Help with displacement map?

[CalamityJanet]

I'm trying to do a displacement map of this flower image on a ball for my Eclectic Academy homework. I've done a few other displacement maps in the past week and they worked fine. But now, everytime I apply the displace filter I get this messed up image, complete with English and Japanese text! I've tried different balls and different images for the map, and it happens every time. What am I doing wrong?

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1AnP1l0xKA3MI9B9vVzaCMyVmADiG_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1AnP1l0xKA3MI9B9vVzaCMyVmADiG)

[Wendy]

Hi Janet ...

My guess is that you didn't flatten your displacement psd file before you saved it ... the writing is the message you get when a programe can't display a multi layered file.

Just open up you displacement map image flatten it and then resave it as a psd :)

Wendy

[kimi_boo]

Janet

Do post your image when it is done. I would love to see it. :D

[CalamityJanet]

Kimi...don't hold your breath!

Wendy, I'm confused. This happens at a point when there isn't anything to flatten yet. The ball is on the first layer. I place the flower, which is just a photo with no layers, on top of the ball. Then I apply the filter to the flower layer, choosing the grayscale copy of the ball that I saved earlier, and the image I posted is what results.

[Wendy]

Hi Janet ...

The grayscale image of the ball that you saved earlier is it a single layer flattened psd file ??

Wendy

[CalamityJanet]

YAY! It's NOT ME! I decided to try this displacement map on the new Mac. I was holding off because I haven't moved my photos over yet and figured the homework would go smoother on the laptop. The filter worked exactly as it should on the Mac! :D

So...what could be happening with my filters on the PC? What immediately jumps to my mind is that I installed buZZ.Pro3 a few days ago. And Alien Skin Splat! a few days before that. Both of those are working fine. Could one of them be causing my problem? The installations were pretty straightforward, but maybe I got something wrong? Any advice will be much appreciated!

[msbrad]

Janet, I'll give it a try after dinner and get back to you.
I chose not to use the ball.
did my own thing, getting held.
m

[Wendy]

Hi Janet ...

Its not really the filter that does anything that just applies it ... its the ball image that you are using as a displacement map.

Was it a flattened .psd file in both cases ??

Wendy :)

[CalamityJanet]

Hi again,Wendy,

I did exactly the same thing on the Mac that I did on the PC. The grayscale ball was just a single layer .psd file. When I started over on the Mac I started from scratch...loaded the ball image from the camera card, made the selection, etc. I didn't transfer any files from the PC.

[msbrad]

Janet,
Forgive the poorly cleaned arm:o ... Here is my attempt:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ISTi1hKGkqYdFOeCfpWf49Z1kP55I0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ISTi1hKGkqYdFOeCfpWf49Z1kP55I0)

I followed Sara's instructions, from this week ;and the pineapple/satin one from last week. I still have all the parts if you need them.
Hope it helps.
m

[CalamityJanet]

Thanks, Michelle! I was able to get it to work properly on the Mac. But I struggled all day to get it to work on the PC, and it STILL won't work on the PC. I switched images so many times I'm not sure what my original idea was!:eek: If you look closely at the flower in your image you can still see the box with the text in the center of the flower. That is what appeared on the PC, no matter which image I used.:( I still think it has something to do with installing the buZZ filter. Anyway, I'll start fresh in the morning on the Mac. Thanks for the help!

[msbrad]

No problem. I was glad to be able to do the ball. I did notice the line in the flower. that is wierd. I think I will steer clear of that filter..just in case.
m

[CalamityJanet]

Michelle, I'm sure your filter is just fine, as mine was a few days ago. This is just one of those calamities that I'm so accustomed to.:o And it must have something to do with the new installations. My displacement map last week worked fine.:confused:

[Wendy]

Just a thought ...

When you came to select the ball for the displacement map are you sure that you selected the flattened greyscale ball image and not the ball layer in the image you were working on.

If that was OK then open the ball image do Layer>Flatten Image then resave it as a psd and try using that one as the displacement map this time :)

Wendy

[CalamityJanet]

Thanks, Wendy!

It's 5:30 AM here, which is when my three spoiled Shelties insist on being fed.:twisted: I usually peek at the forum while they're out. After I've had some coffee and I'm more alert I'll try it all again. I'll let you know what happens...

[kimh]

Glad you're somewhat getting somewhere Janet. I know how that is so time consuming.
kimh

[msbrad]

Wendy, if memory serves me OK this morning, I do not think I flattened the ball.
I had the first ball, then did file > duplicate,( so 2 balls) then image >mode>grayscale added a bit of gaussian blur then saved as ball_gray.psd, and closed it.
It re-enterd the picture after doing : filter >distort>displace on the flower dragged over the first ball. Gray ball showed up in that pop up box.
Unless I took a wrong turn.
m

[Cmcburnett]

Good luck Janet. Don't you just love Shelties, even at 5:30 a.m.:o

[Wendy]

Hi Michelle ...

OK I just worked out why one worked and not the other ... :D

If you have your prefs set to Maximise PSD compatability then the displacement map uses the composite image that it saves with the psd file as its displacement map.

If you donlt have that option selected in the prefs file then it gives you the writing ... (unless you first flatten the image and save it as a psd)

Here is what the writing actually says ...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1w5Y9kHn2v2V5AbKucxJTo1EB0TA7_thumb.png (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1w5Y9kHn2v2V5AbKucxJTo1EB0TA7)

Wendy :)

[CalamityJanet]

Wendy, you've finally straightened me out!:D THANK YOU!!!

After several experiments I concluded that the only way this works is to have Max Compatibility turned OFF and to flatten the grayscale ball .psd.

With Max Compatibility turned ON the flower image became jagged when I ran the filter. I tried once with the ball flattened and once without flattening with the same result.

[msbrad]

Thanks Wendy for solving this. Glad mine is set OK, and I'm not touching anything!
had enough troubles when clicking the box for e-mails:eek:
m

[Wendy]

Hi Michelle ...

Oh this really isn't a problem ... all you ahve to do is remember that psd file used for displacement maps need to be flattened :)

Wendy