No face to face class on NOVEMBER 21 - Please work online this week. Assignment 13 due November 27
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Experience: With all that you've learned to this point in the course, let's add Photoshop's filters to the mix - and unleash your creativity! Photoshop filters are amazing. The experience I want you to have is to play with them. It's through playing around with them that you understand the power they provide you. So, let's play!
Objectives:
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The photo on the left is one I shot at Bryce Canyon National Park. The same image on the right after Photoshop Filter Gallery filters have been applied. Click each image to see a larger view.
Photoshop filters are basically little mini-programs that will manipulate your image in some way. Photoshop comes with quite a number of filters (over 100) - some which you have used already - like the liquify filter. We won't be able to cover all the filters and the myriad uses they can be put to in this lesson. We will introduce you to several of the more useful filters and have you practice using them. Below are a couple of YouTube videos from Photoshop experts - watch them to get an idea about what filters are and how they are used.
Video: Working with Filters in Photoshop CC Tutorial (3:36)
This is one of the videos in Guru99's beginning Photoshop course.
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Video: Photoshop cc 2015.5 | Beautiful Matte Photo Effect ( Fairy Tale ) (6:28)
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A while back you learned why adjustment layers are a better option that using the same command in the IMAGE - ADJUSTMENTS menu. They are non-destructive, they leave your original image alone. They are also re-adjustable at any time. Converting a layer for smart filters offers that same advantage - filters that are non-destructive, and re-adjustable. Watch Howard Pinsky's video, "Smart Filters in Photoshop" to learn how to make a layer's filters non-destructive.
I encourage you to use smart filters whenever possible. Having them work non-destructively is a great advantage. |
Video: Smart Filters in Photoshop | IceflowStudios (3:02)
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In the video, "Photoshop Playbook: How to use Filters in Photoshop (and which not to use)" you were introduced to the filter Smart Sharpen. If you look in the sharpen set of filters, that is the one to use - ignore the others. Camera Raw's sharpening tools do an even better job. But let's show you a couple of filter methods for sharpening an image in Photoshop. In the video, "Introducing the Smart Sharpen filter," Deke McClellan gives a great demonstration of using this filter. In the video, "Comparing High Pass Filter to Unsharp Mask & Smart Sharpen," Marty from Blue Lightning TV shows how to use the high pass filter, and compares it to the results you'll get from smart sharpen, and unsharp mask. Please watch both.
Video: Photoshop CC tutorial: Introducing the Smart Sharpen filter | lynda.com (7:29)
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Video: Photoshop: Comparing HIGH PASS FILTER to UNSHARP MASK & SMART SHARPEN (4:26)
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One of the things you'll find in Photoshop is that sometimes there are many ways to accomplish the same task. It's good to know these, because in some instances, one way will work better than another. In general, though, I do most of my sharpening and noise removal in Camera Raw, because that usually produces the results I want better than any other method. The high pass filter is the one I use next. And smart sharpen is my third choice. It's all a matter of personal preference. You'll settle on the method that works best for you.
At right is a video about a new sharpening feature in Photoshop CC - Camera shake reduction. It's awesome! |
Video: Camera Shake Reduction in Photoshop CC (6:43)
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Photoshop has a number of filters that allow you to blur portions of your image. These give you the power to create some awesome images. The video, Adding Motion Blur Effects Along a Path in Photoshop, demonstrates the power of one of the newest blur filters. The video, How to Rock the New Blur Gallery in Photoshop CC, shows you how to work the blur filters in the blur gallery. Aaron Nace shows us how to do a bi-directional blur using one of the older blur filters, Motion Blur. Watch the video, How to Master the Motion Blur in Photoshop.
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Video: Adding Motion Blur Effects Along a Path in Photoshop CC (7:52)
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Video: How to Rock the New Blur Gallery in Photoshop CC (9:57)
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Video: How to Master the Motion Blur in Photoshop (13:50)
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You learned about Camera Raw back in lesson 2. In Photoshop CC, camera raw has been added as one of the filters. So everything you've learned to do in camera raw can now be added as a smart filter in Photoshop.
The advantage of having camera raw as a Photoshop filter us that it can be used on any layer in your image. If you convert your layer into a smart object, that filter is non-destructive, and you can go back in and edit it at any time. You can also use a layer mask with it to give you even more precise control. The video at right demonstrates how to use the camera raw filter in Photoshop. |
Video: The Power of the Camera RAW Filter Photoshop CC (12:50)
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You can apply a filter to more than one layer at a time. In the video at the right, it demonstrates how to select more than one layer and then choose Convert to Smart Object in the filter menu.
Watch the video, How to apply a filter to more than one layer at a time in Photoshop. |
Video: How to apply a filter to more than one layer at a time in Photoshop (1:06)
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Lesson 13 Assignment
- Go through the material for this week's lesson. Experiment with the filters - there's fun tutorials below in the optional section.
- Review the final project (portfolio) instructions
- Work on your portfolio. When I graded your earlier portfolio submissions, I did so considering what you had learned at that point in the course. Your final portfolio should reflect all the skills and knowledge you've gained from the entire course. That means I'll be scoring them based on what was taught this semester. With that in mind, you may want to update some of your earlier submissions, now that you have more knowledge and skills. Your final project should be professional in every respect. I'm not saying you have to redo every earlier submission - I'm saying that you should look at each submission with a critical eye - knowing what you know now - and update any you feel you could do a better job on. Over the course of the semester, I have provided verbal and visual feedback. Review those - you don't have to use my suggestions - but I did point out problem areas in your submission. Fix them, knowing what you know now.
- Other than that, there are no assignments for week 13 - enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday! Travel safely if you are going somewhere for the holiday. There will be no face-to-face class on November 21, so you can get an early start home if you are traveling. You are all online students this week!
Some ideas for using filters in Photoshop...
Video: Photoshop: Create an Action to Transform your Photos into Beautiful, Impressionist Paintings (6:16)
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Video: Photoshop: Make a Comic Book, Pop Art, Cartoon from a Photo (10:22)
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Video: Photoshop: Design a Classic, Vintage, Tourism Poster (10:34)
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Video: Photoshop: How to Create a Dramatically-lit, Theatrical Interior Wall with Custom, Text Design (8:34)
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Video: Photoshop: Transform a Photo into a Brick Wall Portrait (8:55)
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Video: Photoshop: How to Make a Beautiful, Watercolor Portrait from a Photo (5:53)
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PDF Tutorial: Using the Torn Edges filter in the filter gallery to create a ragged edge around a photo.
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Video: Photoshop: Transform Photos into Gorgeous Pencil Drawings (3:00)
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This page last updated November 15, 2017. This lesson combines my own work (images, text, videos) which are ©2017 by Nathan Smith. All other images, videos, and cited text sources are curated from the internet, and are publicly available.
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