Letter / Paint / Displacements / Distortions / Textures for Photoshop, Elements etc

Creating Photoshop displacement maps tutorial

The displacement maps files are standard Photoshop PSD files and they can be edited in exactly the same way as any other PSD file (or TIFF or JPG for that manner). Open the displacement map files via the file > open command. Once opened, you can apply effects as well as brush strokes to the displacement map. You can also add texture to the displacement map by adding custom shape designs. The key thing is to avoid editing the edges of the seamless displacement map. Save the displacement map using file > save command. Use the displace and glass filters etc to apply your new displacement map. Example of displacement maps - opening PSD files in Photoshop

Creating extreme jarring Photoshop displacement maps tutorial

In the above example I mentioned that you should avoid damaging the seams of a displacement map / texture but to create an extreme jarring displacement map / texture you can totally ignore that advice and create disjointed jagged designs. Apply brush strokes to the edge. Use the offset filter in Photoshop (filter > other menu) to shift the displacement map to create a 'new edge' and then apply brush strokes to the new edge. This can be repeated to create multiple breaks in the brush strokes creating an even more extreme jarring effect. The displacement map can then be saved as a PSD file and used in the displace and glass filters.

Other options for creating extreme jarring displacement effects include apply effects. Even a blurring effect applied to an image will destroy the seams of a displacement map but other Photoshop filters are better at achieving jarring and distressed displacement effects - tiles in the stylize menu etc. Also 3rd party plugins might be even more useful than the selection of gallery effects in Photoshop. This task could also be set as a Photoshop action to create a distress effect with any selected image (or even better, use scripting as you can add randomness to the tile etc filters).

Jarring displacement map example using tiles filter and offset filter multiple times in Photoshop

History brush and Photoshop displacement maps

Use the history brush to re-apply the displacement or distortion in a limited area of the image (or use a selection). Apply using different opacity / blending modes / different brush stroke designs.

Create new Photoshop displacement maps

Use the Photoshop displacement maps as a start point. Make a backup of the original but you can always open the displacement map, tweak the image (say apply a blur or smudge to a particular region) and then save as a new displacement map. Avoid destroying the seams.

Installation for Paint Shop Pro and other software

The displacement maps as PSD files can be used in multiple software such as Paint Shop Pro or 3D software or Xara or Photo-Paint. For Paint Shop Pro, place the files in the bump maps or patterns or textures folder depending on their use. Use as a pattern etc or bump map.