3D Effect Render Thingy Question

[mcamp14]

This might not be possible in Paint.NET because I think that it is currently impossible in photoshop, gimp, etc. However, I am going to throw this question out into the open anyway. I am working on a project for myself and it includes a water ripple effect. I have the drop ripple plug-in and I made a 2D version of a ripple in water. I used the clouds effect along with some other effects to make it look like water. I next ran the drop ripple effect on it to an amount that I found to look good. I used the layer rotate/zoom thing to rotate the layer in a way that it gives the illusion that it is on a flat surface (i.e. a floor, except with water). The only problem is that it is all flat. Sure, the ripple effect is there, but there is no height to the ripples. I am wondering if there is a way to add height. It is supposed to look something like the y=cos(x^2 + z^2) function for all of you math people, because I am one. I already checked the 3d shape plug-in under the render menu, and I don't have any idea of how to do this. My personal project involves everything from scratch, as in no external images at all. If anybody out there is a programmer, I only to visual basic and I try not to get into all of that C business, I would really appreciate a plug-in. Or if there is a plug in, please point me in the right direction. I really hope that this is not too long of a question. Thanks.

[Frontcannon]

Your stuff goes way too far into rendering, Shape3D for example just projects the image one an emulated 3D surface.

What you're talking about is called Relief Mapping, but that is way more complicated, including Parallax mapping, height maps, various algorythms and more stuff

[Neil Cassidy]

I figure that you could turn the "find the transformed heightmap" problem into a constrained maximization problem... that's probably not very helpful though

[yellowman]

If I correctly understood you, then you want to achieve some thing like this?

If yes then you are almost there just you need to apply the Alpha Displacement plugin after the layer rotating, this is just a basic image you can add your own texture to the water.

Some more effect using same technique:

[mcamp14]

If I correctly understood you, then you want to achieve some thing like this?

If yes then you are almost there just you need to apply the Alpha Displacement plugin after the layer rotating, this is just a basic image you can add your own texture to the water.

Some more effect using same technique:

That is a great idea! I can't believe that I did not think of that. I was just using the alpha displacement plugin yesterday (the day after I submitted this question). So if I understand you correctly, you are saying that I could just use the rotated image to make an alpha mask. Then I would simply apply that to the image via alpha displacement?

[yellowman]

Yes, correct, it actually depend on the texture that you are using to create the effect, you can use the Alpha Displacement directly (without creating the alpha mask and imported to the plugin) in most cases that will give a good result.

See

, ( for snow effect) here I didn't use the image as an alpha mask, I just applied the plugin direct to the rotated clouds layer, but don't forget to check the" Displacement On" option in the plugin if you are not using a mask.

I am repeating the plugin in this video just to show the steps, so you don't have to do that, you can press and hold Ctrl and press F as many as you need to repeat it.

[mcamp14]

Thanks, that helps me with the concept a lot. Originally I thought I that needed to use an alpha mask for that effect. My only question now relates to the amplitude, or the height, or the ripples. I am looking to replicate something along the lines of this:

Water ripple image or this image Second image

I notice that if I set the displacement value too high or too low, the illusion is lost. I am trying to make a picture of a water drop hitting the water below and having ripples come out of it with a background that I am going to figure out later on. I do not want to take up all your time, but I am still somewhat confused on alpha mask displacement. Is there a way that I could use a different technique to achieve the same, or similar, result? I am really stuck with this because I love the idea, and I do not want to have to take a picture. My goal is to do this all on the computer from scratch as I said before. You were a hug help yellowman, but there just isn't enough height for me. Thanks for your help again!

[mcamp14]

Oh wait, I didn't see the last part where you repeated the plugin, sorry. Ignore my post above. I will see if that makes a difference.

[mcamp14]

I have attached what I have so far. How would I go about making the center bit higher than the rest and make it look more like a ripple?