{"id":104,"date":"2005-11-26T22:24:21","date_gmt":"2005-11-26T13:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2005-11-26\/104"},"modified":"2013-08-28T13:55:32","modified_gmt":"2013-08-28T04:55:32","slug":"photoshop-filters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2005-11-26\/104","title":{"rendered":"Photoshop Filters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p>\n\nAdobe's <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/photoshop.html\">Photoshop<\/a> is\none of the most amazing pieces of software ever written, and <span class='nobr'>I aspire<\/span> to\nlearn at least one percent of its functionality.\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nI've gotten pretty good at being able to touch up <span class='nobr'>a photo<\/span> to remove\nunwanted items, as with <a\nhref=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_14:12.29__03961.jpg\">this\nphoto<\/a> shown at the end of <a\nhref=\"\/blog\/2005-11-23\/103#home\">my previous post<\/a>\n(mouseover the phrase &#8220;the original&#8221 below the photo to see the\noriginal version).\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nThe real roadblock with me and Photoshop is that even though <span class='nobr'>I might<\/span> learn\nthe mechanical functionality, much of that functionality requires artistic\nskills to put them to good use &mdash; skills that I've never had in me.\nConsider, for example, one of the simplest image-transformation features in\nPhotoshop: the filter.\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nA Photoshop filter is one which does <span class='nobr'>a certain<\/span> kind of process to the\nimage, usually making the image look as if it had been created via <span class='nobr'>a\nspecific<\/span> artistic method (e.g. with colored pencils, watercolors, stained\nglass, charcoal, etc.).\n\nBelow is <span class='nobr'>a small<\/span> crop from <a\nhref=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:41.01__03856.jpg\">this\npicture<\/a> &mdash; mouseover the buttons below it to view it with various\nfilters applied:\n\n<\/p>\n<br clear=\"all\"\/>\n\n<div style=\"height:525px; width:701px; position: relative; z-index: 1; padding-bottom: 10px; margin:10px auto\">\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/3856-ex-o.jpg\" width=\"701\" height=\"525\"\nclass=\"raw\"\nid=\"x\"\nstyle=\"position:absolute; left:0; top:0; display:block\"\/>\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/3856-ex-a.jpg\" width=\"701\" height=\"525\"\nclass=\"raw\"\nid=\"a\"\nstyle=\"position:absolute; left:0; top:0; display:none\"\/>\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/3856-ex-b.jpg\" width=\"701\" height=\"525\"\nclass=\"raw\"\nid=\"b\"\nstyle=\"position:absolute; left:0; top:0; display:none\"\/>\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/3856-ex-c.jpg\" width=\"701\" height=\"525\"\nclass=\"raw\"\nid=\"c\"\nstyle=\"position:absolute; left:0; top:0; display:none\"\/>\n<\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\nspan.b { padding: 3px 10px 3px 10px; border: gray 1px solid }\n<\/style>\n<center>\n  <span class=\"b\" id='xt' onmouseover=\"M_x()\" style=\"border-color: red\">Original<\/span> &nbsp;&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;\n  <span class=\"b\" id='ct' onmouseover=\"M_c()\">Water paper<\/span> &nbsp;&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;\n  <span class=\"b\" id='at' onmouseover=\"M_a()\">Sponge<\/span> &nbsp;&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;\n  <span class=\"b\" id='bt' onmouseover=\"M_b()\">Rough pastels<\/span>\n<p>\n<small>mouseover <span class='nobr'>a button<\/span> to see that filter<\/small>\n<\/p>\n<\/center>\n\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n var x = document.getElementById('x');\n var a = document.getElementById('a');\n var b = document.getElementById('b');\n var c = document.getElementById('c');\n\n var xt = document.getElementById('xt');\n var at = document.getElementById('at');\n var bt = document.getElementById('bt');\n var ct = document.getElementById('ct');\n\n function M_x() { x.style.display = 'block';\n                  a.style.display = 'none';\n                  b.style.display = 'none';\n                  c.style.display = 'none';\n\n                  xt.style.borderColor = \"red\";\n                  at.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  bt.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  ct.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n\n                }\n\n function M_a() { x.style.display = 'none'\n                  a.style.display = 'block';\n                  b.style.display = 'none';\n                  c.style.display = 'none';\n\n                  xt.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  at.style.borderColor = \"red\";\n                  bt.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  ct.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                }\n\n function M_b() { x.style.display = 'none';\n                  a.style.display = 'none';\n                  b.style.display = 'block';\n                  c.style.display = 'none';\n\n\n                  xt.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  at.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  bt.style.borderColor = \"red\";\n                  ct.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                }\n\n function M_c() { x.style.display = 'none';\n                  a.style.display = 'none';\n                  b.style.display = 'none';\n                  c.style.display = 'block';\n\n\n                  xt.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  at.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  bt.style.borderColor = \"gray\";\n                  ct.style.borderColor = \"red\";\n\n                }\n\n<\/script>\n\n<p>\n\nThe results aren't particularly pleasing when zoomed up full size like\nthat, but if you look at the uncropped picture reduced in size to fit <span class='nobr'>a\nscreen<\/span> (as with <span class='nobr'>a desktop<\/span> background), the effects are much more pleasing.\nHere are links to the full images: <a\nhref=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:41.01__03856c.jpg\">Water\npaper<\/a>, <a\nhref=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:41.01__03856a.jpg\">Sponge<\/a>,\nand <a\nhref=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:41.01__03856b.jpg\">Rough\npastels<\/a>. (Try the <b>large<\/b> or <b>massive<\/b> links on each page.)\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\nAnyway, continuing with filters, the first problem <span class='nobr'>I face<\/span> is shear numbers:\nmy version of Photoshop has over 100 different filter types: neon glow,\nsmudge stick, plastic wrap, spatter, ocean ripple, chrome, bas relief,\nmosaic tiles, despeckle, speckle, blur, sharpen, twirl, etc. etc. etc. Half\nof the problem is just remembering the name of <span class='nobr'>a filter<\/span> whose effects <span class='nobr'>I\nlike.<\/span>\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nAs I was composing this post, <span class='nobr'>I thought<\/span> that gee, there really should be <span class='nobr'>a\nbook<\/span> about these filters. <span class='nobr'>A split<\/span> second later <span class='nobr'>I realized<\/span> that there must\nalready be such <span class='nobr'>a book,<\/span> and <span class='nobr'>a quick<\/span> check shows that coincidentally, my\npublisher just published <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0596100213\/masteringregu-20\">Photoshop\nFilter Effects Encyclopedia<\/a>. I'll surely get <span class='nobr'>a copy.<\/span>\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nIn any case, the 100+ filter count is only the beginning of the problem.\nEach filter has various parameters which you can vary (sometimes two or\nthree parameters, but sometimes many more). Some parameters are intuitive,\nsuch as &#8220;size of mosaic tiles&#8221; on the mosaic filter, but many\nseem opaque to me.\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nConsider the &#8220;Distort \/ Glass&#8221; filter, which has three\nparameters: distortion, smoothness, and texture (which itself has two\nsub-parameters and an &#8220;invert&#8221; checkbox). Here is <span class='nobr'>a smaller<\/span>\ncrop from <a\nhref=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:41.01__03856.jpg\">the same\npicture<\/a> as above, and three applications of the glass filter:\n\n<\/p>\n\n<table align=\"center\" cellspacing=\"20\"><tr valign=\"top\">\n<td align=\"center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/glass-0.jpg\" width=\"305\" height=\"243\"\nalt=\"original photo, before Photoshop filters\"\nid=\"iglass_0\"\ntitle=\"original photo, before Photoshop filters\"\/><br\/>original: duck sitting on a rock<\/td>\n<td align=\"center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/glass-1.jpg\" width=\"305\" height=\"243\"\nalt=\"photo after one type of 'Distort, Glass' filter\"\nid=\"iglass_1\"\ntitle=\"photo after one type of 'Distort, Glass' filter\"\/><br\/>distortion=1, smoothness=1,<br\/>texture=frosted glass, scale=100%<\/td>\n\n<\/tr><tr valign=\"top\">\n<td align=\"center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/glass-2.jpg\" width=\"305\" height=\"243\"\nalt=\"photo after a different type of 'Distort, Glass' filter\"\nid=\"iglass_2\"\ntitle=\"photo after a different type of 'Distort, Glass' filter\"\/><br\/>distortion=5, smoothness=3,<br\/>texture=frosted glass, scale=100%<\/td>\n<td align=\"center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/glass-4.jpg\" width=\"305\" height=\"243\"\nalt=\"photo after a third type of 'Distort, Glass' filter\"\nid=\"iglass_4\"\ntitle=\"photo after a third type of 'Distort, Glass' filter\"\/><br\/>distortion=4, smoothness=6,<br\/>texture=tiny lenses, scale=110%<\/td>\n<\/tr><\/table>\n\n<p>\n\nThey're all quite different; <span class='nobr'>I don't<\/span> see much rhyme nor reason why the parameters act as they do.\n<br\/>And these examples only scratch the surface of this filter.\n<br\/>And there are 100+ filters.\n<br\/>And filters can be combined any number of times, in any number of ways.\n<br\/>And filters are only the smallest fraction (and one of the most simple fractions) of what Photoshop offers.\n\n<\/p><p>\n\nIn playing around with filters, <span class='nobr'>I also made<\/span> some nice desktop-quality\nartistic impressions of the following (the location is described in <a\nhref=\"\/blog\/2005-11-23\/103\">my previous post<\/a>):\n\n<\/p>\n\n<center>\n<a href=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:48.20__03888.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:48.20__03888__4.jpg\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\"\nalt=\"View from a bridge over a lake in the southern part of the old imperial palace, Kyoto, Japan\"\nid=\"i2005_11_20_11_48_20__03888__4\"\ntitle=\"View from a bridge over a lake in the southern part of the old imperial palace, Kyoto, Japan\"\/><\/a>\n<\/center>\n\n<p>If you're interested, follow the links on <a href=\"\/i\/pic\/2005-11-20_11:48.20__03888.jpg\">this page<\/a> to see them.<\/p>\n\n<p>I'm in awe of anyone who really knows Photoshop well.\n\n    Arthur Clark's\nobservation certainly still stands:<\/p>\n\n<center>&#8220;Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.&#8221;<\/center>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> Adobe's Photoshop is one of the most amazing pieces of software ever written, and I aspire to learn at least one percent of its functionality. <\/p><p> I've gotten pretty good at being able to touch up a photo to remove unwanted items, as with this photo shown at the end of my previous post (mouseover the phrase \"the original&#8221 below the photo to see the original version). <\/p><p> The real roadblock with me and Photoshop is that even though I might learn the mechanical functionality, much of that functionality requires artistic skills to put them to good use -- [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,29],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}