Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Self study
In this section, you can complete some exercises on your own. Use adjustment layers to adjust the bright-
ness, contrast, hue, and saturation of the lesson files.
Currently, the individual butterfly and bird images do not blend as well into the background as they could.
Using the techniques laid out in “Editing the contents of a Smart Object,” add adjustment layers to the ob-
jects in the photo-illustration, and fine-tune the appearance of the individual objects. Try to make the indi-
vidual layers match each other as much as possible to create a cohesive photo illustration.
Creating multiple Smart Objects
In this lesson, you learned how to work with Smart Objects in their various forms. Create additional copies
of the butterfly or bird images, and experiment with creating a collage. Apply filters to your existing Smart
Objects. For different effects, try applying a black-to-white gradient on a Smart Filter mask to achieve a
smooth transition that would be difficult to achieve using just the Brush tool alone.
Working with Illustrator files
If you have Adobe Illustrator, you can also place .ai files into Photoshop files as Smart Object layers. They
work in similar ways. Create an image in Illustrator, and place it into Photoshop. Create multiple copies of
the Illustrator layer, and then modify the original .ai file to see the changes applied to the layers in the Pho-
toshop file.
Review
Questions
1
What are three ways that you can create a Smart Object layer?
2
Why would you convert a standard layer to a Smart Object layer?
3
How do you replace the contents of a Smart Object layer? When would you do so?
4
What are Smart Filters, and what are the benefits of using them?
Answers
1
You can bring an image into an existing file as a Smart Object by choosing File > Open as Smart Object
and selecting the file; choosing File > Place; or when using Adobe Bridge, selecting the file and choos-
ing File > Place > Into Photoshop. If an image is currently inside a document and you would like to
convert it to a Smart Object, select the layer in the Layers panel and choose Layer > Smart Objects >
Convert to Smart Objects.
2
You would convert a standard layer to a Smart Object layer because a Smart Object layer can be resized
indefinitely without losing resolution due to resampling.
3
You can replace the contents of a Smart Object layer by choosing Layer > Smart Objects > Replace
Contents. You might use this technique if you wanted to replace one image with another without losing
any scaling, rotating, or warping you had created for the image.
4
Any filter applied to a Smart Object is a Smart Filter. Smart Filters appear in the Layers panel below the
Smart Object layer to which they are applied. Because you can adjust, remove, or hide Smart Filters,
they are non-destructive.
