14. Manipulating Images with Filters

Adobe Photoshop filters are a designer’s dream come true. With filters you can turn a photograph into an oil painting or a watercolor; even change night into day. Photoshop’s Filter menu includes no less than 105 highly creative filters, which can be applied once, reapplied, or combined with other filters to create any effect your imagination can dream up.

In addition, the filter menu includes Extract, Liquify, and the Pattern Maker. The possible combination of filters and images literally runs into the millions. This means that Photoshop filters are truly an undiscovered territory. As a matter of fact, the Filter Gallery lets you view the effects of one or more filters on the active document. This level of power gives you unbelievable creative control over your images.

Other commands, such as the Fade command, let you reduce the effect of the applied filter, and even apply a blending mode to the final image. In addition, you can utilize a channel mask to control how the filter is applied to the image. You could use a black to white gradient channel mask to slowly fade the effects of the filter from left to right.

Photoshop even lets you protect you intellectual property by embedding a definable watermark into the image that is almost invisible to see, and virtually impossible to remove. In fact, you can print an image that contains a watermark, run it off on a copy machine and rescan, and the watermark is still there. Now that’s protection.

Take a moment to view some of the various filter effects that Photoshop offers. Because there are 105 filters available, we can’t show you all of them, but I think you’ll enjoy viewing the selection at the end of the chapter.

Working with the Filter Gallery

PS 1.6

The Filter Gallery maintains complete and total control over Photoshop’s filters. In essence, the Filter Gallery gives you access to all of Photoshop’s filters and lets you apply the filters to any raster image, while viewing a large preview of the results. The Filter Gallery dialog box is composed of three sections—Image Preview, Filter Selection, and Filter Controls. When you use the Filter Gallery to modify the image, you see exactly how the image will look; there is no guesswork involved. When you apply a filter to an image you are physically remapping the pixel information within the image. Photoshop contains 105 filters and the combinations of those filters are astronomical. If you are a math wizard, there are over 100 million combinations available, and that means that no one has discovered all the ways you can manipulate an image in Photoshop... have fun trying.

Work with the Filter Gallery

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to modify with a filter effect.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Filter Gallery.

Change the image preview by clicking the plus or minus zoom buttons, or by clicking the black triangle and selecting from the pre-set zoom sizes.

If necessary, drag the lower-right corner in or out to resize the Filter Gallery dialog box.

Click the expand triangle, located to the left of the individual categories, to expand a filter category. Filter categories include:

Artistic
Brush Strokes
Distort
Sketch
Stylize
Texture

Click a filter from the expanded list to view its default effects to the image.

Modify the effects of the filter using the filter controls.

To temporarily hide the Filter Selections, click the Hide Filter Section button, located to the left of the OK button.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can reapply a specific filter effect using a shortcut. Press Ctrl+F (Win) or +F (Mac) to reapply the last filter to the image.

Creating and Working with Smart Filters

PS 7.2

When you apply a filter to a Smart Object, the filter becomes a Smart Filter (New!). If you don’t have a Smart Object, you can convert a normal layer for Smart Filters. Smart Filters appear in the Layers palette below the Smart Object layer, where you can show or hide them independently; they are nondestructive. You can apply any filter, except Extract, Liquify, Pattern Maker, and Vanishing Point.

Create and Work with Smart Filters

Open a document.

Use one of the following to create a Smart Filter:

Smart Object layer. Select a Smart Object layer, click the Filter menu, select a filter, then specify the options you want.
Normal layer. Select the layer, click the Filter menu, and then click Convert for Smart Filters, and then click OK.

Select the layer with the Smart Filters in the Layers palette.

Click the arrow to the right of the layer to display the filter effects.

Select from the following:

Show or Hide. Click the eye icon.
Move. drag the effect up or down the list.
Delete. Drag the effect to the Delete icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.
Duplicate. Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) drag the Smart Filter from one Smart Object to another, or to a new location in the Smart Filters list.

Applying Multiple Filters to an Image

PS 1.6

Not only does Photoshop’s Filter Gallery let you apply and view a filter effect, it lets you view the multiple effects of two or more filters. The Filter Gallery has its own Layers palette, and can have a lot of effect layers. The order of the filters influences their impact on the image. When you create a filter effect using more than one filter, drag the filter effect up or down in the effects stack. Changing the order of the filters changes their impact on the image, so experiment with different stacking orders to create eye-popping special effects.

Apply Multiple Filters to an Image

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to modify with a filter effect.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Filter Gallery.

Select the filter you want.

Adjust the filter as necessary.

Click the New Layer Effect button, located at the bottom of the Filter Adjustments section. You can add as many effects layers as needed.

Select and adjust a second filter (repeat steps 4 and 5).

Adjust each individual effect by clicking on the effect layer you want to change.

To change filter influence on the image, drag an effect layer to another position in the stack.

To temporarily show or hide the effect on the image, click the Show/Hide button.

To delete a selected effect layer, click the Delete button.

Click OK.

Important

Once you click the OK button, the effects are permanently applied to the active image, unless it’s a Smart Object.

Modifying Images with Liquify

The Liquify filter gives you amazing control over an image. For example, you can distort the image pixels almost as if the image were an oil painting that had yet to dry. In addition, you can magnify specific areas of an image or reduce them in size. The Liquify filter lets you push, pull, rotate, reflect, pucker, and bloat any area of an image. The distortions you create can be subtle or drastic, which makes the Liquify command a powerful tool for retouching images as well as creating artistic effects.

Modify Images with Liquify

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to liquify.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Liquify.

Select from the following Liquify tools:

Forward Warp. Pushes pixels in front of the brush as you drag.
Reconstruct. Drag the image, using a specific brush size to restore previously modified areas of the image.
Twirl Clockwise. Click in an area to twirl the pixels (contained inside the brush tip) clockwise. To twirl counter clockwise, hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key.
Pucker. Click and hold to move pixels towards the center of the brush tip.
Bloat. Click and hold to move pixels away from the center of the brush tip.
Push Left. Drag to push pixels to the left of the brush tip. For example, dragging straight up pushes pixels to the left, and moving to the right pushes pixels up.
Mirror. Drag to copy pixels to the left of the stroke.
Turbulence. Smoothly scrambles the pixels in an image. Creates realistic waves or fire.
Freeze. Paints a mask over an area of the image, and then protects that area from change.
Thaw. Erases the mask created with the Freeze tool.
Hand. Drag to move the visible image. Useful if the image is larger than the physical document window.
Zoom. Click to zoom in on a specific area of the image. Click and drag to define an area to zoom in on. Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key and click to zoom out.

Click OK.

Working with Liquify Tool Options

The Liquify Tool options control the brush tip. Since all the Liquify commands are executed with a brush, it’s important to understand how you control the brush tip. When you apply the brush stroke the faster you drag the mouse the less effect is applied to the image; if you drag slowly, you gain more control and the effect is more intense. Practice dragging the cursor over the image to produce different effects, and if you make a mistake, don’t forget the undo key—Ctrl+Z (Win), +Z (Mac).

Work with Liquify Tool Options

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to liquify.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Liquify.

Select from the following Liquify Tool options:

Brush Size. Select a value (1 to 600).
Brush Density. Select a value (0 to 100). Brush Density controls how much the brush feathers at the ends. Lower values equal increased feathering.
Brush Pressure. Select a value (1 to 100). Determines how quickly a liquify effect is applied to the image, when the brush is moving. The lower the value, the slower the effect.
Brush Rate. Select a value (0 to 100). Determines how quickly a liquify effect is applied to the image, when the brush is stationary. The lower the value, the slower the effect.
Turbulent Jitter. Select a value (1 to 100). Controls how tightly the Turbulent Jitter tool distorts the image. The higher the value, the more distortion.
Reconstruct Mode. Determines how the Reconstruct tool restores the image. Click the list arrow, and then select from the available options:
- Revert
- Rigid
- Stiff
- Smooth
- Loose
Reconstruct. Click the button to reconstruct the image stage by stage.
Reconstruct All. Click the button to restore the image to its original state.
Stylus Pressure. Select the check box if you’re using a drawing table to allow pressure on the table to control pressure applied with the Liquify brush.

Click OK.

Working with Liquify Mask Options

When you work with an image that contains a selection or mask, you can use that information to control how the Liquify command adjusts the image. Think of the mask as a visual representation of the work areas of the image. Creating a mask gives you precise control over what portions of the image are modified.

Work with Liquify Mask Options

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer containing a selection or mask.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Liquify.

Select from the following Liquify Mask options:

Replace Selection. Shows the selection, mask, or transparency in the original image.
Add To Selection. Shows the mask in the original image, so you can then add to the selection using the Freeze tool.
Subtract From Selection. Subtracts pixels in channel from current freeze.
Intersect With Selection. Uses only pixels that are selected and currently frozen.
Invert Selection. Removes Image Information with Extract.

Click OK.

Working with Liquify View Options

The Liquify View Options control what you see in the preview window. For example, you can choose to view or hide a mask; even change its color. If the image you’re working on is in a transparent layer you can even choose to view the image with or without the other image layers. How you view the image is up to you; however, having choices gives you greater control over the final results.

Work with Liquify View Options

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer containing a selection or mask.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Liquify.

Select from the following Liquify View options:

Show Image. Shows/hides the active image preview.
Show Mesh. Displays a mesh (grid) over the image preview.
Mesh Size. Select between a Small, Medium, or Large mesh.
Mesh Color. Select a color for the mesh.
Show Mask. Shows/hides the mask.
Mask Color. Select a color for the mask.
Show Backdrop. Shows/hides the backdrop.
Use. Select what layers are displayed in the image preview.
Mode. Displays the active layer In Front, Behind, or Blended with the other layers.
Opacity. Determines the blending opacity between the individual layers.

Click OK.

Creating a Liquify Mesh

You may have noticed the Load Mesh and Save Mesh buttons, located at the top of the Liquify dialog box. A mesh is a predefined Liquify operation. When you activate the mesh option, a mesh or grid is placed over the image, and then as you use the Liquify tools, the mesh distorts and bends. After applying a lot of work to a particular image, it’s quite possible you might want to use that exact Liquify on another image. That’s where the Load and Save Mesh options come into play. With a click of a button you can create a mesh and use it over and over again.

Create a Liquify Mesh

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to liquify.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Liquify.

Select the Show Mesh check box.

Use the Liquify tools to adjust the image.

Click Save Mesh.

Enter a descriptive name, such as Fire, or Crashing Waves, for the mesh.

Click Save.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can display the distortion created by the Liquify tools. Check this option to display a mesh (grid) over the image preview. When you select the Show Mesh check box, a mesh is applied to an image, which distorts as you apply the Liquify tools. When you clear the Show Image check box (turning off the Image), you get a visual grid that represents the distortion values applied to the image.

Applying a Liquify Mesh

Applying a mesh to an image is a lot easier than redoing a particular Liquify operation and to be honest, it would be virtually impossible to reproduce a Liquify adjustment from scratch. That’s why Adobe gives you the option of creating, saving, and loading your very own personalized meshes.

Apply a Liquify Mesh

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to liquify.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Liquify.

Select the Show Mesh check box.

Click Load Mesh.

Select a mesh.

Click Open.

The distortions generated by the mesh are applied to the image.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can modify a loaded mesh. Open a mesh, and then use the Liquify options to further distort the mesh pattern. That way you can create a generic mesh pattern and modify the pattern to fit any design need.

Using the Lens Blur Filter

The Lens Blur filter creates a varying depth of field so that certain objects stay in focus and others areas become blurred. What stays in focus and what blurs is determined by a user-defined selection or alpha channel. When the filter is activated, a depth map is created to determine the 3-dimensional position of the pixels in an image. If you use an alpha channel, the black areas in the alpha channel are at the front of the photo, and the white areas are in the distance. Experiment with selections and alpha channel masks to see how precisely you can control the visual effect of blurring in an image.

Use the Lens Blur Filter

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer in which you want to apply the Lens Blur.

Create a selection or alpha mask to control the blur.

Click the Filter menu, point to Blur, and then click Lens Blur.

The Lens Blur dialog box opens.

Working with Photo Filters

The Photo Filter command acts as if you placed a colored filter in front of the camera lens. Photographers place colored filters in front of a camera lens to adjust the color balance of the image and control the color temperature of the light transmitted through the lens. In addition to simulating a color filter, the Photo Filter command also lets you select a color preset and apply a specific hue adjustment to an image, and if you want to apply a custom color adjustment, the Photo Filter command lets you specify a user-defined color using the Adobe Color Picker.

Work with Photo Filters

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer in which you want to apply the Photo Filter.

Click the Image menu, point to Adjustments, and then click Photo Filter.

Select the Preview check box to view the results of the color filter directly in the active document window.

Select from the following options:

Filter. Click the list arrow, and then select from the available filter presets.
Color. Click the color box, and then select a color using the Color Picker dialog box.
Density. Drag the slider to increase or decrease the impact the color has on the image.
Preserve Luminosity. Select the check box to prevent the image being darkened by adding a color filter (recommended).

Click OK.

Blending Modes and Filter Effects

When Adobe introduced the Filter Gallery in Photoshop CS, it finally gave designers the ability to view the effects of multiple filters applied to a single image. While this changed forever how we apply filters to an image, there is one more creative way to work: Blending Modes. For example, make a copy of an image, then apply a separate filter effect to each layer, and then use the Blending Modes option to create a totally different image. While this is not a new technique, the results of combining two or more layers together, each with a different filter effect can produce quite stunning results.

Work with Blending Modes and Filters Effects

Open an image.

Select the layer containing the image you want to modify.

Press Ctrl (Win) or (Mac) + J to create a copy of the selected layer.

Select the layers one at a time and apply a different filter to each layer.

Select the top layer.

Click the Blending Modes list arrow and experiment with the various blending options.

In this example, the Cutout and Find Edges filters were used on the separate layers, and then combined with the Linear Light Blending Mode.

Did You Know?

You can use the Opacity option to further control the final image. If the blending effect appears a bit too intense, simply lower the opacity of the top, or bottom layer to change the intensity of the filter effects.

Building Custom Patterns

PS 2.6

The Pattern Maker filter lets you create you own distinctive patterns, based on image information in the active document, or clipboard memory. Since the pattern is based on a sample data, it shares the visual characteristics of the sample. For example, if you sample an image of a cloudy sky, the Pattern Maker generates a tile-like pattern that is different from the sample but is still retains the elements of a cloudy sky. You can even generate multiple patterns from the same sample.

Build Custom Patterns

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to use for a Pattern.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Pattern Maker.

Select the Rectangular Marquee tool on the toolbox, and then select a portion of the image.

Select the portion of the image you want to generate an image.

Click Generate to create a random pattern based on the selected sample.

Click Generate Again to generate another random pattern.

Important

All the generated patterns are stored in the History box, located on the bottom-right of the Pattern Maker dialog box.

Select from the available Tile Generation options:

Use Clipboard As Sample. Uses the pixel information contained in the Clipboard as the tile-generating pattern.
Use Image Size. Creates a tile pattern the size of the original image.
Width. Enter a value (1 to 800), or click the black triangle and drag the slider left or right to define a width.
Height. Enter a value (1 to 800), or click the black triangle and drag the slider left or right to define a height.
Offset. Click the list arrow, and then click None, Horizontal, or Vertical.
Amount. Enter a percentage value (1 to 100), or click the black triangle and drag the slider left or right.
Smoothness. Click the list arrow, and then select a value of 1, 2, or 3.
Sample Detail. Enter a value from 3 to 21, or click the black triangle and drag the slider left or right.
Show. Click the list arrow, and then select between the generated sample, and the original image.
Tile Boundaries. Select the check box to view the tile edges in the preview window. Click on the color box, and then select an alternate color.

Scroll through your tile patterns using the left/right arrow keys underneath the Tile History preview. Stop when you see the pattern you want.

Click OK.

Important

When you click OK, the Pattern Maker filter over-writes the original image, so it’s a good idea to make a copy of the image in a separate layer before using the Pattern Maker filter.

For Your Information: Using Pattern Maker

Custom patterns can be generated from any RGB, Grayscale, CMYK, or Lab mode graphic image. In addition, when you create a pattern the original image is overwritten with the new pattern, so you can use the generated pattern, reopen the Pattern Maker filter, and then create new patterns from the pattern you just created.

Using the Fade Command

Photoshop’s Fade command is a one-shot chance to change you mind. For example, you’ve just applied a Find Edges filter to an image. You like the look but the effect is too dramatic. What you really want to do is slowly fade the effect. Unfortunately filter effects don’t fade; they are simply applied to the image. You could create a copy of the original layer, apply the effect to the copy, and then use Layer transparency and blending mode options to merge the effect to the image, but there’s an easier way, and that’s using the Fade command.

Use the Fade Command

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to apply a filter.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Filter Gallery.

Apply any of Photoshop’s filters to the active image.

Click OK.

Click the Edit menu, and then click Fade. The Fade command includes the name of the applied filter.

Important

The Fade command must be executed before performing any other command. Once you execute another command, the ability to modify the last filter is lost.

Change the Opacity and Mode settings until you see the effect you’re after.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can use the Fade command with almost any filter or drawing tool. Every time you draw, use a command or filter, the Fade command gives you a one-shot chance to fade and blend.

Controlling Filters Using Selection

When you apply a filter to an image, Photoshop applies the filter equally to the entire image. Unfortunately, that might not be what you had in mind. For example, you might want to apply the Gaussian Blur filter to a portion of the image. In that case, Photoshop’s selection tools come to the rescue. The primary purpose of selection is to define a work area, and when you select an area before applying a filter, the only area impacted by the filter will be the selected area.

Control Filters Using Selection

Open a document.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer you want to apply a filter.

Click one of the selection tools on the toolbox, and then create a selection in the document window.

Click the Filters menu, and then click Filter Gallery.

Click any of Photoshop filters.

Adjust the filter options until you see the image you want.

Click OK.

The filter is only applied to the selected areas of the image.

Using a Channel Mask to Control Filter Effects

Photoshop’s filters can be applied to any raster image. In addition, filters can be controlled with the use of selections. You can use any of Photoshop’s selection tools to define a working area. However, sometimes selections are somewhat limited in what they can do. Although selections can be feathered, they basically represent a cookie-cutter work area. What if you want to apply a filter in a completely different way? For example, you want to apply a filter that is more aggressive on the right side of the image, and slowly tapers off from left to right? In that case a simple selection won’t help, but a Channel mask will do exactly what you need.

Use a Channel Mask to Control Filter Effects

Open a document.

Click the Channels palette, and then click the Add New Channel button.

Select the Gradient tool on the toolbox, click a linear gradient, default the foreground and background colors to black and white, and then drag left to right across the new channel mask.

Photoshop creates a horizontal black to white, channel mask.

Select the Layers palette, and then select the layer containing the image you want to modify.

Protecting Images with Watermarks

Digital watermarks are designed to protect your intellectual property. When you embed a digital watermark, it actually inserts the watermark information as visible noise into the image. This means that someone can copy your image, scan it, and the watermark is still part of the image. To embed a digital watermark, you must first register with Digimarc Corporation; which maintains a database of artists, designers, and photographers and their contact information. You can then embed the Digimarc ID in your images, along with information such as the copyright year or a restricted-use identifier.

Protect Images with Watermarks

Open the image you want to watermark.

Important

The Embed Watermark filter won’t work on an image that has been previously watermarked.

If you’re working with a layered image, you should flatten the image before watermarking it; otherwise, the watermark will affect the active layer only.

Click the Filter menu, point to Digimarc, and then click Embed Watermark.

If you’re using the watermark for the first time, click Personalize. Get a Digimarc ID by clicking Info to launch your Web browser and visit the Digimarc Web site at www.digimarc.com.

Enter a Digimarc ID and any other necessary information, and then click OK.

The Personalize button becomes a Change button, allowing you to enter a new Digimarc ID.

Click the Image Information list arrow, select an option, and then enter a copyright year, Transaction ID, or Image ID for the image.

Select any of the following Image Attributes check boxes:

Restricted. Select the check box to limit the use of the image.
Do Not Copy. Select the check box to specify the image should not be copied.
Adult Content. Select the check box to label the image contents as suitable for adults only.

Click the Target Output list arrow, and then specify whether the image is intended for Monitor, Web, or Print.

Drag the slider, or enter a value (1 to 4). The higher the number, the more aggressive the watermark.

To automatically assess the watermark’s durability after it’s embedded, select the Verify check box.

Click OK.

Viewing Various Filter Effects

Photoshop provides a bountiful selection of filters, 105 to be exact. Take a moment to view some of the various filter effects that Photoshop offers. The original image is shown to the right, and we’ve displayed some common filters on the following pages. A good thing to think about when using filters is your original image. Look at the background colors, and see if they will look good with some of the filters. The best thing to do is open an image that has a lot of various details, and then apply some filters to see what you like.