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Posted on 16/07/11 2:35:49 PM |
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Ben Bolt
* Posts: 2 Reply |
smart objects, saving
I have been avoiding using smart objects in my book cover designs because I can't figure out how to save them. When I try to save it, it goes back to the original file and saves it in some weird place that is not in with the files of my project. The only solution I have come up with is to rasterize the smart object image and then do a 'merge visible'. But once rasterized, I can no longer change the effects or filters in the smart object. I spent a lot of time recently on a component of a book cover using smart objects and could only get it into the many layers by rasterizing it. With my work I do a lot of resizing and would love to use smart objects for both graphics and type layers so I don't wind up with a pixel mud soup. Am I correct to rasterize when I merge or flatten? Thanks much |
Posted on 17/07/11 8:44:54 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7025 Reply  |
Re: smart objects, saving
Smart Objects are saved within the Photoshop file you're working on. So if you have, say, three layers in a document, you can combine two of them into a single Smart Object. It will then appear as if there are only two layers in the document. Double-click the Smart Object and it will open in a new window as a .psb so you can edit its contents. Then, when you save the .psb file, it returns you to the original Photoshop file. I always use Smart Objects when designing book covers, as it gives the flexibility to try out different sizes and rotations without losing any image quality. No need to rasterise or flatten when you save - the Smart Object will always be stored inside the document you're working on. |
Posted on 21/07/11 12:52:35 PM |
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Ben Bolt
* Posts: 2 Reply |
Re: smart objects, saving
Thanks Steve, The picture I was applying Smart Object to was from a stock agency that I had originally saved on my desktop. The client wanted Jesus turned into an 80 year old man for his cover. When I tried to save it, it saved it as a .psb, but put it deep within the bowels of photoshop instead of in my files or on the desktop. It must be one of those computer things I will never understand. It hasn't happened with other image files since. Smart Objects will make my life easier now because I was using History all the time to size images into my collages and it made for a lot of doing and then undoing. |