Operation Manual

122 LESSON 4 Image Editing Basics
Tweaking Smart Brush adjustments
Each Smart Brush adjustment has its own set of controls that let you customize the
effect—even in a later editing session, as long you’ve saved the file with its layers.
1 In the Layers panel, double-click the gradient icon ( ) on the Blue Skies 1 layer.
In the Gradient Fill dialog box, you can modify the gradient’s colors, angle, and
fade rate. Watch the sky as you choose Reflected from the gradient Style menu;
then, click OK.
2 Use the Opacity slider at the top of the Layers panel to decrease the opacity
of the Blue Skies 1 layer from 75% to 30%. You can use the adjacent menu to
change the blending mode, but for now, leave it set to Color Burn.
3 Select the layer Blue Skies 2—the adjustment for the sea. Double-click the
gradient icon ( ) for Blue Skies 2; then, disable the Reverse option. Click OK.
Reduce the opacity of the Blue Skies 2 layer from 75% to 40%.
4 Double-click the Brightness/Contrast icon ( ) on the Lighten Skin Tones 1
to open the Adjustments panel in Brightness/Contrast mode. Set a Brightness
value of +60 and increase the Contrast to +25. Repeat the process for the layer
Lighten Skin Tones 2, at the top of the layers list. Set both the Brightness and
Contrast to a value of 15; then, close the Brightness/Contrast controls.
5 Click the Hand tool to disable the Smart Brush and hide the pins. In the Layers
panel, toggle the eye icon ( , ) beside each adjustment layer’s name to show
and hide its effect so that you can assess just how the image has changed.
6 Choose File > Save As. Name the file DSCN0532_SmartBrush and set up the
usual save options. is time, choose the Photoshop file format and activate the
Layers option so that you can edit your adjustment layers later. Close the file.
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Note: You can use
the Smart Brush on the
same area in an image
as many times as you
wish. If you re-apply the
same preset, the effects
are usually cumulative;
if you apply more
than one effect to the
same image area, their
effects are combined.
Adjustment layers
affect all lower layers
in the Layers panel;
rearranging the order
of different adjustments
applied to the same
area can alter the
combined effect.