat). I what to lay the Blanket over the couch like you would find in someone's living room. 2 elements to create 1 photo. What is the step by step process or (tools)to use  (to wrap flat image over object) once photos are placed in their own layers. Thank You for any help.

David

Answer
You could be in for a lot of work, David... The basic idea will be to transform and warp the blanket to match the curves, then deal with shadows and highlights to make it look more realistic. But the distortions in the fabric and even the textures are going to be very difficult to get 'right'.

One option might be to use a 3D application and model the couch itself, then assign the blanket to a material and 'drop' the blanket onto it. However, unless you are very familiar with 3D texturing and have access to good tools, this will take even longer than in Photoshop.

So, you should start by making several copies of the Blanket layer and cutting each one up to correspond with each different plane of the couch. For example, you'll at least need one for the back, and one for the seat. In this simple case, start by rotating the individual pieces (work with one at a time) to approximately the right angle, then use the transform tool to start matching the perspective. After that, use the warp tool to nudge things into place.

I'd avoid using Liquefy because it will cause smudges and texture distortions much more quickly than transform/warp will. However, it can be useful for details if you are very careful and patient.

Once you have the shape down, add a layer on top of everything to add depth - fill the layer with 50% gray, change the blend mode to Overlay, and use dodge/burn tools to paint in shadows and highlights. Do this carefully where you want to add small folds or variations that give the illusion of the fabric laying not completely flat.

I have to tell you... this is likely to be very time-consuming. If you need this for commercial work, consider hiring a professional artist. If this is for a personal project, be prepared to try, re-try and try again - it will be very rewarding once you get there =)

-Scott