The Smart Object in Photoshop

Sunday, December 16, 2012
                 (# 3 post of the day)

The Smart Object

in Photoshop

Introduction

   If there was anything anywhere (Net, Adobe, Books, You-Tube) that has been described in a more confusing and not understandable way, it's the smart object! Just 1 thing though - I might be wrong in what I'm writing, so if you read this and I'm wrong, by all means please correct me! However, I don't think so.

  So what is a smart object?  A smart object is basically a file that you will open as a "smart object". after you open it, you can do all kinds of things to the image, but it will always remain as it was when you started. It will not change. It can be saved to the point where you worked on it, but it will always be the "same old, same old". They should have called it "indestructible"! That would have been a simpler name to remember and understand!

A Beautiful 1930's-1940's Wyandotte Coupe (Pressed Steel).

It's one of my favourite toys! 

**I labelled all of the images in this post as "SMART OBJECT"

However, when I saved the actual image as a "smart object" it's called smart object twice!

Oops!

You have to open this file as as:

File  >>  Open as Smart Object

As you can see, the Smart Object file has the name 2 times 

Sorry!

 What I did with the original photo was:

1.  Separate the car from the foundation or background

2. Use a filter to alter the foundation

Whatever you do to this image, it will always have a working layer.

The "original image will always be saved, and won't change!

The whole idea of the smart object is great, but its way overblown and advertised. 

All you have to do is make a duplacte copy of an orignal image and then save it as a PSD (Photoshop Document).

However, Photoshop likes to dramatize all new features, and title them!

A large screen-capture of the Layers menu window

I'm going to go through what all of those tiny icons are.

Pressing on that triangle pointing downwards will hide the working layer. 

Nothing happens when you try to press that!

Pressing that small page and square icon

opens up an instruction window 

What happens when you press the OK button 

You now get an extra image (file)

This is the image by itself.

When I went to save that file, I could only save it in a folder called TemporaryItems. 

I never eveer knew what that was or that that folder even existed!

That TemporaryItems folder resides in the  Documents folder.

Documents >>TemporaryItems Folder

  As much as I feel Adobe had overdramatized (emoted) this feature, it's a great feature to have. So the next time, you need to work on a special image, but have to return to it in its' original state, you now know what to do - do an open as >>smart object. Just  try and remember the word "indestructible" and associate it with Photoshop's term of smart object". - that will help you!

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great morning, afternoon, or evening,

wherever you may be.

Stacey