HOW TO: Alpha Displacement Mask

This tutorial, although a bit long, will show you how to add waves and depth to any design. Today, we're going to use a flag.

We'll start with this:

We'll end with this:

Open up your image. In your upper toolbar, go to Image > Canvas Size and a second box will pop up. Use the settings that I have added to the "Canvas Size" box.

It will extend the transparent background of your image, like this:

Next, let's go to your colour wheel. Next to Primary/Secondary, there is a box that says "More". Click that box and your colour wheel will extend out. Place in the setting, as shown below:

In your layers box, add a new layer:

On this uppermost layer, you need to use your paint bucket to flood fill it a light grey:

Now, add a third layer to your layers box:

Find your paintbrush in your drop down menu and set it to brush size 70:

On the uppermost layer, add lines of black & then white where you'd like to see the waves on your flag.

(NOTE: I found it easier to uncheck my grey layer so I could see the flag so I could eyeball where I wanted my waves.)

While still on transparent layer, go to Effects > Blurs > Gaussian Blur.

This box will come up. Use this setting:

While on your transparent layer, MERGE it with the grey layer:

While you are on your merged grey layer, use "Control A" on your keyboard to select all and then "Control C" on your keyboard to copy. Now, go to Edit > Paste In To New Image.

You'll see it come up in your toolbar. Save this as a PNG where you can find it.

Now, un-check your uppermost grey layer.

Go to your flag layer. Go to Effects > Alpha-Displacement.

This box will pop up:

(NOTE: when this box pops up, find your mask by hitting browse)

Now, your layers box looks like this:

Making sure the box layer is checked in your box, go to properties.

Use these settings when the box pops up:

Making sure your flag layer is hightlighted, use your magic wand, while holding shift on your keyboard, and click once on your flag layer.

It will look like this:

Go to your top layer and, on your keyboard, hit delete.

Merge layers down.

Use these setting on drop shadow to highlight the flag.

Now crop and save as a PNG and you're done.