Lighting for beginners

1. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
New York City College of Technology
Architectural Technology Department
January 21, 2021
By Hito Rodriguez
Lighting for beginners
Lighting with Photoshop

2. 2
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
under Grant Numbers 1141234.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
National Science Foundation.

3. Lighting Effect
3
Outline:
there will be 3 methos provided in this
primer .
Method 1.- Beginners
Method one is to introduce the use of the
internal Adobe Photoshop Lighting source. Adobe
Photoshop has incorporated the lighting effects
tool. Only available for CC version after 2017.
Method 2.- Intermediate
Method two will introduce a layer
masking method to teach students how to
layer manage correctly and how multiple
layers overlapping can replicate the
illusion of a lighting source.
Method 3.- Advanced
Method three will incorporate the
first two methods in a strategy format to
help students use it in more architectural
needs.

4. Lighting Effect
4
Fig. 2 -2
Method One
Method one is to introduce the use of the internal
Adobe Photoshop Lighting source. Adobe
Photoshop has incorporated the lighting effects
tool. Only available for CC version after 2017.
Fig. 1-1
Its the final example of Method one.
this image will allow you to have a clear
understanding of the final goal of method one, by
using the Lighting Effect tools
Fig. 2-2
Open the background image we are using for this
activity.
This image has been downloaded from google
search as “White Brick texture seamless.”
Note: Seamless is a good searching word that
helps you search for the best available image
texture.
This image can be open in multiple ways by
selecting and dragging the image into photoshop
or by right-Click and “open with” photoshop.exe
Fig. 1 -1

5. Lighting Effect
5
Fig. 4 -2
Dragging and Copy image.
Fig. 3-1
This image can be open in multiple ways by
selecting and dragging the image into photoshop
or by right-Click and “open with” photoshop.exe
In this case, since we already have an open file
that we are using to compose the image, We
prefer to drag it into the working Photoshop file.
Fig. 4-2
After the lamp image has been added to the
working file, we can transform it by using the
keyboard “SHIFT+T” to change the scale of the
image.
Also, we can “ALT+Left Click-drag” to copy the
image.
Fig. 3 -1

6. 6
Lighting Effect
Fig. 7 -1
Fig. 6 -3
Fig. 5 -2
Group Layers
As we can observe in Fig. 7-1 there is already
three similar elements. in our working space.
Fig. 5-2
Each of those lamps has an individual layer that
represents the layer properties. Having a single
layer per object provide more flexible editing in the
future, allowing the user to edit settings.
However, it’s a good behave to group layers.
by selecting and using your keyboard “SHIFT+G”
NOTE: Photoshop is a program that works
with layer order, meaning that layers above the
list appear in front. It’s essential to work and
understand the hierarchy of each layer and
understand which layer goes above
1
1
2
3
2 3

7. Lighting Effect
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Fig. 8 -2
Create a new layer and Fill layer with
black
Fig. 9-1
In that image, we see the icons identification.
Group: Multiple layers and create a folder group of
layers (Select layers and “SHIFT+G”.
Delete: Delete unwanted layers in the file by
“Select and Delete.”
New Layer: Allow users to create new working
layers.
Layer Mask: Allow the user to hide pixels from a
working layer by painting black or white
Note: Layer mask, Black hide pixels, White
expose Pixels.
To create a new layer and infill it with
black
1. create a new layer
2. be active in the new create layer and go to
“edit”
3.Select Fill... or you can also use the short-cut
“SHIFT+F5”
4. a new interactive window will show up. click in
“Contents”
5. Select Black. this will infill the layer with pure
black color. that will allow you to create the lighting
source.
Fig. 9 -1
Fig. 10 -3
Group Delete
New Layer
Layer Mask
1
2
3
4
5

8. 8
Lighting Effect
Lighting Effect Tools.
Fig. 13-1
The layer has been infill with black However, it’s
essential to locate that layer in between the lamps
and the back brick wall
How to activate the Lighting Effect tools.
Click one time on top of the layer infill with black to
make sure you are actively working in that layer.
1. Then go to “Filters.”
2. select “Render.”
3. Select “Lighting Effects” this might take a few
seconds to load.
After the tool window is open, you can create
three types of lighting sources.
“Spot” - “Point” - “Ambient”
NOTE: The Color and intensity can be edit in the
right side window
Fig. 13 -1
Fig. 12 -3 Fig. 14 -4
Fig. 11 -2
1
2
3

9. 9
Lighting Effect
Lighting Effects Tools
Fig. 18-1
You can click on one of the three Lights buttons
to add a spot, point or infinite Light source, in the
case of the spot and point lights you will see a
circle where you can draf any of the four handles to
control the positioning and width of the light source,
in the case of the infinite light you will see the light
control shown as Fig 17-2
Fig 17-2
this is the control settings for the infinite light
source. these can be used to adjust the light angle
and converage as well as the effect intensity
Fig 15-3
To add more lights, you can either click on the light
buttons in the options bar, or “ALT+(Grag)) on an
exisiting light to make a copy. all light source will
appear in the listed giving you the ability of turn on
or off lights
Fig. 16-4
In the Properties panel, you can click on the menu
at the top to switch between the tree types of light
sources: Spot, point or infinite. if you click on the
color box you can choose a color other than white
for the light source, below this is the intensity slider,
which controls how to bright the light will be.
Fig. 16 -4
Fig. 17 -2
Fig. 15 -3
Fig. 18 -1

10. 10
Lighting Effect
Light Source Interactive Handles and
Layer Merge
The lighting source has four handles that allow the
user to manipulate the area affected by the light
source. In the center, you will be able to find the
intensity interactive.
Please note that you can edit the scale and the
intensity of this lighting source, the lighting will
affect all layers bellow
after the light effect has been complete, you will
end up with a layer with a black background, in
order to eliminate the black background you need
to apply a normal layer filter
Fig 19-2
1. Select the layer with the light source, (this is to
make sure you are working with the correct layer)
2. Click on “normal” a list of filters will apper
Fig 20-3
3. Select “Linear Dodge (ADD)) this filder will
eliminate the Black background and blend the
lighting with the bellow layers
Fig. 21 -1
Fig. 20 -3
Fig. 19 -2
2
1
3

11. 11
Lighting Effect
Copy lighting and add art paint
Fig 24-1
by selecting the light source layer, you can copy
by “ALT+(Drag)”
NOTE: this will create multiple layers, I
recommend to group layers “SHIFT+G” to keep
your file organized
FIg 22-2
To add other elements, please select an image
and drag into the working area of photoshop
Fig 23-2
Make sure the leyer’s hierarchy is correct.
NOTE: make sure the lighting source layer is in
front of the art paint layer that we just add
Fig. 24 -1
Fig. 23 -3
Fig. 22 -2

12. Lighting Effect
12
Layer Style And Adjustment Layer
there is the method to add a “Layer Style” one is
by double click next to the layer name or select
layer and click at icon “Fx”
Steps.
Fig 26-1
1. Click next to the layer name (Double click)
2. Activate “Bevel & Emboss”
Note: Beveling and embossing is a way to create
shading and simulate shadows that make your
Object look three-dimensional.
3. Activate “Drop Shadows”
Note: This is done by creating an offset shadow
behind an object to indicate that the object is
hovering above the background in 3D space.
This methos will help you to give a more 3D
mential look and some depth in the 2D image
For the final image we can adjust the brightness of
the image by following the steps.
Fig 25-1
1. Create a new layer
2. top tab (Image>Apply Image)
Note: this will generate a single layer collage layer
with in a single image and layer. (you can easy
turn on and off)
3. Select layer (image that we just created)
4. Tab “adjustment>brightness/Constrast”
This concluted the Method 1.- Beginners
Fig. 26 -1
Fig. 25 -2
1
1
2
2
3

13. Lighting Effect
13
Method Two
Method two will introduce a layer masking
method to teach students how to layer
manage correctly and how multiple layers
overlapping can replicate the illusion of a
lighting source.

14. Lighting Effect
14
Method three
Method three will incorporate the first
two methods in a strategy format to help
students use it in more architectural
needs.