Use a Displacement Map for a Realistic Reflection

In this photoshop tutorial I will show you how to make a displacement map and create a realistic reflection with it.

First download this picture

Open it in photoshop and copy the water using whatever tool you would like, I will use the pen tool

After you copy it out open it in a new document.

Now save it as a .psd file by going to file>>save as and specify whatever name you want. I wll just call mine waterdisplacement.psd

Next make a selection around the building and copy and paste it back in the document

Now use the key combination ctrl+t on the new layer to transform it. That will select the layer and then right click and choose rotate 180 degrees.

Now do the same thing except choose “flip horizontally”

Then drag it to the bottom of your image.

As you can see the image needs to be touching the other one for a reflection so this is an easy fix.

Use ctrl+t on the image again then right click and choose “skew”

Hold down shift and pull the right middle selector up

Ok now its time to use the displacement map.

So go to filter>>distort>>displace

Then use these settings:

Once you do that choose the file you made and click open.

And here is what happend after I did that

Next add a layer mask to that by going to layer>>layer mask>> reveal all or click the little icon at the bottom of your layers palette.

After that choose your gradient tool and make sure its set black to transparent

Then drag upward on your layer from the bottom to the top to fade out the reflection layer

Now you are done!

Topics: Design, Photoshop, Reflection