Is there a source for all manner of textures to use for displacement maps etc?
The Displace filter produces great results, but it is a lot of work tweaking levels for the map and settings for the Displace filter dialog. You can get a start with this tutorial:
http://development.gurusnetwork.com/tutorial/displace/
I have found that in order to have the best results, the displacement map must have the same contours as the image itself. Usually this means working with a grayscale version of the original photo and enhancing the depth, sharpness/blur, and contrast. 50% gray areas do not get any displacement, where as absolute white and black areas get the most amount (in opposite directions).
Once you have a displacement map (saved as a grayscale PSD file), you apply it to the texture you want to wrap around your model. You should make both the map and the texture canvas about 10-20% larger than what you normally would use. Otherwise heavy amounts of the Displace Filter can pull in the edges of the texture too far into your live area.
Once you apply the Displace Filter, the texture image is distorted and folded based on the contrast and contours of your displacement map file. Textures such as tiger skin, brick and circuit boards have the best results because the human eye can easily be fooled into thinking that the texture has depth because normally straight lines are bent and twisted. Textures that have smooth gradients are rarely sucessful, although with a lot of work you can create a good looking chrome veneer.
The Displace Filter is *only* moving pixels of the texture around, so highlights and shadows are not added at this step. You can either add those with the "Render Lighting" filter or by using blending modes on the result and adjusting curves on the original portrait.
For a Self Portrait art project of mine, I used the Displace filter to change part of my face with a zebra pattern. It is at home in an archive, so I will bring it in tomorrow and send it to you off list.
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