Create Photoshop Templates For Photo Effects

Create Photoshop Templates For Photo Effects

In this Photoshop tutorial, we're going to learn how to create and then reuse a photo effect as a Photoshop template using Smart Objects and Smart Filters. Smart Objects were kickoff introduced in Photoshop CS2, and Photoshop CS3 takes them fifty-fifty further with Smart Filters. Both of these recent additions to Photoshop have the potential to completely alter how you lot work inside the program, since they give you an astonishing level of flexibility that only doesn't exist without them.

To get the most from this tutorial, you'll need to accept Photoshop CS3, since it's the simply version of Photoshop (so far anyway) that comes with Smart Filters, although yous tin still do quite a scrap merely with Photoshop CS2 and Smart Objects. Of course, you tin can even so read through the tutorial even if you accept an older version of Photoshop, if but to see what sort of features yous'll be getting if and when you make up one's mind to upgrade.

What are Smart Objects and Smart Filters?

If you've ever used a page layout program before, you'll exist familiar with how Smart Objects piece of work. When you lot convert an image into a Smart Object in Photoshop, y'all're no longer working on the image itself, even though it notwithstanding looks like you are. Instead, yous're working on a reference to the image, with the actual prototype stored safely in a split file that Photoshop creates. The Smart Object is basically a container that displays the reference to the actual image. This is what allows us to create templates from Photoshop documents that utilize Smart Objects, since when we're done creating our effect with the original image, we can tell Photoshop to but replace the paradigm inside the Smart Object container with a different image, or more precisely, we tell Photoshop to reference a unlike image, and simply similar that, Photoshop swaps one epitome with another and the entire effect is instantly recreated using the new prototype, without having to redo whatsoever of the piece of work!

So what are Smart Filters then? Substantially, they're the same every bit Photoshop's regular filters that we find under the Filter menu in the Options Bar. In fact, they're exactly the same. The only difference, as nosotros'll see, is that when yous utilize a filter to a Smart Object, Photoshop converts information technology into a "smart" version of the filter, with the difference being that Smart Filters remain completely, 100% editable! Normally, when you apply one of Photoshop'southward filters to an image, the paradigm itself is physically altered by the filter, and if yous desire to change the filter settings, you lot'd have to undo your steps all the way dorsum to merely earlier you practical the filter (bold you haven't run out of History states) and so utilize information technology again with the new settings. Not and so with Smart Filters! With a Smart Filter, you lot can go back at any time, alter the settings in the filter's dialog box, and have the new settings applied to the image instantly without damaging or even touching the epitome in whatever way. If you're familiar with how Adjustment Layers work in Photoshop, Smart Filters work substantially the same way.

As I mentioned, ideally yous'll have Photoshop CS3 for this tutorial, but there's nevertheless plenty of things you can do when creating photograph
templates simply with Photoshop CS2 and Smart Objects. In fact, the only thing you can't exercise with Photoshop CS2 is apply a filter to a Smart Object, at to the lowest degree not if you still want to be able to utilize the effect as a photograph template.

A couple of things to bespeak out before nosotros brainstorm. Showtime, even though we'll be creating a simple photograph consequence here, 1 that works very well with wedding photography, the result itself is not the focus of this tutorial, although y'all're certainly free to recreate the same event if you choose. The purpose of this Photoshop tutorial is to prove you how to go most creating an consequence using Smart Objects and Smart Filters so that yous can and then utilize the knowledge to your own photo template creations. 2d, in order to use a different photo with the template, it's of import that the new photo matches the original in terms of paradigm size, orientation, and resolution. If the original photo used was an 8x10 portrait at 300ppi resolution, any photo you supercede it with should also be an 8x10 portrait at 300ppi resolution, otherwise y'all'll end up with unexpected results.

If yous're simply using photos you took yourself with the aforementioned digital camera and oasis't resized or cropped them, then all yous'll need to make certain of it that you don't try to replace a photo in portrait orientation (taller than it is wide) with i in landscape orientation (wider than it is tall). If you need more than information on image resolution and document sizes, be sure to visit our Digital Photo Essentials section of the website.

This tutorial is from our Photograph Effects serial. Permit's get started!

Step 1: Open The First Image You Want To Use

Before we can use our photo
effect as a template, nosotros first need to create the issue, so open the first photo you want to use with it. Here's the photograph I'll be starting with:

A photo of a young bride smiling.

The original image.

With my image at present open in Photoshop, if I look in my Layers palette, everything seems normal. I have one layer, the Background layer, which contains my image:

Photoshop's Layers palette showing the original image on the Background layer.

Photoshop'south Layers palette showing the original image on the Groundwork layer.

We're going to catechumen the prototype into a Smart Object side by side!

Step two: Convert The Image Into A Smart Object

Here'south where things go a little unlike than if we were simply creating this effect once with no intention of using it once more with other images. To be able to use this Photoshop document every bit a template, we need to convert our image into a Smart Object, which, every bit I mentioned on the previous page, will mean we'll no longer be working on the image itself. Instead, we'll exist working on a reference to the image. The bodily image will exist safely stored in a separate file, untouched and unharmed past whatever crazy things we practise next.

To convert the image into a Smart Object, go upwardly to the Layer menu at the top of the screen, cull Smart Objects, and and then, in Photoshop CS3, cull Convert to Smart Object, or if you lot're using Photoshop CS2, choose Group into New Smart Object. Cipher will seem to take happened to your image, but if we look in the Layers palette once again, nosotros can see a few changes with the Groundwork layer. For i thing, it'due south no longer named "Background". Photoshop has renamed information technology "Layer 0". More than importantly though, if we look closely at the layer's preview thumbnail, we can see that it now has a white highlight box around it, along with an icon in its bottom right corner. That icon is telling usa that the epitome has at present been converted into a Smart Object:

Photoshop's Layers palette showing the image on the Background layer now converted into a Smart Object.

Photoshop's Layers palette showing the image on the Groundwork layer at present converted into a Smart Object.

Footstep 3: Duplicate The Layer

At present that our image has been converted into a Smart Object, let's duplicate it. Duplicating a Smart Object is no dissimilar from duplicating a normal layer, and the easiest way to do it is with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac). If we await once again in the Layers palette, we tin come across that nosotros now have 2 layers, the original "Layer 0" on the bottom and the new "Layer 0 copy" above information technology, both of which contain a re-create of the Smart Object :

Photoshop's Layers palette showing the newly created copy of the Smart Object layer above the original.

Press "Ctrl+J" (Win) / "Command+J" (Mac) to duplicate the Smart Object layer.

Information technology's important to note here that even though we've duplicated the Smart Object, we don't really have two carve up Smart Objects. Both of them are referencing the verbal same photo, which means that when we replace the original paradigm with a different prototype, as we'll practise at the end of the tutorial, both layers will then show the aforementioned new photo. If nosotros were to create 3, or 5, or 10 or more copies of the Smart Object and and so replace the image, since they're all copies of the exact same Smart Object, they would all show the new photograph!

Step 4: Resize And Reposition The Image On The New Layer With Free Transform

Let's move and resize the image on our newly created copy layer. Again, in that location'southward no departure between moving and resizing a Smart Object and a normal layer. Printing Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring upwards Photoshop's Gratuitous Transform box and handles around the epitome on the new layer. And so hold down Shift+Alt (Win) / Shift+Option (Mac) and drag any of the four corner handles inward to resize the epitome until information technology's about 60% of its original size. Holding "Shift" constrains the width and tiptop proportions of the image as we resize it so nosotros don't accidentally distort its shape, and property "Alt" (Win) / "Selection" (Mac) tells Photoshop to resize the epitome from its center:

Resizing the image with the Free Transform handles in Photoshop.

Resize the paradigm to well-nigh 60% of its original size with Free Transform.

I'chiliad also going to move the image downwards a flake by clicking anywhere within of the Gratuitous Transform box (except for on the small target icon in the middle) and simply dragging the image downwardly with my mouse. As I elevate, I'thou going to hold Shift which will strength the image to move downwardly in a straight line, preventing me from accidentally moving information technology left or right:

Dragging the image down a little with Free Transform.

Elevate the epitome downward a little past belongings "Shift" and dragging it direct down with your mouse.

Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when y'all're done to accept the transformation and exit out of Free Transform.

Footstep 5: Add together A Stroke To The Resized Prototype

As nosotros've seen so far, working with Smart Objects isn't much unlike from working with normal layers, and the aforementioned is truthful even when adding Layer Styles. Click on the Layer Styles icon at the bottom of the Layers palette (in Photoshop CS2 it looks like a circle with an "f" inside, and in Photoshop CS3 information technology's just the letters "fx") and select Stroke from the lesser of the list:

Clicking on the 'Layer Styles' icon at the bottom of the Layers palette and selecting 'Stroke' from the list.

Click on the "Layer Styles" icon and select "Stroke" from the listing.

This brings upwards Photoshop's Layer Mode dialog box set to the Stroke options in the eye column. Alter the Size of the stroke to ane px and the Position to Inside, then click on the red color swatch to the right of the word "Colour", which volition bring upwards Photoshop'due south Color Picker, and cull white as the stroke colour:

Change the stroke options circled in red.

Alter the stroke options circled in cherry-red to a higher place.

Click OK to exit out of the Colour Picker, but don't exit out of the Layer Mode dialog box just yet. We accept a couple more than layer styles to add first, which we'll do side by side.

Step half dozen: Add together A Driblet Shadow

Click directly on the words Driblet Shadow on the left of the Layer Style dialog box:

Clicking on the words 'Drop Shadow' on the left of Photoshop's Layer Style dialog box.

Click directly on the words "Drib Shadow".

This changes the options in middle cavalcade of the Layer Manner dialog box to the Drop Shadow options. Lower the Opacity of the Drop Shadow to around forty% so information technology's not so intense. Fix the Distance to 0px, leave the Spread prepare to 0%, and then increase the Size to around 40px, although you may want to experiment with a higher value if you're using a high resolution image:

Photoshop's Drop Shadow layer style options.

Change the Drop Shadow options circled in red to a higher place.

Stride 7: Add An Inner Glow

Click directly on the words Inner Glow on the left of the Layer Mode dialog box:

Clicking on the words 'Inner Glow' on the left of Photoshop's Layer Style dialog box.

Click directly on the words "Inner Glow".

This changes the options in middle cavalcade of the Layer Way dialog box to the Inner Glow options. Lower the Opacity of the Inner Glow to effectually 40%, again so it's not as intense. Click on the yellow colour swatch directly below the word "Dissonance", which brings upwardly Photoshop's Color Picker, and select white as the glow color. Click OK to exit out of the Color Picker, and then set the Size of the glow to around 40px. Again you may desire to experiment with a higher Size value if you're using a high resolution image:

Photoshop's Inner Glow layer style options.

Change the Inner Glow options circled in red higher up.

When you're done, click OK in the elevation right corner of the Layer Manner dialog box to exit out of it. Here's my paradigm after applying all iii Layer Styles:

The image after applying the three layer styles in Photoshop.

The image later on applying the Layer Styles.

So far, everything we've done with our epitome tin can be completed in either Photoshop CS2 or Photoshop CS3. What nosotros're going to do next is a Photoshop CS3 exclusive, at to the lowest degree until Photoshop CS4 comes out.

Footstep 8: Add A Gaussian Blur Smart Filter To The Lesser Layer

Here's the part of the tutorial that you need to exist using Photoshop CS3 for (don't worry if you're using Photoshop CS2, nosotros'll get back to y'all in a moment). We're going to apply a Smart Filter to our Smart Object. Now I should clarify something before we continue. You tin apply filters to Smart Objects in Photoshop CS2, just as y'all would apply them to a normal layer. The difference is that in Photoshop CS2, when y'all attempt to apply any filter to a Smart Object, Photoshop will popular upward a warning message telling yous that the Smart Object must be rasterized before the filter can be applied.

What that ways is, the Smart Object will be converted dorsum into a normal layer again, which means information technology volition no longer exist a Smart Object, which means yous will no longer be able to simply supplant i photo with another inside of it. Which basically ways, you lose the ability to utilize the Photoshop document as a template. So in other words, if your goal is to create a document that can be used as a template and y'all're using Photoshop CS2, don't employ filters. There'southward still lots of other things you can practise with your Smart Objects in CS2, but using filters isn't i of them. Not if you're making a reusable template, anyway.

Having said that, if yous are using Photoshop CS3, click on "Layer 0" (the lesser layer) in the Layers palette to select it. Then go up to the Filter carte at the top of the screen, cull Blur, and so choose Gaussian Blur. This brings up the Gaussian Blur dialog box. I'm going to gear up my Radius value at the bottom of the dialog box to around 9 pixels. If you're using a high resolution prototype, try 12-14 pixels:

Applying the Gaussian Blur filter to the bottom layer in Photoshop.

Apply the Gaussian Mistiness filter to the bottom layer.

Click OK when yous're washed to go out out of the dialog box. Here'south my image later on applying the filter. Notice how the image in the background is now nicely blurred out:

The image after applying the Gaussian Blur filter in Photoshop.

The background is at present blurred out after applying the Gaussian Blur filter.

Nothing we did here was out of the ordinary. We selected and applied the Gaussian Blur filter to the copy of the Smart Object on the bottom layer in exactly the same way we would have applied it to a normal layer. Just if we await in our Layers palette, we can run across that something out of the ordinary has definitely happened:

Photoshop's Layers palette showing that the Gaussian Blur filter applied to the Smart Object on 'Layer 0' has been converted into a Smart Filter.

The Layers palette showing that the Gaussian Blur filter practical to "Layer 0" has been converted into a Smart Filter.

By applying the filter to a Smart Object, the filter has been converted into a Smart Filter! If nosotros look below "Layer 0", we tin see that it now says "Smart Filters", and below that is a list of all of the filters we've practical to the Smart Object. In this case, we've merely applied one filter, the Gaussian Blur filter, and we tin come across it listed there. If we had applied several other filters to the Smart Object on that layer, they would each exist listed under the words "Smart Filters". Nosotros've now successfully applied a filter to the Smart Object without having to convert it back into a normal layer. What's more, as nosotros'll see when we get to replace the photo with a new photo, the Gaussian Blur filter will now automatically be applied to any photo nosotros use with our template!

Smart Filters have numerous advantages, and we've but scratched the surface with them hither with our discussion on how to utilize them when creating templates. We'll look at more of the amazing possibilities they offering in other tutorials.

We'll meet how to supersede our photo with another next!

Step ix: Replace The Photo With A New Photo

At this betoken, our basic photograph effect is complete. You tin can salvage the document now if yous wish. We're now going to see how incredibly piece of cake it is to use our Photoshop document as a template past replacing our existing photo with a new photo! This works with both Photoshop CS2 and Photoshop CS3 (welcome dorsum, Photoshop CS2 users!).

Keep in mind what I mentioned at the beginning. When replacing i photo with some other within a Smart Object, you demand to make sure that both photos have the same width and height dimensions, the same orientation (portrait or landscape), and the aforementioned resolution, otherwise things won't work out the way y'all expect. If you try to supersede ane photo with another and all of a sudden the new photo is either too big or also minor inside the document, something was different betwixt them, and yous'll demand to correct that earlier trying again. You'll discover lots of information about image size and resolution in our Digital Photograph Essentials section of the website.

Assuming that the next photo you desire to use with your template does apply the same dimentions, orientation and image resolution every bit the original, allow's swap them! Select either "Layer 0" or "Layer 0 copy" in the Layers palette. It doesn't matter which one you select since, as I mentioned previously, they're both copies of each other and both referencing the exact same photograph, then replacing the image within one of them volition automatically supplant the image in both. Then, with either of them selected, go up to the Layer menu at the summit of the screen once again, cull Smart Objects, and this time, choose Supplant Contents:

Selecting 'Replace Contents' from the Smart Objects menu inside Photoshop.

Go to Layer > Smart Objects > Supervene upon Contents.

A dialog box will pop up allowing you to navigate to the new photograph on your computer. Once you've located it, double-click on information technology to select it, and instantly, the original photograph is replaced with the new photo inside the certificate! All of the Layer Styles we applied to the top layer have been applied to the new image, and if you're using Photoshop CS3, the groundwork image on the bottom layer even has the Gaussian Blur filter applied to information technology, all without redoing whatsoever of the piece of work:

The new photo has replaced the original in the document.

The original photo is instantly replaced with the new photo inside the certificate.

Where to go side by side...

And there nosotros have it! Thanks to Smart Objects in Photoshop CS2 and the new Smart Filters in Photoshop CS3, information technology's easy to create photo effects that can be reused as templates whatever time you need them! Visit our Photo Effects section for more than Photoshop effects tutorials!