Creating Realistic Wood - part 3

11. Repeat Step 10 selecting the bottom side of the planks to eliminate the faded portions.

12. Now select the New Layer Set and Right-Click. Select “Duplicate Layer Set...” and you will have quickly created another 3 planks. Repeat this step until you have four 3- planks Layer Sets in total. Select each of the 3 planks Layer Sets one at a time and drag them into position so that you end up with twelve planks evenly spaced apart.

13. We are ready to apply Layer Styles and Adjustment Layers to our planks to give them a more realistic feel. Select one of the planks inside the bottom Layer Set and Right-click twice to open the Layer Style menu. Select “Bevel and Emboss”, “Texture”, and “Pattern Overlay”. (Use the settings shown in the image below) When you have it how you want it, right-click on that layer and select “Copy Layer Style”. Now, select each plank one at a time, right-click and select “Paste Layer Style” for each of the remaining planks to apply the styles you have created on each plank.

14. Here is a view of how the planks look at this point. Notice how all the planks have the same dark spot shapes throughout. It doesn't look natural and needs to be fixed up.

15. This can be easily changed for each plank by going back to “Pattern Overlay” and sliding the Scale bar back & forth to make each plank unique in it's appearance. Just play with that until you get a look that is satisfying for you.