Skip to main content

Create a Contour Map Action

Lesson 110 from: Adobe Photoshop: The Complete Guide Bootcamp

Ben Willmore

Create a Contour Map Action

Lesson 110 from: Adobe Photoshop: The Complete Guide Bootcamp

Ben Willmore

buy this class

$00

$00
Sale Ends Soon!

starting under

$13/month*

Unlock this classplus 2000+ more >

Lesson Info

110. Create a Contour Map Action

Next Lesson: Faux Sunset Action

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Introduction To Adobe Photoshop

04:05
2

Bridge vs. Lightroom

06:39
3

Tour of Photoshop Interface

18:21
4

Overview of Bridge Workspace

07:42
5

Overview of Lightroom Workspace

11:21
6

Lightroom Preferences - Saving Documents

08:19
7

How To Use Camera Raw in Adobe Photoshop 2020

05:10
8

Overview of Basic Adjustment Sliders

13:09
9

Developing Raw Images

30:33
10

Editing with the Effects and HLS Tabs

09:12
11

How to Save Images

03:37
12

Using the Transform Tool

04:48
13

Making Selections in Adobe Photoshop 2020

06:03
14

Selection Tools

05:55
15

Combining Selection Tools

07:37
16

Using Automated Selection Tools

17:34
17

Quick Mask Mode

05:07
18

Select Menu Essentials

21:28
19

Using Layers in Adobe Photoshop 2020

13:00
20

Align Active Layers

07:29
21

Creating a New Layer

06:15
22

Creating a Clipping Mask

03:02
23

Using Effects on Layers

11:24
24

Using Adjustment Layers

16:44
25

Using the Shape Tool

04:39
26

Create a Layer Mask Using the Selection Tool

04:39
27

Masking Multiple Images Together

15:15
28

Using Layer Masks to Remove People

10:50
29

Using Layer Masks to Replace Sky

10:04
30

Adding Texture to Images

09:11
31

Layering to Create Realistic Depth

05:35
32

Adjustment Layers in Adobe Photoshop 2020

05:29
33

Optimizing Grayscale with Levels

10:59
34

Adjusting Levels with a Histogram

03:37
35

Understanding Curves

06:18
36

Editing an Image Using Curves

18:41
37

Editing with Shadows/Highlights Adjustment

07:19
38

Dodge and Burn Using Quick Mask Mode

07:14
39

Editing with Blending Modes

08:04
40

Color Theory

05:59
41

Curves for Color

16:52
42

Hue and Saturation Adjustments

08:59
43

Isolating Colors Using Hue/Saturation Adjustment

13:33
44

Match Colors Using Numbers

16:59
45

Adjusting Skin Tones

05:25
46

Retouching Essentials In Adobe Camera Raw

10:52
47

Retouching with the Spot Healing Brush

07:53
48

Retouching with the Clone Stamp

06:51
49

Retouching with the Healing Brush

04:34
50

Retouching Using Multiple Retouching Tools

13:07
51

Extending an Edge with Content Aware

03:42
52

Clone Between Documents

13:19
53

Crop Tool

10:07
54

Frame Tool

02:59
55

Eye Dropper and Color Sampler Tools

08:14
56

Paint Brush Tools

13:33
57

History Brush Tool

06:27
58

Eraser and Gradient Tools

03:06
59

Brush Flow and Opacity Settings

04:17
60

Blur and Shape Tools

11:06
61

Dissolve Mode

09:24
62

Multiply Mode

15:29
63

Screen Mode

14:08
64

Hard Light Mode

14:54
65

Hue, Saturation, and Color Modes

11:31
66

Smart Filters

11:32
67

High Pass Filter

13:40
68

Blur Filter

05:59
69

Filter Gallery

07:42
70

Adaptive Wide Angle Filter

04:43
71

Combing Filters and Features

04:45
72

Select and Mask

20:04
73

Manually Select and Mask

08:08
74

Creating a Clean Background

21:19
75

Changing the Background

13:34
76

Smart Object Overview

08:37
77

Nested Smart Objects

09:55
78

Scale and Warp Smart Objects

09:08
79

Replace Contents

06:55
80

Raw Smart Objects

10:20
81

Multiple Instances of a Smart Object

12:59
82

Creating a Mockup Using Smart Objects

05:42
83

Panoramas

13:15
84

HDR

11:20
85

Focus Stacking

04:02
86

Time-lapse

11:18
87

Light Painting Composite

08:05
88

Remove Moire Patterns

06:11
89

Remove Similar Objects At Once

09:52
90

Remove Objects Across an Entire Image

05:46
91

Replace a Repeating Pattern

06:50
92

Clone from Multiple Areas Using the Clone Source Panel

10:27
93

Remove an Object with a Complex Background

07:49
94

Frequency Separation to Remove Staining and Blemishes

12:27
95

Warping

11:03
96

Liquify

14:02
97

Puppet Warp

12:52
98

Displacement Map

10:36
99

Polar Coordinates

07:19
100

Organize Your Layers

11:02
101

Layer Styles: Bevel and Emboss

02:59
102

Layer Style: Knockout Deep

12:34
103

Blending Options: Blend if

13:18
104

Blending Options: Colorize Black and White Image

06:27
105

Layer Comps

08:30
106

Black-Only Shadows

06:07
107

Create a Content Aware Fill Action

08:46
108

Create a Desaturate Edges Action

07:42
109

Create an Antique Color Action

13:52
110

Create a Contour Map Action

10:20
111

Faux Sunset Action

07:20
112

Photo Credit Action

05:54
113

Create Sharable Actions

07:31
114

Common Troubleshooting Issues Part 1

10:23
115

Common Troubleshooting Issues Part 2

07:57
116

Image Compatibility with Lightroom

03:29
117

Scratch Disk Is Full

06:02
118

Preview Thumbnail

02:10

Lesson Info

Create a Contour Map Action

This is a technique that I never want to perform manually, and I would only do through inaction because it takes a lot of steps. This is creating a contour map. If you've ever seen an architectural drawing of, ah, piece of land, you know where it's the contours it describes. The various elevations in the land with a line looks a lot like this. Well, I'm creating something like that based on brightness levels were each one of these lines describes where, like 10% gray would be found in the image, and another line might be where 20% gray is and so on. And so this is how there might be a complex technique that you would only dio if you're willing to apply actions. So let's take a look at it. I'm gonna start off with the original color photograph, and the filter I'm gonna end up using to get the effect is filter. Uh, I think it's die allies and then trace contour traced. Contour means trace around where there's a particular shade of gray, and in here there's a choice called level, and you ...

can move it around. It varies from 0 to It'll draw little lines. Well, those lines air, usually in color if you have a color picture and if you want just one line instead of multiple colored ones, what you need to dio is just convert your image to black and white first. So let's look at how we might be able to apply that multiple times and get an interesting look. So I'm gonna go to my actions panel. I'm going to create a new action, and I'm gonna call this contours gonna hit record. And the first thing I want to do is duplicate this layer. So I'm gonna type Command J controlled game windows to get a duplicate. I then want to pull the color out of that duplicate. I'll do it by image adjustments, de saturate. Then I want to simplify this because if I have it truly traced where there's a particular shade of gray in our picture right now, Most of the time those areas are really complex little details. Well, if I simplify the image, it's gonna be a smoother and result one filter that can help me simple find images called median that's filter noise median in the higher I bring it up, the more smooth this end result will be. So it's a matter of figuring out what setting still lets you recognize what's in the picture. And it's kind of go for the highest setting where you can recognize things because the higher the setting, the smoother the end result will look. Now, that's the image I'm going to use multiple times when running the trace contour filter. So what I'm gonna do right now is change the name of that layer because I want to be able to easily switch toe that layer even if we have a whole bunch of layers in this document by just clicking on it. I don't wanna have to use that one keyboard shark it we used earlier. So I'm gonna double click on the layer, and I'm just gonna give it a name that you would never find in another document. Ah, I might call it action. So I know that it's part of an action. I'll call it Action Target Layer number one or something. I doubt I'm gonna open a document that's gonna have a layer called action Target Layer one. I'm just trying to put in a unique name. And therefore it's not gonna matter if I click on that layer with my mouse and in the actions panel. It records the name because I made up the name and I tried to make sure it would be unique or just put a random string of digits. That's long enough, and you probably won't find that in other documents. Now, I'm gonna have to be using that particular information multiple times, So I'm gonna type Command J to duplicate it So I don't mess up the original and then we'll come in here and apply the trace Contour filter, and I'm going to start off with it. Turned down to a relatively low setting like this. I'm gonna click, OK, and then I want to make the layer that's underneath active. Well, I named that layer specifically for this action with a unique name. I don't think it's gonna be found in other documents. I can just click on it and it doesn't matter that here in the layers panel, it has the name of the layer. Well, as long as that layer name is unique, then that should still work. I'm in a type command J and Onion. Apply the filter again, and I'm just gonna turn it up a little bit. Click OK? And then I'm going to repeat that process I'm going to. In fact, there's one other step I should do. And that is I should set each one of these to multiply mode, because multiply mode would have it combined with what's underneath. But I'll do that later. I'm going to click on the layer that's underneath command J to duplicate, And I'm just gonna repeat that process over and over and over again, moving this up a little bit further each time, then clicking the layer that's underneath command J to duplicate and apply the filter again, which the later that's underneath command J to dupe. Okay, just repeat it over and over again, And that's why I never want to do this manually. Or I should say I only want to do this manually once, and this is one of those techniques. I always record its inaction because it's a pain in the butt to do it every time. I'm just repeating the steps, Okay, we'll call that good enough Now what I need to do is get all of those layers that were just created up above. I need to get him all selected now. Those should always have the same names because they're based on that unique name that I signed below. So I could just hold on the shift key and click on, um, those or I could use my keyboard. Remember that doing? I believe it was option in the bracket. Keys would select the layer that is above. And if you have the shift key, it will add it to the what's already selected. So I can type that a few times. There are many different choices we have available there. With all of them selected. I'm gonna change their blending mode to a chase choice called multiply, which will allow them to combine together. And then we don't need them a separate layers. So I'll go the layer menu in just choose merged layers that will combine together the layers that are currently selected. All right, then what I would like to do is to get the color of the original or the lines were currently seen to be the color of the original picture, so I no longer need this grayscale version. it's already served its purpose. It was the source material for each high applied that action or not, the action, the filter And I don't need it anymore. It has a unique name that I made this part of the action so I can just click on it and drag it to the trash. And it's OK that the name of the layers in there next. What I want to do is turn this layer into a selection The way I turn something into a selection if I want to do it based on its brightness is I switched to the channels panel, and if you don't have the channels panel open on your screen, you can find it right up here. And if you go into the channels panel and move your mouse onto the top, most channel the little picture of it, you're gonna hold on the command key and click on it. That's controlling windows that will load the brightness of that image as a selection, yet ends up loading all the areas that are white, which is the exact opposite of what I need. So I'll go to the select menu in Choose Inverse. Now we have a selection of all those little black lines, and all I'm going to do is throw away this layer because it's on Lee Purpose was to create the selection we currently have. So now if I drag it to the trash, we're gonna end up on the layer that contains original picture, not gonna add a layer mask when I add a layer mask on Lee. The areas that I have selected are going to remain visible, so the rest of the picture will go away. And now what we have is all the lines that those filters created are filled with the original color of the picture. Finally, I want to fill in the checkerboard with white, so I'll go to the bottom of my layers panel, click on the Adjustment layer icon and choose solid color. I'm going to choose White, and then I'm gonna move that layer underneath, and I could probably click on it with my mouse to move it underneath. But if I want to be better at it, I could use my keyboard shortcuts and that would be command control on Windows left bracket would move it down. Remember, option changes, which ones active command actually moves a layer. So now I have my end result, and in my actions panel, I can finally hit Stop and now we contested. Let's revert the image. Let's find the top of that action. Let's hit play and you can see our end result. That's an example of a technique where I would never apply that technique without recording an action to create it. But now I can apply that any time. I want Teoh in a matter of seconds, and there are many techniques that are that way that just end up being complex techniques that make it so actions become essential.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Lessons 1 - 6 - Handbook 1: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
Lessons 7 - 12 - Handbook 2: How to Use Camera Raw
Lessons 13 - 18 - Handbook 3: Making Selections
Lessons 19 - 24 - Handbook 4: Using Layers
Lessons 25 - 30 - Handbook 5: Using Layer Masks
Lessons 31 - 38 - Handbook 6: Using Adjustment Layers
Lessons 39 - 44 - Handbook 7: Color Theory
Lessons 45 - 51 - Handbook 8: Retouching Essentials
Lessons 52 - 59 - Handbook 9: Tools Panel
Lessons 60 - 64 - Handbook 10: Layer Blending Modes
Lessons 65 - 70 - Handbook 11: How to Use Filters
Lessons 71 - 74 - Handbook 12: Advanced Masks
Lessons 75 - 81 - Handbook 13: Using Smart Objects
Lessons 82 - 86 - Handbook 14: Photography for Photoshop
Lessons 87 - 93 - Handbook 15: Advanced Photo Retouching
Lessons 94 - 98 - Handbook 16: Warp, Blend, Liquify
Lessons 99 - 105 - Handbook 17: Advanced Layers
Lessons 106 - 112 - Handbook 18: Actions
Lessons 113 - 117 - Handbook 19: Troubleshooting Issues
Practice Images 1: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
Practice Images 2: How to Use Camera Raw
Practice Images 3: Making Selections
Practice Images 4: Using Layers
Practice Images 5: Using Layer Masks
Practice Images 6: Using Adjustment Layers
Practice Images 7: Color Theory
Practice Images 8: Retouching Essentials
Practice Images 9: Tools Panel
Practice Images 10: Layer Blending Modes
Practice Images 11: How to Use Filters
Practice Images 12: Advanced Masks
Practice Images 13: Using Smart Objects
Practice Images 14: Photography for Photoshop
Practice Images 15: Advanced Photo Retouching
Practice Images 16: Warp, Blend, Liquify
Practice Images 17: Advanced Layers
Practice Images 18: Actions
Practice Images 19: Troubleshooting Issues

Ratings and Reviews

Noel Ice
 

I am an avid reader of photoshop books, and an avid watcher of photoshop tutorials. I have attended (internet) several hundred of presentations. In the course of this endeavor, I have found my own favorite photoshop websites and instructors. Creative Live is probably the bargain out there as well as among the top three internet course sites. I have to say with great enthusiasm that the best Photoshop instructor is Ben Willmore. There are many great ones, but truly, he is the best I have come across, and, as indicated above, I have watched literally 100s of tutorials on Photoshop. I have seen all of Ben's courses, I think, and among them, this one is the best by far, and that is saying a lot, because that makes this course the best course on Photoshop to be found anywhere. I am going back and watching it twice. Not only is it comprehensive, but Ben is so familiar with his subject that he is able to explain it like no other. This is crème de la crème of Photoshop classes. I have been wanting to write this review for some time because I have been so thoroughly impressed with everything about this class!

ford smith
 

Highly recommended if you want to take your Photoshop skills to the next level. Ben Willmore is clear, concise, and professional. He also has a good speaking voice that is not distracting but also keeps you engaged. Lastly, I would recommend that as you become more advanced, increasing the speed of the video (one of the options given on the menu)...especially if you've gone through the course once before and maybe want to watch it again. The double speed is very efficient as you become more advanced in Photoshop. Thanks for the help Ben!

a Creativelive Student
 

Wow. I cannot communicate the value of this course!! The true value in this course is how the instructor identifies workflows you'll need before you'll ever realize it, repeats important information without it becoming annoying, and explains the "why" behind the techniques so well that even if you forget the exact method, you can figure it out via the principles learned. Excellent value, excellent material, excellent instructor!!!

Student Work

RELATED ARTICLES

RELATED ARTICLES