Create A Painted Rock Wall - part 1

In this tutorial, we will be using a Displacement Map filter to paint a mountain scene on a rock wall.

The first step is to create the displacement map. A displacement map 'maps' the shadows and highlights of an uneven surface and applies that 'map' to the image painted on the wall. This creates the illusion of depth, of paint disappearing into the cracks and shadows. Very realistic effect, and easy.

Find an uneven, cracked, or otherwise marred surface to paint your image on.

I picked a fairly even surfaced rock wall, with good contrast between light and dark.

Some ideas are brick walls, sidewalks, storefronts, windows, vehicles, faces.... anything that can have an image warped over it should be okay to use.

When you find that perfect photo, leave it rgb and go to adjustments, desaturate.

After desaturate, I find it helpful to up the contrast almost to the point of too much. Remember, it's only going to be used as a pattern for the image to warp around. The shadows in the displacement map image are the key to distortion, so need to have high contrast. If you do not have enough contrast and try to use the image as a displacement map, it won't even recognize it properly. In that case, simply open the displacement file and up the contrast. Let's move on....

Save your displacement map with 'displace' in the name, and make sure it's in psd format.

Close your file. Open the original color version in a new document.

Now find your image to be painted. I chose a mountain scene.

Put it on a new layer.

Make the new layer Overlay.

Position your image exactly where you want it. You may adjust the layer transparency if you feel the image is too brightly 'painted.'

Time for the displacement filter!

Make sure you are on the painted image layer and go to filter, distort, displace.