Use Filters In Adobe Photoshop

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.html›PHOTOSHOPFilter basicsPhotoshop User Guide1 of 12Search Adobe SupportFilters and effects!Select an article:4/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlON THIS PAGENote:Using filtersFor detailed instructions, click the links below. To askquestions, request features, or report problems, visitfeedback.photoshop.com.Apply a filter from the FiltermenuUsing filtersYou can use filters to clean up or retouch your photos, applyspecial art effects that give your image the appearance of asketch or impressionistic painting, or create uniquetransformations using distortions and lighting effects. Thefilters provided by Adobe appear in the Filter menu. Somefilters provided by third-party developers are available asplug-ins. Once installed, these plug-in filters appear at thebottom of the Filter menu.Filter Gallery overviewApply filters from the FilterGalleryBlend and fade filter effectsTips for creating specialeffectsImprove filter performanceApplies to: Photoshop CCLast Published: October 27, 2017Smart Filters, applied to Smart Objects, let you use filtersnon-destructively. Smart Filters are stored as layer effects inthe Layers panel and can be readjusted at any time, workingfrom the original image data contained in the Smart Object.For more information on Smart Filter Effects andnondestructive editing, see Nondestructive editing.To use a filter, choose the appropriate submenu commandfrom the Filter menu. These guidelines can help you inchoosing filters:Filters are applied to the active, visible layer or aselection.For 8‑bits per-channel images, most filters can beapplied cumulatively through the Filter Gallery. All filterscan be applied individually.Filters cannot be applied to Bitmap-mode or indexedcolor images.Some filters work only on RGB images.2 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlAll filters can be applied to 8‑bit images.The following filters can be applied to 16‑bit images:Liquify, Vanishing Point, Average Blur, Blur, Blur More,Box Blur, Gaussian Blur, Lens Blur, Motion Blur, RadialBlur, Surface Blur, Shape Blur, Lens Correction, AddNoise, Despeckle, Dust & Scratches, Median, ReduceNoise, Fibers, Clouds, Difference Clouds, Lens Flare,Sharpen, Sharpen Edges, Sharpen More, Smart Sharpen,Unsharp Mask, Emboss, Find Edges, Solarize, DeInterlace, NTSC Colors, Custom, High Pass, Maximum,Minimum, and Offset.The following filters can be applied to 32‑bit images:Average Blur, Box Blur, Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur,Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Surface Blur, Add Noise, Clouds,Lens Flare, Smart Sharpen, Unsharp Mask, De-Interlace,NTSC Colors, Emboss, High Pass, Maximum, Minimum,and Offset.Some filters are processed entirely in RAM. If you don’thave enough available RAM to process a filter effect, youmay get an error message.Apply a filter from the Filter menuYou can apply a filter to the active layer, or to a Smart Object.Filters applied to a Smart Object are nondestructive and canbe readjusted at any time.1Do one of the following:To apply a filter to an entire layer, make sure thelayer is active or selected.To apply a filter to an area of a layer, selectthat area.To apply a filter nondestructively so you canchange your filter settings later, select the SmartObject that contains the image content you want to3 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlfilter.2Choose a filter from the submenus in the Filter menu.If no dialog box appears, the filter effect is applied.3If a dialog box or the Filter Gallery appears, entervalues or select options, and then click OK.Note:Applying filters to large images can be time consuming, butyou can preview the effect in the filter dialog box. Drag in thepreview window to center a specific area of the image. Insome filters, you can click in the image to center it where youclick. Click the or – buttons under the preview window tozoom in or out.Filter Gallery overviewThe Filter Gallery provides a preview of many of the specialeffects filters. You can apply multiple filters, turn on or off theeffect of a filter, reset options for a filter, and change theorder in which filters are applied. When you are satisfiedwith the preview, you can then apply it to your image. Not allfilters in the Filter menu are available in the Filter Gallery.4 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlFilter Gallery dialog boxA. Preview B. Filter category C. Thumbnail of selectedfilter D. Show/Hide filter thumbnails E. Filters pop‑upmenu F. Options for selected filter G. List of filter effects toapply or arrange H. Filter effect selected but not applied I.Filter effects applied cumulatively but not selected J. Hiddenfilter effectDisplay the Filter Gallery1Choose Filter Filter Gallery. Clicking a filter categoryname displays thumbnails of available filter effects.Zoom in or out of the preview1Click the or – button under the preview area, orchoose a zoom percentage.View another area of the preview1Drag in the preview area with the Hand tool.Hide filter thumbnails1Click the Show/Hide buttonat the top of the gallery.Apply filters from the Filter GalleryFilter effects are applied in the order you select them. Youcan rearrange filters after you apply them by dragging a filtername to another position in the list of applied filters.Rearranging filter effects can dramatically change the wayyour image looks. Click the eye icon next to a filter to hidethe effect in the preview image. You can also delete appliedfilters by selecting the filter and clicking the Delete Layer5 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlicon .Note:To save time when trying various filters, experiment byselecting a small, representative part of your image.1Do one of the following:To apply a filter to an entire layer, make sure thatthe layer is active or selected.To apply a filter to an area of a layer, selectthat area.To apply a filter non-destructively, so you canchange your filter settings later, select the SmartObject that contains the image content that youwant to filter.6 of 122Choose Filter Filter Gallery.3Click a filter name to add the first filter. You may needto click the inverted triangle next to the filter categoryto see the complete list of filters. Once added, the filterappears in the applied filter list in the lower rightcorner of the Filter Gallery dialog box.4Enter values or select options for the filter you selected.4/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe filter-basics.htmlDo any of the following:To apply filters cumulatively, click the New EffectLayer icon , and choose an additional filter toapply. Repeat this procedure to add more filters.To rearrange applied filters, drag the filter to a newposition in the applied filter list in the lower rightcorner of the Filter Gallery dialog box.To remove applied filters, select a filter in theapplied filter list, and click the Delete Layer icon .6When you’re satisfied with the results, click OK.Blend and fade filter effectsThe Fade command changes the opacity and blending modeof any filter, painting tool, erasing tool, or color adjustment.The Fade command blending modes are a subset of those inthe painting and editing tools options (excluding the Behindand Clear modes). Applying the Fade command is similar toapplying the filter effect on a separate layer and then usingthe layer opacity and blending mode controls.Note:The Fade command can also modify the effects of using theLiquify command and Brush Strokes filters.7 of 121Apply a filter, painting tool, or color adjustment to animage or selection.2Choose Edit Fade. Select the Preview option topreview the effect.3Drag the slider to adjust the opacity, from 0%(transparent) to 100%.4/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe filter-basics.htmlChoose a blending mode from the Mode menu.Note:The Color Dodge, Color Burn, Lighten, Darken,Difference, and Exclusion blending modes do not workon Lab images.5Click OK.Tips for creating special effectsCreating edge effects You can use various techniques totreat the edges of an effect applied to only part of an image.To leave a distinct edge, simply apply the filter. For a softedge, feather the edge, and then apply the filter. For atransparent effect, apply the filter, and then use the Fadecommand to adjust the selection’s blending mode andopacity.Applying filters to layers You can apply filters to individuallayers or to several layers in succession to build up an effect.For a filter to affect a layer, the layer must be visible andmust contain pixels—for example, a neutral fill color.Applying filters to individual channels You can apply afilter to an individual channel, apply a different effect to eachcolor channel, or apply the same filter but with differentsettings.Creating backgrounds By applying effects to solid‑color orgrayscale shapes, you can generate a variety of backgroundsand textures. You might then blur these textures. Althoughsome filters have little or no visible effect when applied tosolid colors (for example, Glass), others produce8 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlinteresting effects.Combining multiple effects with masks or duplicateimagesUsing masks to create selection areas gives you more controlover transitions from one effect to another. For example, youcan filter the selection created with a mask. You can also usethe History Brush tool to paint a filter effect onto part of theimage. First, apply the filter to an entire image. Next, stepback in the History panel to the image state before thefilter was applied, and set the history brush source to thefiltered state by clicking in the well at the left side of thehistory state. Then paint the image.Improving image quality and consistency You candisguise faults, alter or enhance images, or create arelationship among images by applying the same effect toeach. Use the Actions panel to record the steps you take tomodify one image, and then apply this action to the otherimages.Improve filter performanceSome filter effects can be memory-intensive, especiallywhen applied to a high-resolution image.1You can do any of the following to improveperformance:Try out filters and settings on a small portion of animage.Apply the effect to individual channels—for example, to each RGB channel—if the image islarge and you’re having problems with insufficientmemory. (With some filters, effects vary if appliedto the individual channel rather than the compositechannel, especially if the filter randomly modifies9 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

Use filters in Adobe ilter-basics.htmlpixels.)Free up memory before running the filter by usingthe Purge command.Allocate more RAM to Photoshop. If necessary, exitother applications to make more memory availableto Photoshop.Try changing settings to improve the speed ofmemory-intensive filters, such as Lighting Effects,Cutout, Stained Glass, Chrome, Ripple, Spatter,Sprayed Strokes, and Glass filters. (For example,with the Stained Glass filter, increase cell size.With the Cutout filter, increase Edge Simplicity,decrease Edge Fidelity, or both.)If you plan to print to a grayscale printer, convert acopy of the image to grayscale before applyingfilters. However, applying a filter to a color image,and then converting to grayscale, may not have thesame effect as applying the filter to a grayscaleversion of the image.More like thisAbout plug‑in modulesBlending modesAbout adjustment and fill layersUse the Undo or Redo commandsFilter effects referenceTwitter and Facebook posts are not coveredunder the terms of Creative Commons.10 of 124/12/18, 9:14 AM

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