Nov 15
Smart Objects 1
2005 at 03.53 am posted by Veerle
Some of you may know that Smart Objects work with stuff placed from Illustrator but that’s not all Smart Objects has to offer in Photoshop CS. When designing a mockup you probably work with images, then later in editing you scale the image to what you think is right. How many times have you dreamed of a possibility to scale it back with any loss of quality?
We all know that you really can’t do it, the image would pixelate and soften instead. This instance was true until CS2 entered the scene. Yes it is true now you can place a photo in Photoshop and make it a “Smart Object”, just select the layer of the photo and go to the “Layer menu” and choose “group into New Smart Object”.
When you do this it is linked to the embedded high-resolution original. So now when you resize it’s still crystal clear even if you scale it a dozen times. But wait there is more, you can also rotate images or even warp them, it always pulls data from the original so that everything stays crisp. It allows me to rethink the way I work and I can do things that weren’t possible before CS2.
One more thing, if you duplicate a Smart Object and make a change to the original all duplicate layers update automatically. So go ahead and update, warp, swap, etc. all without the fear of quality loss.
12served
1
there are many animated tutorials on the web.
this one for example:
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/tt-cs2/smart-objects-tutorial.html
2
@Baldo: Your tutorial is about VECTOR smart objects and I am talking about that it works with PHOTOS too. That isn’t something that many people know since you don’t get the Smart Object option when you paste an image within Photoshop. The tutorial you are referring to is exactly what I said in the beginning of my post.
3
Thanks for the tip, Veerle. There’s a lot of hidden treasure in CS2. (Not like we ever read the manuals.)
4
Great tip! Thanks!
5
One more thing, if you duplicate a Smart Object and make a change to the original all duplicate layers update automatically.
Those one more things are always important in the Applesphere, aren’t they?
6
Awesome - thank you. I was wondering what that smart object business is about but have not had the time to learn about all the new stuff in CS2.
This is very good info to have and I’m psyched to put it to work!
As an aside, I’m wondering how you have the time to post so regularly? It amazes me!! As someone with a kid, a relationship, a business, and a dog I’m finding it hard to find time to write the articles I want to write. How do you do it? Are you just young and single, or do you have some amazing time-management tips and tricks that you’d like to share with us?
Anyway - thanks for all the time you do spend in sharing your insights with us. =)
7
Nice tip Veerle. Will be sure to integrate this with my workflow.
8
Great tip! This is something that will come in handy quite often.
9
heh lot’s of comments here- I’m not sure veerle will see this one- I just wanted to say that we at mcville (http://www.mcville.net) need a female contributor and I was thinking of asking you Veerle- please contact me via mail - or can someone tell me veerle’s mail coz i can’t find it anywhere around here:) call me blind but I don’t see it O_o .
10
Very cool tip !!
11
@Marko, mail is on the way ;-)
@Mani Sheriar, I just create a bit of time for it mostly late evenings or Sunday. I often prepare a few posts on a Sunday, this way I have a few posts already ready to post if times are really hectic and I have no time to post.
12
That’s a nice tip, thanks. You must write very quickly!
Thanks again for all your work. =)