Signs of the Times - February 2014 - (Page 34)

Sof t w a r e U p d a te By Theresa Jackson Photoshop Smart Objects What are smart objects, and how smart are they? A dobe introduced Smart Objects (a non-destructive, image-editing system) in Photoshop CS2. Essentially, Smart Objects are containers that hold original-image data inside a Photoshop layer. Smart Objects may include digital-photograph (raw) images, Illustrator vector art or other Photoshop data. Once set, see smartobject files as links to other files, except the content truly resides within the Photoshop document. Smart Objects allows you to place external-based images (Illustrator-based, for example) into your Photoshop document and retain complete edit capabilities of the original content. It doesn't require you to keep track of the externally linked files, which, I think, is pretty smart. Smart Objects also allows you to non-destructively transform distortions and apply numerous filters, which is even smarter. You can open raw images in Photoshop as Smart Object files, which preserves the original raw data. From Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), hold the shift key down to change the "Open Image" option to "Open Smart Object". This opens the image in Photoshop, sans full pixel data. Double click on a raw, smart-object layer in Photoshop to open the image within ACR, which is an internal, integrated plugin. Photoshop's ACR allows you to nondestructively edit raw data. Illustrator art You can copy and paste Adobe Illustrator-created art into Photoshop as a smart object, or place it into Photoshop using the File>Place command. Both techniques create a Smart Objects container for your Illustrator content. Double click on the smart-object layer to open its contents within the Illustrator application. Changes made to the Smart-Object-based Illustrator art only change the art within Photoshop. You can apply most of Photoshop's filter offerings to an Illustrator-based smart object. For example, you can apply a Gaussian Blur to Illustrator-created vector art and retain full vector-edit capabilities. The smart-object layer can be scaled, skewed and distorted endlessly, without degradation, even after you've applied the blur. Photoshop content You can convert any Photoshop-layer content to a smart object. Select a layer or multiple layers, then tag Layer>smart object>Convert to Smart Objects. This action installs the original content into a protective, Smart Objects container. Double click on the smartobject's layer to open the original layer's content. You can make any type of Photoshop content into a 34 SIGNS OF THE TIMES February 2014 Theresa Jackson operates Orchard View Color (Escondido, CA) and has more than 20 years' experience in prepress, graphic design, color management and photography. Email her at Theresa@ orchardviewcolor.com smart object. You can create a text layer, convert the text to a smart object, and then apply various Photoshop filters. The filters are not permanent, and the text remains editable. Further, you can change a font style without redoing all of the filter steps. To open the original text layer, double click on the smart-object text layer. Smart object image layers can be scaled, skewed, warped and distorted, without damaging the pixels. The original data resides in the protective container. Place holders Smart Objects files are great for processing designs that contain low-resolution comp similes that you'll replace with hi-res images. For example, you can add a low-res comp image to your Photoshop design as a regular layer, scale it to the full-image size, and then convert the image to a smart-object layer. Rotate, filter, mask and coloradjust the layer as needed. When the full-resolution image becomes available, simply double click on the smart object and replace the contents with the high-res image. All of the edits made to the original (low-res) smart object will remain. You can apply most Photoshop filters to smart objects. Filters applied to smart-object files are nondestructive and offer flexibility that's not available when you apply filters to standard, pixel layers. Working with Smart Objects filters To change any settings without starting over, double click on a smart-object filter to return to the filterdialog box. For blend-mode options, double click on the icon to the right of the Smart Objects filter. To extend the creative possibilities, apply any layer-blend mode to a smartobject filter. You can also apply multiple filters to the same smart object, or rearrange the filter stacking order. The smartest filter option is the ability to mask a filter because it allows you to create realistic, spatial, drop shadows - those that become softer as they drop away from the primary subject. Do this: Create a new layer and paint or draw a cast shadow; convert the shadow layer to a smart object and then add a substantial Gaussian blur and, finally, add a gradient mask to the filter. File output and printing Remember, Smart Objects files remain fully editable only within Photoshop. You can scale and distort smart objects indefinitely, without degradation, while working within Photoshop, but all Smart Objects content converts to raster data when output. n

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - February 2014

Signs of the Times - February 2014
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Welcome to the 21st Century
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review: Cyrious online
Technology Review: Sign and Printmakers Guild
Sign Museum News
New Products
Walls of Fame
A Designer’s View of Health-care Signage
Health-care Signage: Care Required
Health-care Signage Trends
Estimating Software
Dynamic Digital Signage Made Simple, Part 2
Industry News
Advertising index
Editorially speaking

Signs of the Times - February 2014