Alpha Brush

• Alpha Brush Basics:

• Uses RGB channels for different landscapes:
  • Red = mountain range
  • Green = singular mountain peak
  • Blue = plateau/canyon
• “Multiple landscapes packed in one image”

• Creation Process:

• In Photoshop:
  • Import grayscale heightmaps
  • Combine into single file
  • Set blending options per layer:
    • Layer 1 = R channel
    • Layer 2 = G channel
    • Layer 3 = B channel
  • “Export as 4K PNG”

• Using Alpha Brushes:

• Setup:

  • Change brush type to Alpha
  • “4K heightmaps work best at 4096 size”
  • Auto-rotate can be disabled for control

• Strength Settings:

  • 0.3 = very faint
  • 3.0 = visible impact
  • 6.0 = dramatic change

• Clay Brush Option:

  • “Adds on top like real clay sculpting”
  • “Better for building up features”
  • Tool size affects resolution quality:
    • Small = less detail transfer
    • Large = better heightmap detail

• Key Tips:

• “Need large enough brush for proper detail transfer”
• Single click can create entire landscape base
• “Experiment with different channels/sizes”
• Can erase/flatten to restart