Adobe PHOTOSHOP 5.0, User Manual, Page: 314 / 400

CHAPTER 13 306
Using Filters
Improve image quality and consistency You can
disguise faults, alter or enhance, or make a series of
images look related by applying the same effect to
each. Use the Actions palette to record the
process of modifying one image, and then use
this action on the other images.(See Chapter 16,
Automating Tasks.)
For a color illustration of using filters to
improve consistency in unrelated artwork,
see figure 13-2 on page 228.
Improving performance with
filters
Some filter effects can be memory intensive,
especially when applied to a high-resolution
image. You can use these techniques to improve
performance:
•
Try out filters and settings on a small portion of
an image.
•
Apply the effect to individual channels—for
example, to each RGB channel—if the image is
large and you’re having problems with insufficient
memory. (With some filters, effects vary if applied
to the individual channel rather than the
composite channel, especially if the filter
randomly modifies pixels.)
•
Experiment on a low-resolution copy of your file
and note the filters and settings used. Then apply
the filters and setting to the high-resolution
original.
•
Free up memory before running the filter by
using the Purge command. For more information,
see “Correcting mistakes” on page 167.
•
Allocate more RAM to Photoshop. If necessary,
exit from other applications to make more
memory available to Photoshop.
•
Try changing settings to improve the speed of
memory-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, or
decrease Edge Fidelity, or both.)
•
If you plan to print to a grayscale printer, convert
a copy of the image to grayscale before applying
filters. However, applying a filter to a color image
and then converting to grayscale may not have the
same effect as applying the filter to a grayscale
version of the image.
Choosing a filter effect
The Adobe Photoshop filters fall into 14 general
categories. In addition, third-party filters appear
at the bottom of the Filter menu.
For information on individual filters within
these categories and a gallery of sample
effects, see online help.
Artistic filters Apply a painterly or special effect for
a fine-arts or commercial project. For example,
use the Cutout filter for collages or type treatment.
These filters replicate natural or traditional media
effects. For information on the Rough Pastels and
Underpainting filters, see “Using texture and glass
surface controls” on page 304.