Realistic Planet tutorial

[nothinmuch]

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a realistic planet.

similar to this

Plugins needed:

Shape 3D

1) To start off, copy this pluto planet texture which can be found at http://planetpixelemporium.com/pluto.html and paste it in a new paint.net canvas. Click expand canvas to fit picture.

2) Next, go to effects>render>shape 3D. Rotate the ball until you find a surface you like (it doesn’t particularly matter as long as it isn’t the side with the seem.) Important: Make sure to turn on Anti alias and set it to 5. Also uncheck the box next to specular highlight and lighting. Press OK.

3) Add a new layer and move it down to the bottom, fill it with black (you can change it later but it’s good to start off with black so you can see other things).

4) On your planet layer, use the to select the outside of the planet.

5) Create two new layers. On the first new layer (inside glow layer) fill your selection with white.

6) On your second layer (hit CTRL+I, then fill), so the whole screen should be white. This will be the outer glow layer.

7) Make your second new layer (outer glow) invisible. Go to your inner Glow layer, press Ctrl+D to deselect the inner circle and do a :GaussianBlur: Gaussian blur of 28 pixels.

8)Go back to your original planet layer, select outside your planet again. This should be the exact same selection as before. Delete the outer portion of the Inner Glow layer with this selection.

9)On your Outer Glow layer again. Use Gaussian blur again, this time make it around 13 pixels, depending on your planet size.After that go back to your planet layer, again select the outside of the planet, CTRL+I to invert selection, and delete (on inner glow layer).

10) Select your planet layer. Duplicate it. Then go to Effects>artistic> pencil sketch. Set the tip size to 20 and range to 20. Press OK. Set the Layer blending mode to Color burn and press OK. (You can also try several other ways, like emboss or edge detect)

(picture)

11) It should now look like a very light/dark planet, Huzzah! If the edges around your planet look a little pixely you can do a gausian blur of like 2 pixels to get rid of it.

12) If you like the way the planet looks right now just go ahead and flatten it if you would like to use the planet later as a render or something you can select the area around the planet, merge a few of the uppermost layers down and save it that way. Either way, on to step 14.

13) Making the dark side! Select black and white as your primary and secondary colors. Select the gradient tool, and add a transition gradient on your planet. It’s up to you how to make it but I usually combine a linear and radial gradient to make my planet. Also, you can rotate it if you’d like.

Add stars, maybe duplicate and resize (make a moon), add a sun and bam! You’re done.

Commander Sozo had the idea for the inner and outer glow which i modified only slightly.

Good luck

(please tell me if I made a mistake or it doesn't make sense. I read over it a few times but you know how that is)

[Onemorelevel]

You used a photoshop tut didnt you? I used a photoshop tut to make my sig. It took a long time.

Nice tutorial, A much faster way of creating planets.

[nothinmuch]

thanks a bunch

[yy10]

nice one! better than most planet tuts. Simple and easy.

[KillerK]

nice tut conversion some tips tho : use commander sozo's inner n outer glow tut personally i think the results look better better, and also did you put AA to 5 when you used s3d? The planet looks jaggy at the edges.

[nothinmuch]

Edit: Changed/fixed glow method

[flip]

Eh.. it's an okay tut. For the glow, you can just duplicate the layer, make it white, and then blur it. You don't need to do the circle thing.