Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Click on the Brush tool ( ). Position your cursor over the image. Don't click, but
notice that the Non-editable icon (
) appears. You cannot paint on this layer because
that would be destructive.
So, what if you need to modify the layer? Perhaps you want to selectively dodge and
burn parts of the image or use image adjustment commands. You have two choices
when working with Smart Objects:
•
Edit the original in its own separate window.
•
Rasterize the Smart Object layer before using common editing tools.
For this example, you will rasterize the Smart Object. Using the term
rasterize
is a bit
confusing in this instance. The image is already a raster image (composed of pixels),
but the term refers to the step of
unsmarting
your image and putting the original pixels
back into the ps1001_work.psd image.
8
Select the Blur tool ( ) from the Tools panel. Click anywhere on the butterl y; a
warning dialog box appears, informing you that the layer will be rasterized. Press OK
to rasterize the image.
Press OK to rasterize the layer.
9
Using the Zoom tool ( ), zoom in closer to the butterl y, and click and drag the Blur
tool several times over the edges of the butterl y to see the blur ef ect. You are now
able to edit the image because it has been converted to pixels. However, it has also lost
its Smart Object status.
All the editing tools, such as Dodge, Burn, Clone Stamp, and Eraser, are destructive and
therefore not usable when a Smart Object layer is active.
Ideally, everything in Photoshop should be as non-destructive as possible. Depending
on your objectives, you will need to determine when you can accept the consequences
of rasterizing a smart object. However, you should also know the alternatives.
10
Drag the Butterl y 3 layer to the Delete icon ( ) in the Layers panel. You will be adding
the layer again in the next exercise and learn how to access the contents of a smart
object. Later in the lesson, you will return to the issue of adding a blur non-destructively.
