Filters

• Photoshop CS3 has organized filters. Each type of filter has a drop-down menu with choices for that filter. Brush Strokes has Accented Edges, for example. When using the filter, the user has control over different elements of the filter (i.e. stroke length, sharpness). Besides the artistic filters, there are sharpen filters that make an image crisp, blur and noise filters that can be used for dust and scratch removal, and an unlimited amount of uses for others. The filters in Photoshop CS3 are powerful tools to refine and enhance images.
  
  

mart Object

• Besides the incredible wealth of creative power with filters, Photoshop CS3 introduces the Smart Object. This allows the user to edit the filters without the cumbersome steps of creating multiple layers. This changes the workflow by saving time, steps and making individual edits easier. All the user has to do is choose "Filter>Convert For Smart Filters" from the Main Toolbar and the background is automatically prepared for editing filters after their application. The layer is now a Smart Object ready for filters to be applied.
  
  

Editing Filters

• Edit the layer by applying a filter. If Colored Pencil was the filter, choose "Filter>Artistic>Colored Pencil" from the Main Toolbar. Next, set the Pencil Width, Stroke Pressure and Paper Brightness to the desired effect and "click OK." The layer will show the Smart Object and the Colored Pencil filter that is applied. The user can toggle the filter on and off within the layer. The actual image is still unaltered and, if desired, the applied filter can be removed without harming the original image. Photoshop CS3 has added two new features with the filters, Blending Options and Opacity Settings. Click on the icon to the right of the filter name in the Layers Palette and a Blending Options window will open. Here the Mode and Opacity settings can be manipulated. The new Opacity options are Lighter Color and Darker Color. Using the Smart Object also allows an isolated section of the image with the filter effect to be erased or softened. This makes using filters incredibly efficient.
  
  

Filter Gallery

• When editing filters, there is another way to add multiple filters to the Smart Object. "Choose Filter>Filter Gallery" from the Main Toolbar and the Filter Gallery will open with all the available filters. The user can go through and sample each filter without changing windows, another time saver. Each applied filter can be edited the same as the original filter. This new method puts all the filter effects on one Smart Object instead of separate layers.