"Photoshop CS4 Smart Objects" Begins

Submitted by deke on 16 August 2009 - 12:21am.

A few months ago, I began polling members of this site about what video series you'd like me to do next for lynda.com. Thus far, more than 1,500 of you have responded! (See Decide Deke's Fate.) At first, Blend Modes was the more popular topic. But then Smart Objects slowly and inevitably rose to the top. Now Smart Objects leads by a 9 percent margin.

Regarding the above graphic: Both foreground and background photos come from image vendor, Fotolia. Check out my deal with them (or don't). It's generous.

For those wondering what I mean by "edit your edits," that's what smart objects do. You begin by applying an edit. Typical Photoshop stuff. But then smart objects step in and permit you to edit your edits. Forevermore.

Meanwhile, I fully plan on doing a Blend Modes series. (Still in the planning phases, it could end up looking like nothing I've created so far.) But there's no denying, Smart Objects has won the day. Which is why I've already begun work on the Smart Objects series. The image above shows how it begins.

So far I'm just one chapter into things. But my training videos have a habit of gaining momentum and taking form. As will this one in the fullness of time. Let's imagine it to be an October title, just in time for tricks or treats. Which are object-oriented, as I recall. Let's you and I keep each other posted.

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Comments

Cool

Submitted by becomesomething on 8 September 2009 - 8:52am.
All these tools given by deke sounds cool

cool

Submitted by alec on 2 September 2009 - 3:34am.
Cool, I'll use it.

Good version

Submitted by registryX on 1 September 2009 - 1:45am.
The new version is cool,I have to use it.

i install cs4 version

Submitted by cleverlivingconcepts on 27 August 2009 - 7:43am.
and i was not a fan hey. anyway thats my opinon

amazing

Submitted by raffaello tamagnini on 26 August 2009 - 7:45am.
amazing news , i can't wait to try these ...

Can't wait to use this

Submitted by coverletters.august on 26 August 2009 - 6:01am.
What I like about this is you can scale, rotate, skew, distort, perspective transform, or warp a layer without losing original image data or quality because the transforms don’t affect the original data.

Life is art and technology

Submitted by techngear on 25 August 2009 - 9:57am.
I track to post here more.

The BEST!!!!

Submitted by digitalframeguy... on 25 August 2009 - 3:31am.
What i love about smart objects is that it contains of pixel-based content or vector-based content.

The BEST!!!! is SPAM

Submitted by crisderaud on 25 August 2009 - 8:42am.
You are spamming this site with your post. I for one do not appreciate it and I don't think it's condoned by any others here either.

Well, it was spam

Submitted by deke on 25 August 2009 - 3:42pm.
If you spam, your spam goes, your comment stays.

Smart Objects are cool

Submitted by rodlex377 on 24 August 2009 - 8:32am.
smart object are essentials especially when you are working on vectors. Smart objects are not based on pixels but they are based on lines. But still, I have more things to look forward to and learn about it. Looking forward Deke!

Channels and Masks

Submitted by hash3m on 20 August 2009 - 6:00pm.
Should have done Channels and Masks.

cool beans

Submitted by agentzee on 19 August 2009 - 5:46pm.
Love the site, I use smart objects a fair bit but am learning so much about cs4 here!

Awesome, can't wait. I'd

Submitted by korvix on 19 August 2009 - 3:42am.
Awesome, can't wait. I'd love to see an article on how things work behind the scenes when you're creating a series. Do you write speaker notes? Do you plan the whole thing, or chapter at a time? Interesting stuff.

Cooool!

Submitted by MART9000 on 18 August 2009 - 11:13am.
Sub zero in fact. Hey Deke when your smart objects tutorial comes out I'll no longer have any excuse not to upgrade to PS CS4! (I'm still on CS3). Those wonderful people at Adobe will relieve me of some more funds. (Although only yesterday I was traumatized by Adobe Customer Service when my brand new Dreamweaver CS4 upgrade (from Go Live CS) wouldn't install. After an hour on the phone they finally gave me a number that worked after failing to convince me that I had bought the wrong product version, which I hadn't. Upgrades scare me...!) But these things don't happen with Phoshop. I will really look forward to Smart Objects (October did you say, that's 2009?). It's one of the exciting newer additions to Phoshop that have a lot of promise. (And then bring on Blend modes).

wow

Submitted by hackersp on 17 August 2009 - 7:32pm.
thanks for posting!!

Smart objects.... oh yeah !

Submitted by draken3d on 17 August 2009 - 6:32pm.
I followed Deke's whole Photoshop CS4 One on One training and let me tell you that Smart objects are THE best thing so far in Photoshop. You can tweak the *beep* out of everything and it remains intact it you wanna go back an tweak em some more!!! :)

Photoshop CS4

Submitted by Diving Dominica... on 17 August 2009 - 12:00pm.
I've been using photoshop for adjusting my underwater pictures. Good to see a page like this that I can get more info and hints, thanks

Souns amazing

Submitted by isuny000 on 17 August 2009 - 7:14am.
I'll install cs4 version and I'll try the smart objects. Sounds really amazing!

Cool

Submitted by Gfx-Dzine on 17 August 2009 - 2:43am.
Looking forward to it too Deke. Also nice of mister the_guy_who_thought_up_Smart_Objects to stop by - thanks a lot for your and your crews work! :) Smart Objects have a lot of potential and is a cool first step. Although I feel they could evolve more; - It would be great if you didn't have to open them in a seperate docwindow but could alter them in place and see the adjustments semi-live with an 'Update' button (live would be too much to ask for I guess as multiple brush-strokes etc. would be too straining to show live - see next remark) in the design. - Another great thing would be when you could chose to instance a smart-layer - editing one instanced Smart-Object changes all instances...! - Too to be able to really free-transform a Smart-Object - now it snaps when Ctrl+dragging a corner point (hoped to see that solved in CS4 but alas). This could save an old company I worked for severall ours of work for each (daily) job. Sorry to 'take advantage' of the situation but it's not everyday that to forces like Deke & John Nack collide :D Thanks again.

I like CS4

Submitted by motelfan on 17 August 2009 - 1:20am.
I like CS4

Cant wait

Submitted by purviss on 16 August 2009 - 11:58pm.
I vote Photoshop CS4 Blend Modes. Please all support this

Excellent News!

Submitted by Petra on 16 August 2009 - 4:45pm.
I try to use Smart Objects as often as possible, and they are definitely far more versatile. And if you know of a way to mask individual filters individually, that would be awesome. I love Smart Objects, but that is the one thing that I can't quite get around. Hell, I'm so excited, I feel a poem coming on! Object d'Art in Photoshop is Smart Like Deke on a unicycle, juggling laptops and drinking Martinis with olives and Wheeler. Object d'Smart is nested joy like red wine, but not quite Maybe champagne but not not as giggly as team McClelland and Wheeler at the bar, multiplied. Ok, so it needs work. Waddaya gonna do....objectify me?! :-p

Great news!

Submitted by mattman on 16 August 2009 - 1:09pm.
Awesome, can't wait. I'd love to see an article on how things work behind the scenes when you're creating a series. Do you write speaker notes? Do you plan the whole thing, or chapter at a time? Interesting stuff.

Sounds great

Submitted by John Nack on 16 August 2009 - 12:54pm.
Looking forward to it, Deke! -- JNack (the guy who thought up Smart Objects)

Want to be a consultant?

Submitted by deke on 18 August 2009 - 12:57am.
Gosh, John. A plucky young educator like me should probably contact a wise old sage like yourself before I get too far into things. Glad you reminded me!