Figure 7-40.Making a Magical Pattern-Generating Smart Filters File
In the preceding exercise, you saw how smart filters allow you to
create subtle, nondestructive edits to a simple portrait. And if you
read the sidebar on page 246, you’ve seen how you can go crazy with
smart filters, making transformations to a portrait that are in no
way subtle but nonetheless still reversible. Who’s to say we need to
start with any image at all, portrait or otherwise?
In this exercise, I’ll show you how to create one of the most en-
lightening and flat-out practical files you’ve ever made. One mo-
ment a starfield, the next a wall texture, the next a bird’s-eye view
of landmasses. A file that requires no initial image and delivers one
amazing result after another. The kind of file you’ll find yourself
revisiting again and again. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned
pro, a designer or a photographer, I think you’ll be duly impressed.
And it’s so very easy.
Create a new image. This exercise requires no image, no base
photograph, nothing. Just Photoshop and a sense of adventure.
Choose File→New. In the New dialog box, name the image
“My Smart Filters File.” Make the image as big as you want,
say, 2000 by 2000 pixels. The resolution doesn’t matter. Set the
Color Mode to RGB and the Background Contents to Trans-
parent, as in Figure 7-40. Click OK.
Rename Layer 1. In the Layers panel, double-click Layer 1
and rename it “Base.” Then press Enter or Return.
Making a Magical Pattern-Generating Smart Filters File 251