Photoshop Nuke Workflow

In compositing it is common to bring Photoshop output into Nuke. Photoshop has two main uses for the Nuke compositor:

Conforming assets to size

Assets frequently need their sizes conformed to the right format. Do not rely on Reformat to do this (mentioned here). Heres how it can be done:

1. Make a new Photoshop document set to the same dimensions as your format in Project Settings.
2. Save it and call it Asset.tga (or whatever name and file extension is desired).
3. Open the asset that needs to be size conforming.
4. Right click on the background and select duplicate.
5. In the Destination / Document menu select Asset.tga.
6. Resize to fit using Transform (command T). Ensure that Maintain aspect ratio is active.
7. Flatten and save.

This method is infinitely less confusing than trying to reformat the original file in Photoshop.

Digital painting

Bringing in Matte painting into Nuke is one of the most satisfying parts of compositing. However, if it is being done right then it will be difficult. The matte painting and the composite will need always to be in 'conversation' with each other and they will often need working on at the same time. the matte painting workflow requires that a layered 'master' file be maintained with a single or many 'pulls' being 'saved as' seperate, flat files. heres the workflow:

1. Make a new Photoshop document the right dimensions.
2. Save it and call it Painting_master.tiff (or whatever name is desired). A tiff is easier to manage than a Psd file as it will not require that the file extension is changed every time the image is 'saved as'.
3. A render from Nuke or an image from the Read image sequence will often be needed as a background on which to paint on top of. Save, open and drop this into Painting_master.psd in the same way as above (except it will not need re-sizing).
4. Paint away!
   • Keep the psd file organised in colored layer sets that correspond to the flat assets that are needed (e.g. a foreground, and a set of masks).
   • The name of these layer sets should be the same as the assets that are being created.
   • Masks can be made by filling a new layer with black, setting it to screen blend mode and painting with white. This will make it easy to correspond the mask with the psd contents.
   • Save masks by temporarily removing the blend mode and saving as a flat tiff.
5. When saving a Matte there is a high chance that transparency will need to be preserved. Save as tiff but ensure that:
   • There is Photoshop 'checkerboard' transparency showing behind the thing you wish to save.
   • Save file as tiff. Un-tick Layers in the Save As dialogue box.
   • Tick Save Transparency in the following TIFF Options dialogue box.
6. Done.

Tip: if Photoshop to Nuke is being done right then there will be many, many, many 'save as' operations.

See also

An example of digital painting master file is in the Assets section.