Lattice shapes for Photoshop and Elements

 

 

Additional paths can be added such as blue and white spots and also sidebars in Adobe PS

 

Video timeline and Photoshop lattice custom shapes

You can use the items in a static manner but you can bring all the graphics included in the set to life via the video timeline. See the video timeline in the window menu of PS. Once displayed, add a layer using the shapes and then you can see the item appear in the timeline. You can then set three different properties across time such as the position and styles and opacity (if you convert the item into a smart object you can also add transformations into the mix)

 

You can set the opacity etc of the shape along the timeline by clicking the watch (little icon). Move the video playhead and then set the opacity and a new keyframe will be created. You can do this once or multiple times. Clicking the play button, you will see the opacity change over time from start to the current position of the playhead.

 

You can then render the video as a MP4 file etc

 

 

They can be applied one by one but you can also just throw caution to the wind and apply 20 or more shapes, shape on shape with different shape colors (effects could be applied such as blurring or layer effects such as shadows to give the image more depth) to create a jungle or lattice snow. The above image shows the same vector applied over and over to create a very intricate and complicated background. You could, if you kept all the lattice shape decorative graphics as a layer, combine all the shapes using the various shape combo settings (add etc) but then the color would be lost and you would just end up with a very complex shape - which in turn, can be saved as a custom shape in the Photoshop palette.

 

An example of a combined 'perspective lattice' was created again using the same graphics but applied as a shape layer on shape layer but using the pathfinder add function in Adobe PS to create a very complex custom shape. The artwork was then transformed by using the move tool and keyboard combination of shift / ctrl and alt.

 

 

They can be filled, they don't need to be just a single color. You can use the magic wand as well as other selection tools (but I find the wand reasonably quick and easy to use) to select parts of the artwork and fill the interior as well as the exterior (a little tricker as there are very small gaps between the item). You could also add effects such as a bevel or a shadow to the lattice structure. The above shape is only a single shape but multiple shapes could have been added to the image to create ever more complex work. You can also use it to create a brush stroke or pattern or displacement or just use as a layer etc

Video tutorial

Video showing some basic transformations applied to a lattice shape in Adobe PS CS5 (though the same approach can be used with most versions of the application such as the latest version, CS6 / CC). The transformations such as scale, shear, free distort, perspective can be applied to create a vast range of different and unique shapes even using a basic shape. Combinations of shift ctrl and alt keys (in the case of the PC - the mac combinations are different) can be used to transform the artwork. As it is a vector, it can be used without any anti-aliasing issues Video

 

How to create interesting texture backgrounds using these vectors. The paths can be added once or multiple times and in different sizes, different angles, different colors - great for filling an entire image. Video showing how to create a textured background (MP4 format)

 

 

 

 

They can be used as a layer and effects added (such as metal) and the layer can be blurred (gaussian blur) and additional paths can be added

 

They can be added multiple times in different sizes. Text can be added in numerous ways

 

They can be added at 100% opacity but you can also use them at 50% etc as above so they can overlap easily

 

Many different rounded items are included in the set along with different connections

 

They can be inverted and re-colored in 1000s of ways and other elements such as black dots can be added to the lattice

How can I use them in Adobe PS and others ?

You can use the lattice shapes to create commercial as well as personal work, you can also use them to create items that can be used in turn to create items for sale. You can use them to create logos, books,mugs, ties, illustrations, adverts, surreal, frames, scrapbooking, perfume bottles, tech documents, packaging, videos and much more. If you have any questions, please contact us on support@graphicxtras.com - always happy to answer any of your queries

 

 

They can be filled with all kinds of color / random color using a combination of magic wand / selections and fills

Connected

The lattice shapes can be used on their own but you can also duplicate them (if used as a layer) and position and rotate and scale and combine with the original. You can also combine them with the others in the set. You can also combine the shapes with other elements such as ellipse tool and rectangle tool and polygon tool.

 

Other options to create more unique graphics, copy the shapes on to the pasteboard and manipulate the points and curves in Adobe AI and re-paste into Photoshop. You can use the shapes to create millions of unique combinations of Vector graphics (as well as pixel fill, if flattened)

Transformations and warping shapes

The lattice shapes can be used as is but you can also warp and transform them. Create using the shape layer option (using custom shapes tool) and go to the edit menu and transform path. The transform path offers a number of options to scale, rotate, skew (shear) distort, perspective and warp. You can also copy it via the pasteboard and warp and distort in Adobe AI where you will find a number of powerful vector warping tools available (filterit comes to mind). The end result can also be saved as a new shape decorative graphic via the edit menu.

 

Each of the transformations can be combined so you can scale / rotate / skew etc so zillions of different exciting graphics are possible. You can also use the same tools if you use the shape on a pixel raster layer but then any transforms will probably degrade the result.

 

Other options to warp the shapes: you can also use the powerful perspective warp and puppet warp (edit menu). I would love to see the puppet warp include an option to save all the movements to frames to save as animations - the puppet warp would make a really lovely quick (but basic) animation tool.

 

 

They can be combined in millions of different ways as well as added in different colors. They can be rotated, transformed, sheared, opacity added and more