Using the Displacement Map Effect

This filter allows the user to warp, or displace, one image based on the contents of another image. This can allow you to do such things as:

• Apply text to real world objects to make it look like the text was there all along;

• Create your own unique deformation type effects based on images previously modified by Paint Shop Pro's Distortion or Geometric effects;

• By using the dialog's Gradient option, users can create effects resembling morphing-type effects such as erosion and dilation;

• By combining images such as gradients with line art this filter can produce interesting embossing type effects;

Accessing and Using the Filter

1. Choose Effects > Distortion Effects > Displacement Map.

2. In the Displacement Map section of the dialog, click the image drop list and choose an image to use as the displacement map.

3. Because the map likely won't have the same dimensions as the source image being transformed, choose either the Stretch map to fit image option, or the Tile map to cover image option. If you choose the Tile option, you can adjust the Size % setting to tile the image to a size that covers the image being deformed.

3. Set the Blur value to the amount you wish to blur the displacement map. Lower values produce jittery, pointillist effects, while higher values produce smoother warping effects.

4. In the Displacement Properties section, choose one of these options:

5. 2D offsets using red and green: this option displaces the image using the red and green channels.

6. 3D surface using luminance: this option displaces pixels in proportion to changes in light. Like a bump map, this option treats the source image like it's a 3D surface in which pixel luminance values determine height.

6. Use the Intensity setting to control the amount of displacement. Lower values result in less change to the image, higher values yield greater deformation.

7. Use the Rotation setting to determine the rotation of the displacement data. For example, a setting of 180 changes upward/left displacement to downward/right displacement.

8. Use the Edge mode setting to determine how "out of bounds" displacement is handled:

9. Wrap: treats the image as if it were a tile repeating in each direction.

10. Repeat: takes each side's edge pixel and repeats it outward infinitely.

11. Color: allows you to choose a color from the Color box to represent out of bounds pixels.

12. Transparent: (available only with layered images) results in out of bounds pixels being transparent.