More Photoshop Layers Effects
by Piero Desopo
Phoenixart

Part 1   Part 2    Part 3   Part 4  Tips

Example 2: the perspective shadow.

With this technique (a little more complex of the previous) you'll make perspective shadows on a real objects.

Start with a background and copy an object from another image, then paste it on your image. Probably the object will be more larger of the current image. So you must resize the new layer (where you have pasted the object): to make this press CTRL/t and then resize the image. To move the object use Move Tool (press V key) and use cursors keys to move it.

Here's the current image:

Like in the previous example click on the background and then make a new layer: this will be the shadow layer. If you want you can give a name to this layer: simply make a double click on the layer and enter the name in the layer box.

Press hold the CTRL key and click on the Object layer. Press the D key and then ALT + Delete (or Fill from edit menu).

Now you must distort this layer and you can do this using Photoshop's Transform features. You can find this commands under Edit menu in Photoshop 5 or Image menu in Photoshop 4 - then distort.

Is possible that you should move the shadow to adapt it to the object layer.

Apply Gaussian Blur filter to the shadow layer and then change the opacity layer.

Hmm, it could be a good solution but we can still improve this effect.

A real perspective shadow fades around the end of its shape. To do this add a layer mask to the shadow layer. Then use the Gradient tool (multiply mode) to fade the shadow.

You can get an help to fade the shadow mask simply changing the opacity value in the gradient option window.

I've used first 100, and for the last step I've used 50.

And here's the image: