THE BEST TIMESAVING SCRIPT
This is an old feature that’s still incredibly handy when working with
multiple files. For example, let’s say you have a folder of PSD files
that you need to convert to JPEGs. Just go under the File menu,
to Scripts, and choose Image Processor. Simply go through each
section in the dialog to choose the source folder, the destination
folder, and the file format. In this case, set File Type to JPEG, and
choose a Quality setting. Resize to Fit, if needed, and click Run. You
can even run an action on all the images in section 4 at the bottom.
Utilizing automation in Photoshop, especially with repetitive tasks,
can save you a ton of time.
FRAME TRICK USING REFINE EDGE
This is one of those tricks where you’re not using a feature in the
way it was intended but it still gives you interesting results. Using
the Rectangular Marquee tool (M), draw a selection that’s inset
from the edge of the image by a couple of inches. Click the Select
and Mask button in the Options Bar. With the View set to Onion
Skin (O) in the Properties panel, set the Transparency to 100%.
Grab the Refine Edge Brush tool (R) from the mini-toolbar on
the left, then paint around the edge of the selected area. Use the
Bracket keys on your keyboard to adjust the size of the brush as
needed. The randomness will be determined by the image itself.
When done, set the Output To drop-down menu in the Output Set-
tings section at the bottom of the Properties panel to New Layer
with Layer Mask, and click OK. You can continue to modify the
layer mask to change the look of the new frame.
08. LUMINANCE-BASED SELECTIONS
FOR SEMITRANSLUCENT OBJECTS
This is a technique I often use when I need to extract semitranslucent
elements from a black or white background. For example, to extract
a white smoke element from a black background, just open the
Channels panel (Window>Channels) and hold down the Com-
mand (PC: Ctrl) key as you click on the main RGB channel. This
will load the brightness of the image as a selection (in this case,
the white smoke). Back in the Layers panel, create a new blank
layer, press D then X to set the Foreground color to white, and then
press Option-Delete (PC: Alt-Backspace) to fill the selection with
white (or whatever new color you want the smoke to be).
09. CONTROL LAYER STYLES ON LAYER MASKS
This is another oldie but goodie, especially if you use layer styles a lot
in your compositing. Have you ever applied a layer style to a layer with
a layer mask and when you paint or apply a gradient to the layer mask,
the style ends up looking weird around the edges? That’s the layer style
trying to redraw itself around the layer mask. To avoid this, just double-
click the layer in the Layers panel to open the Blending Options. In the
Advanced Blending section, check on Layer Mask Hides Effects, and
click OK. Now the layer style will ignore the layer mask.
10. WHERE ARE ALL THE FILTERS?
As someone who uses filters quite a bit, this one frustrates me, and
people still ask me about it. In an effort to trim down the Filter menu,
many of the artistic filters aren’t visible by default under the Filter
menu. Well they’re still there, just kinda hidden. You have to go to
Filter>Filter Gallery and then locate the filter you want to use in the
various sets in the Filter Gallery. Well, to make all those filters part of
the Filter menu again, go to Photoshop (PC: Edit)>Preferences>Plug-
Ins. Under Filters & Extension Panels, check on Show All Filter Gallery
Groups and Names, and click OK. Now all those categories and filters
in the Filter Gallery are in the main Filter menu. Fun Fact: These filters
used to be part of a separate set of filters called Adobe Gallery Effects.
