| Here's a few
simple steps to simulate ocean or water texture using Photoshop CS
'Fibers' filter combined with the 'Liquify Filter' and various Blend
Mode and Adjustment Layers.
First, start a new document, I used an equal size preset of 450x450. Next, set the Foreground Color to a variant of blue (I used #4372AA) and set the Background Color to Black #000000. Next, go to 'Filter/Render/Clouds' to that your first effect is similar to what I have captured below.
![]() Next, go to 'Filter/Render/Fibers' and select a setting that your comfortable with, so that you can see (though in vertical direction) varying crests of waves within the render. (My settings are captured below)
![]() Your document preview should look like the below. (Ultimately, adjusting the 'Fibers' Variance' level is up to you)
![]() Here is what the Layers Palette should look like!
![]() Next, we need to revert the direction of the water to a horizontal position. So, simply, go to 'Image/Rotate Canvas. 90 CW' to position the image as I have captured below. (This is why I used an equal size preset so that there would be no further resizing or positioning!)
![]() Looking good so far! From here it's simply a matter of adjusting varying color. Though, there are many ways to achieve this, I will simply apply a Blending Mode to a duplicate Layer. So, duplicate the water Layer, and change the 'Blending Mode' to 'Screen', and bump down the 'Opacity' level to one that you are comfortable with. Here is the Layers Palette thus far.
![]() And here is the improved water texture.
![]()
Next, we'll apply a separate 'Gradient Fill' Layer of color #CBDEFB, to simulate a shallow foreground water level.
To do this, simply set the 'Foreground Color' to the above blue color (#CBDEFB), then select the 'New Fill or Adjustment
Layer' icon
The 'Gradient Fill' dialog box will prompt you with the below settings.
![]()
Here is how the Layers Palette should look, thus far.
![]() Here is how the image looks.
![]()
Next, select 'Layer 1 copy' in the Layers Palette to make it the current edit able Layer, and go
'Filter/Liquify' (Shift Ctrl + X (Mac: Shift + Command + X)) to open the 'Liquify' Filter control panel.
When satisfied with the smoothing, click OK, to commit the Liquify process. Though, your results will vary from mine,
the idea is to
tone down or smooth the texture of the waves.
Here is my result.
![]()
For an optional effect. To change the color mode of the overall image
simple create a new 'Hue/Saturation Fill' Layer by simply selecting the
'New Fill or Adjustment Layer' icon Then adjust the 'Master' color mode, with 'Colorize' (lowered left) activated until your content with the new color adjustment.
![]() Here is the Layers Palette thus far. I also bumped down the Opacity Level of this Layer to give me a desirable color blending.
![]() The above settings gives me an aqua effect to the overall scene.
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