Create a Fake Render in Photoshop

By
Majid Yeganegi
This tutorial is going to show you how to fake a render using Photoshop. It is very simple and
straight forward and we hope you find it very useful as it could be one quick option in your work
process.

Lets get started!

Step 1. Let us start with two direct SketchUp output images.

one color and shadows

one monochrome style and shadows.

Color & Shadows

Monochrome & Shadows

Step 2. Now using your image editing software, here we are using Photoshop, open both renders
from same scene. First we will enhance the color and shadow one. To do this, copy the base
layer two times, and change the first copy to Overlay Blending Mode with an opacity of about
70% and go to Filter>Blur> Guassian Blur and set the radius to 6.

Step 2
Step 3. Apply the same filter to the second copy (upper layer) and change its Blending Mode to
Multiply with an Opacity of about 30%, depending on your scene.

Step 3
Step 4. Next merge all layers using Ctrl+Shift+E

Step 4
Step 5. Next go to the shadow render image and using Ctrl+A and Ctrl+C copy it to
clipboard. Go to previous image and using Ctrl+V to paste it. Change the Blending Mode to
Multiply with an opacity of about 60% and do a Gaussian Blur Filter with radius set to 22.
This makes a fuzzy shadow effect.

Step 5
Step 6. Next we need a neat edge for our shadows and to do this we need a Layer Mask. Make a
Layer Mask, Alt+click over the Mask and using Ctrl+V paste the shadow image over the
Mask. Then using Ctrl+I, inverse it. Also you may do a level enhance using
Alt+Ctrl+Shift+L.

Step 6
Step 7. The final step in Photoshop is to click on the (fuzzy) Shadow Layer to exit the Mask, as
shown in the image below.

Step 7
And the final completed Photoshop render.

Final Image
Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial and may you find use for it in some of your future projects.