Photoshop: Creating an LED Sign in Perspective

LED Sign in Perspective

This is a part of a whole. I needed to add a sign to a rendering.

I started with Google Maps street view. I found a view I knew had a sign just off the street. This gives me a starting reference point for the perspective and size, but the images on Google Maps generally aren't clear enough for a rendering. You  could also do a quick render and use that as a reference.

I copied the sign into the rendering photoshop file, then copied in a brick texture, the logo, and the grid layer I'll use later. Create a text layer [ctrl+t] for the words, in my case "PIRATES."

I started with a fuzzy reference image.

I will recreate the sign with better textures, adding a logo and LED screen.

Name your layers. With a file containing many layers, it's difficult to find the right layer when they are Layer 1, Layer 2, etc. It's even worse if you come back to a file months later.

The image I found wasn't large enough, so I duplicated the layer [ctrl+j] multiple times until it was way larger than I needed. I merged these layers, named it grid and created a duplicate so I can always go back and make the grid even larger if I the modified grid became too small. It's nearly impossible to duplicate the distorted grid, resize it, and line it up if you need to extend it.
Since the reference is so dark, I lightened it using curves. I then merged that layer down. 

A curves adjustment brightens the reference image so the joist are more visible.

Now we will change the perspective of the brick texture. I duplicate the base layer, just in case it ends up not large enough.
You might think Edit>transform>perspective is the way to do this, but distort works much better.
The google map image also serves to guide the brick texture. The reference layer will eventually be deleted. I rotated the original image so the left and right sides were vertical, it makes distorting the brick texture easier since at least two edges remain vertical. Align the top and bottom edges with the lines of the brick joints in the reference images.

Use the brick joists as a guide, I distort the texture to fit.

I'll probably want to make the brick layer larger. This is why it's good to keep an unaltered original, but in this case, I can undo, duplicate the brick texture to create a larger texture. Duplicate the brick layer and align it so the brick joints look right. If you have a hard edge, a soft brush eraser can feather the edge so it blends seamlessly, just make sure you have enough overlap. Then merge the layers.

If you need to enlarge your texture, overlap edges and use a soft brush to feather the joint.

With the much larger brick texture, adjust the opacity down, so that you can align your brick joints with the reference image.

Distorting the texture with a 50% opacity allows you to line up the texture and reference.

I use the pencil tool to draw a box within the brick. Click the brush in one corner, then click the brush again while holding shift and the points will connect. This will be the shape of the LED sign.
Use the paint bucket to fill the box. Close any breaks in the line if the paint bucket fills the screen.

With a small brush, shift click to draw a box for the LED screen.

I use a color overlay to change the background color of the screen and an inside stroke for a black border. I duplicate, then enlarge and distort the pirate logo, like I did for the brick. I use the brick joints as a guide. I do the same for the text.

A color overlay and interior stroke finish the LED screen base.

Distort the image, using the brick joints as a reference.

You may need to enlarge and distort a couple of times to get the scale correct. Each time I turn off the screen layer to use the brick joints for alignment.

I reduce the opacity of the text and logo to 90%, just to give it a bit of glow from the screen color.

Distort the text.

For the grid to create the LED effect, I searched for metal grate, looking for one with circular holes.

Find a metal grid pattern to create the LED screen effect.

Select the metal grate once you have it in photoshop and invert the colors [ctrl+a, ctrl+i]

Invert the colors and use the Background eraser to erase the white.

Select the Background eraser tool. Reduce the cursor size ( [ ) until it is just larger than the circular hole in the grate. Click with your cross hair on the white hole and it will erase it. If you miss, just undo [ctrl+z] and click again. It's tedious, but better than using the magic wand.

Make sure your grid layer is above the other layers. Sizing this is subjective, but you want the openings small so that they doesn't obscure your images.

Overlay and distort the grid.

To remove the excess grid, ctrl+click on the image preview of the screen layer. Inverse the selection [ctrl+shift+i] and then be sure to click on the grid layer and delete. Reduce the grid layer opacity to 40%.

Now it looks like the image is an LED screen.

Create a layer below the brick layer, reset your colors [ctrl+d] and color in a shadow. Create a rough shape, then use the polygonal lasso to trim the shadow. Set the opacity to 50%. Tweak the shadow as necessary for opacity and shape. I softened the bottom edge of the brick with a soft eraser brush. This way it looks like it's coming out of the grass instead of sitting on top of it.

I redid the shadow, with the brush tool, feathering the shadow.

I redid the sign shadow with a soft brush.

To give the sign a LED screen some detail, I'm going to delete some of the brick so the screen raises above. You'll need to create a side and top for the screen depending on the angle of your rendering. Create a top for the b rick wall. Assuming the sun is high in the air, the tops should be lighter than the face of the walls.

I deleted the top few rows of brick and drew a side for the sign for aesthetics.

Sometimes it's a matter of passing the eye test. The screen corner didn't look right, despite what I had gathered from the reference, so I modified the side/top.

An LED screen that is a great addition to personalize a rendering.

This is a quick and rough addition to a rendering, but a name and logo makes the rendering less general.