If you ’re reckon to experiment with a layer in Photoshop but do n’t want to whole overwrite the original picture , you might want to consider using Adobe ’s Smart Objects boast .
Keep reading to discover everything you need to have intercourse about Smart Objects in Photoshop , including what they are and what the welfare are equate to using a stock rasterised layer .
What are Smart Objects in Photoshop?
A Smart Object is a Photoshop layer that contains image data from another raster or vector simulacrum , such as another Photoshop or Illustrator file cabinet .
These layer take issue slenderly from Linked Smart Objects , which are Smart Objects that link to extraneous filing cabinet and update when that origin file cabinet change . However , they do go in a very like way .
Smart Objects allow artists and designers to execute nondestructive edits on images by preserving that layer ’s original source depicted object . This mean you could surmount , distort or perspective - transform a layer without worrying about the original image dropping in quality .
filter apply to Smart Objects are also non - destructive , meaning you’re able to apply a Crystalise or Emboss effect without concern about the filter affecting the image permanently .
If you ever change your mind , you’re able to go back to a different stage in the labor or hit the circular arrow icon on the Properties panel to reset the image whole .
Another major benefit to Smart Objects is that they let artists to work with vector images ( such as art created in Adobe Illustrator ) directly in Photoshop without rasterising the layer and feign the image timbre or scalability .
Linked Smart Objects are peculiarly useful for those want to employ the same prototype across multiple project as Linked Smart Objects can be connected to more than one Photoshop document at the same metre . This mean you may go for changes across multiple project at the same time by simply updating the original seed data file rather than taking the prison term to go through each document and adjusting the layer individually .
One thing you ca n’t do to a Smart Object is apply any edits that would alter the pixel data point . This include picture , dodging , combustion and cloning .
The only way to make these changes in this example is to apply them to the original source filing cabinet , which would affect every Linked Smart Image , or to change the Smart Object into a regular rasterised layer , removing the nondestructive benefits of a Smart Object .
