Smart Filters:

Stephen Burns

Photoshop CS3 has a feature that enables greater support for a non-destructive workflow.  It began with vector tools then progressed to Smart Objects where imagery could be resized and maintain its original resolution.   Each upgrade moved closer to giving the user more flexibility in image manipulation and management and CS3  is no exception.  Hold on to your hats and enter Smart Filters.

Smart Filters works with Smart Objects in that any effect from your Filters menu will not be rasterized to the layer it is applied to it.  In other words, for this to work you have to first convert your layer into an Smart Object.  If you forget then no worries, Photoshop CS3 will notify you of the necessary conversion then it will do it for you.

Let’s look at some quick applications of Smart Filters.

 

Starting off

Here  I  have an image that I am going to apply some additional effects using Smart Filters.  I will start by creating a water like ripple effect on the reflections, add a charcoal special effect to the jacket then finally create some texture on the custom made barrel.

 

Step 1.

(Figure before smart objects are applied)

Let’s get a close up view to the reflection in the barrel.  This layer reveals a duplicate copy of the portrait that is masked out in the shape of an oval.  This will be the water like reflection in side of the costume made barrel. 

When you access the Filter menu you will notice a new command called “Convert To Smart Filters”. Activating this will transform your layer into a Smart Object.  You can then access the Filter Gallery and apply any of the filters.  In this example the two filters used are Ocean Ripple and Glass.

(Access “Convert to Smart Filters”)

 

Notice in Figure 4 that you get the standard Filter Gallery view.  

(View of the Filter Gallery layout)

 

Figures 5 and 6 displays the settings that I used to gain the ripple effect.
(View of the Glass Filter settings)

 

(View of the Ocean Ripple Filter settings)

 

Step 2.

Once the changes are committed, you will notice an extra symbol below your layer.  This is the mask that is associated with the filter effect.  Below the mask is the effect itself.  You will able to click on the eye next to each thumbnail to toggle the effect on and off as shown in figures 7 & 8.

 

(View of the Smart Filters layer with the effect turned on)

 

(View of the Smart Filters layer with the effect turned off)

 

Step 3.

Next I am going to add the Charcoal effect to Mr. Death’s jacket. So, I have to make sure that the correct layer is selected.  Following the same procedures provided in steps 1& 2 the Filter Gallery is accessed to apply the chosen effect.

 

(The Charcoal Filter is applied to jacket)

 

 

 

 

Step 4.

The filter has been applied to the entire image, so now I will take away the effect from localized areas using a soft edge paint brush.  Making sure that the foreground color in my Tools palette is black I paint on the mask to show through the original detail of the jacket.

(The Charcoal Filter effect is taken away from the sleeve jacket)

 

 

Step 5.

Last but not least, some texture is added to the barrel using the Ocean Ripples and adding noise.

(view of the barrel layer)

(Filter effect is applied to the barrel)

 

As an added effect I applied a Layer Style using Gradient to simulate the direction of the light and shadow in this particular scene.  With gradient of black to white and a blend mode of Multiply established I was able to give the barrel a feeling of the shadow following to the left side.

 

(Gradient Layer Style is applied to the barrel)

Next is the final view of the techniques applied to the image.

 

 

Final view of image

 

Experiment as much as possible to create your own effects an don’t be afraid of making mistakes with this technique because it’s non-destructive which means you can’t harm the image so have fun and enjoy. 

 

 

Stephen Burns is the author of “Photoshop CS Trickery & FX” and “Photoshop CS2 Trickery & FX” as well as soon to be released “Photoshop CS3 Trickery & FX”.

You can find out more about the author at www.chromeallusion.com  or email him at chrome@ucsd.edu .

 

 

 

 

 

 

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