Lesson C: Bending & Warping

We don’t need to be exacting in this step. Our objective is to give a subliminal hint that the texture is wrapping around a dimensional object.

• Highlight the texture layer.
• Select Free Transform by using ⌘-T/Ctrl-T. Then click the Warp mode button in the Options Bar. To review how warp works first, see “Warping and Sculpting” (page 334).

Free Transform with Custom Grid

Note the Split buttons in the Options Bar. There are three: Crosswise, Vertically, and Horizontally. Our goal is to break up the transformation between the top and bottom halves of the shape, and its right edge and the rest. A one-step solution is to split the transform crosswise.

• Click the Crosswise Split button. A grid is now stuck to your cursor. To apply it, click in the image between the shape’s open ends.

There are now nine control points we can manipulate. It is possible to select multiple and adjust them at once! We’ll do that to the three on the right.

• Click the upper-right transform point, then shift-click the other two points on the right side. A faint rectangle will surround them. It’s like a transform box for those points. So meta, right?
• With all three points selected, drag the line connecting them to move it. Drag the top or bottom edge of the transform box around those points to scale them closer together. With your cursor a little outside that box, you can rotate the points at once. There are even handles protruding from each point that can alter the texture between points. You’ll find all of these will help achieve what we need. It will likely resemble a mess like this.

As tough as that may have seemed, we sculpted that stone without chisel and hammer! If you wish, you can return to where you left off at any time.

• Commit the transform by clicking the check mark in the Options Bar or by pressing Enter.