Placing DD3 Symbols in Photoshop

[JFJohnny5]

I want to try to use CS3 to create a battlemat map. I like the control PS gives me in painting the terrain using layer masks and all the Photoshop filter goodness. I would like to use DD3 symbols as well. However, I can't figure out an easy way to "stamp" them into my map. I've tried creating brushes and patterns. But I can't get it to "stamp" down a symbol. I'm always just painting a layer of symbols. (I hope that makes sense. It's kind of hard to describe.) I mean I could always just open a symbol and drag it into the map image. But that hardly seems the most elegant solution. Anyone have any advice or tips for me?

[kalmarjan]

Once you place the symbol on your map, what you can do is the following:

Ctrl click on the layer with your symbol.
This will make a selection of the symbol layer.
Press the "m" key (for marquee selection)
Press and hold the alt+ctrl keys while moving your symbol. This will effectively make a copy of the symbol, placing it on the same layer.
Lather, rinse and repeat. If you need to adjust the placement of your "new" item, immediately press the "v" key and nudge it into place.

If you have more than one symbol, you can also marquee select the symbol you want, then press and hold the ctrl+alt keys. This will only copy the selected item on that layer.

Makes populating a city with houses that much easier.

Note, if you want the item to be an a seperate layer, follow the steps above, but press the "v" key (for move) instead of the "m" key.

I hope that helps you out.

Sandeman

[pyrandon]

Yeah, what Sandeman said! It may seem inelegant, but it's actually very quick, easy, and flexible.

You could also, if you knew where one symbol was definitely going to be placed and not moved, create a work path and save that so as to have access to it at any time, but I've always found the amount of work you put into that does not justify the results. So I'd do the select-move/copy method Sandeman uses.

If anyone else knows another way, chime in here, 'cuz I wanna know too!

[kalmarjan]

You could also just select the object, right click and save the selection. Make sure to name the selection something you could remember, and then you can just load the selection from the selection menu.

Sandeman

[JFJohnny5]

That actually is much quicker and easier than it seems. Thanks for your help!!