Last week, I posted a general how-to on using the new Smart Brush in Photoshop Elements 7, and today’s post continues with tips and tricks on using the Smart Brush and how to duplicate its effects in any version of PSE, even if you didn’t upgrade to PSE 7.
Smart Brush Effects Categories
The PSE 7 Smart Brush contains 8 categories of effects:
- Lighting
- Nature
- Portrait
- Reverse
- Black & White
- Special Effects
- Color
- Photographic
I’ve used some of these categories extensively, and some not at all. I’ll concentrate on the first four, which I think most of us Moms will reach for first when trying to improve a picture or fix them up for a scrapbook. Not that having a Blueprint effect might not be useful sometime. . . . I’m just not sure when. Post a comment if you do want some info on the effects that I’m skipping over.
Final Thoughts on How to Use the Smart Brush in Photoshop Elements 7
Be creative and keep in mind that you can use the brush for effects beyond the use suggested by the Smart Brush name. The Blue Skies Smart Brush works great on some water shots and the Spray Tan Brush at low opacity gives a nice warmth to skin without looking like you take your baby to the tanning booth. What ideas do you have for alternate uses of these effects? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
Don’t forget that you can double click on the Adjustment Layer Thumbnail to modify Smart Brush settings to suit your picture.
And one last note. This Smart Brush does very little that we couldn’t have done before in PSE. The benefit of using it is that it condenses several steps into one or two and takes the guesswork out of deciding how best to fix a specific issue. If you didn’t upgrade, your workflow won’t be condensed, but you can use the tutorials below to make the same fixes that the Smart Brush uses for specific issues. Sometimes Moms need spoonfeeding too!
Tips on Adjustment Layers and Layer Masks in Photoshop Elements
Creating these effects in versions of PSE prior to version 7 involves Adjustment Layers. In the Layers Palette, click on the half-black half-white circle for a list of Adjustment Layers to choose from. These adjustment layers will have layer masks built in and it is the layer masks that allow you to apply the given effect only to the area you want to emphasize (or de-emphasize).
Your new Adjustment Layer will appear in the Layers Palette with two boxes on it. The first box is the Adjustment Layer Thumbnail. You can double click on it to modify the effect settings.
The second box indicates that there is a layer mask. When this layer is active, you paint either in black or white on the image. The effect is hidden from wherever you create a mask by painting in black, and the mask is removed wherever you paint in white so that the effect shows through.
By selecting the area you want to enhance before you create the Adjustment Layer, the Layer Mask is automatically configured to reveal the effect in your selection and hide it everywhere else. You can fine tune the Layer Mask with the regular paint brush or other tools after you apply the effect.
(I like the Quick Selection Tool in PSE 6 and later for selecting. But any method of selecting will work here.)
You can adjust the total effect of the adjustment by using the opacity slider in the layers palette. 100% opacity means that the effect is showing at full force, and the closer you adjust the opacity to 0%, the fainter the effect will be.
Finally, these effects will require changes in the Blending Modes of the new adjustment layers. Change the Blending Modes by using the first drop down list at the top of the Layers Palette.
So, here goes. Click on the effect name below for a description of the effect, alternate uses for it and how to create the same effect in any version of Photoshop Elements.
PSE 7 Smart Brush Nature Effects
Lighting
Portrait
Reverse
- Reverse Black & White
- Reverse High Noon
- Reverse Night
- Reverse Saturation
- Reverse Rainbow- Ok, I just can’t bring myself to do a tutorial on it. I can’t figure out what anyone would use it for. But if you’re interested, I’ll be happy to post the Smart Brush method!
- Reverse Retro – ditto on this one.
Related Posts
- Create Stunning Effects Quickly with the Photoshop Elements 7 Smart Brush
- Photoshop Elements Smart Brush
