Photoshop tips for 3D production_Part 2

Photoshop Script - Hy Friends Make 3D Site,This Article Title is Photoshop Script, check it out.

Photoshop tips for 3D production_Part 2
Photoshop tips for 3D production_Part 2

Photoshop Script

Happy New Year to Everyone first and foremost:

Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work and the tears. 

And as you reflect on the past year,also think of the new one to come.  

Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings and the celebration of life

Photoshop tips for 3D production_Part 2

                                             
                                       

Optimising 2d file sizes using the “Save for Web & Devices…” tool

When sending drafts or pre-finalised images to clients for comments and/or signing off, most users tend to use the “Save as…” tool, or/and resize the image/s.

With pre-finalised images, the above mentioned approach may prevent clients from making the right judgment about the image/s and subsequently NOT signing off the image/s as quickly as anticipated.


Also, check my New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

When using the above mentioned approach (i.e. Save as, etc.), clients often comment on the pixel quality and the image size.

In addition, it may prove to be, a bit of a challenge to send multiple files via email.

To address all of the above issues (when sending pre-finalised images), some companies tend to use the “Save for Web & Devices…” tool, instead.

1-To do so, in Photoshop, click on the “File” main toolbar, and choose the “Save for Web & Devices…” tool from its drop down list. 

2-If the pre-finalised image is exceedingly big in pixel dimensions (i.e. in this example it was 7360x4912), you’ll be prompted with a “Save for Web” warning dialog related to memory errors and slow performance.

Accept it by clicking “Yes” to open it.  

3-With the “Save for Web & Devices” dialog open, Photoshop automatically chooses the “Optimized” tab with its “ideal” “optimized” values (i.e. Quality=60), without compromising the quality of the original image. 

This useful dialog offers users the option to compare between the “Original” tab, and the “Optimized” tab parameters.

On each tab, the user can see and compare the quality between, the file sizes (i.e. at the bottom); set the “Image Size”, etc.

Always pan (using the pan tool) to areas of the image that are more prone to scrutiny by the client. 

In this example, we have focused mainly on the rendered areas of the main building.   

Furthermore, the “Preset” quality was changed to 30 and left the “Image Size” parameters untouched.

As one can see between the “Optimized” and the “Original” tab below, the image went from 103 MB, to 3.692 MB in size, without affecting the overall quality of the image or its dimensions.

Once satisfied with the final optimization, simply click “Save” and choose the location to save the file in. 

It’s worth mentioning that, one can also use Photoshop actions to automate this process for the subsequent images.

For more information about Photoshop actions, please check the previous post:

http://jamiecardoso-mentalray.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/photoshop-tips-tricks-for-production.html

4-Alternatively, users can also use the “Batch” tool to automate actions.

To do so, simply click on the “File” main toolbar, followed by choosing to “Automate” and “Batch” from the drop down list.

The “Batch” dialog box is broken down into five groups: Play, Source, Destination, File Naming and Errors. 

Play: This group allows users to pick and choose pre-created action parameters such as Set and Action.

Source: This group allows users to locate the folder where all the files will be sourced or collected from.

To choose the folder, simply click on the “Source” toggle.

The source folder comes with four functions:

Override Action “Open” Commands

Include All Subfolders

Suppress File Open Options Dialogs

Suppress Color Profile Warnings

Alternatively, users can simply click on the “Source” drop down list and choose the “Opened Files” option.

The “Opened Files” option automatically sources the open files in Photoshop.

Destination: This group allows users to determine the location of the Saved file/s. 

Users can choose from the following options:

None

Save and Close

Folder

The "Folder" option allows users to choose the file destination and to Override Action “Save As” Commands.

File Naming: This group allows users to add numerous variables from the drop down list of the name field.

The most commonly used variables from the drop down list are:

Document Name

NONE

EXTENSION

The variable under the name of “EXTENSION” in fact adds the file extension name in front of its name (I.e. name.GIF).   

The “Starting serial#” function, automatically adds a serial number/s to the file name. 

To omit file numbering, simply keep this field clear, by simply “deleting” the number/s in this section.  

Errors: This group allows users to either “Stop for Errors” (if any) during the file batching process, or to simply “Log Errors To File” (if any).

I hope you have found this article somehow useful. 

Ta

Please also check:

My 3D Portfolio:

New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

Post-production techniques

Essential tips & tricks for VRay & mental ray

Photorealistic Rendering

Creating Customised IES lights

Realistic materials

Creating a velvet/suede material 

FoxRenderfarm

www.arroway-textures.com 

Renderpeople

epictor.com

Photoshop tips & tricks, for production (part 1)

Photoshop Script - Hy Friends Make 3D Site,This Article Title is Photoshop Script, check it out.

Photoshop tips & tricks, for production (part 1)
Photoshop tips & tricks, for production (part 1)

Photoshop Script

Importing render elements

Nowadays, using render elements have become part of the production process. As such, companies often find themselves having to come up with quick ways to help speed up the transition between 3ds max and Photoshop

The one technique that’s widely implemented by most companies to import render elements, is the “Load Files into Stack” script”.

The script essentially “does exactly what it says on the tin”, by simply collecting and stacking multiple files in one PSD document, whilst preserving each stacked file with its original name.


Also, check my New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

To use this script, simply go to the main Photoshop toolbar and click on the “File” button.

Choose the “Scripts” option from the dropdown list, followed by selecting the “Load Files into Stack” function. Its dialog should pop up. 

By default, its “Use” is set to “Files”. However, when all the relevant files are in one folder, it’s preferable to use the “Folder” option. 

To choose the “Folder”, simply click on the “Browse” button, followed by locating and selecting the relevant folder. 

If perchance the “Files” option is chosen, simply repeat the above mentioned steps, in addition to selecting all the relevant files inside its respective folder.

Creating PhotoShop Actions

During production, there are instances when users are required to apply identical image effects and/or edit transforms to multiple files. This operation can at times be tedious and time consuming.

Numerous companies tend to create Photoshop actions to help fast-track this process. For the purpose of this simple exercise, we’re emulating a basic string of actions.

To do so, simply do the following:

1- Open the relevant files in Photoshop. For this exercise, it’s also worth creating a brand new folder to save your new files into, as a precautionary measure.

Select the first file/document in Photoshop and Open the “Actions” dialog by pressing “Alt+F9” on your keyboard; or by simply clicking on the “Window” main toolbar and choosing the “Actions” function from the drop down list. 

2- Its dialog should pop up. To create a new action folder, simply click on its toggle on the top far right corner, and choose the “New Action” option from its drop down list. 

3-In the “New Action” dialog, rename it according to the actions you’re planning to execute.  The dialog also allows users to create a “Function Key” for the action/s.

The “Function Key” is an alternative shortcut to the “play selection” button.  Click “Record” to begin capturing your actions. 

4- As mentioned earlier, for this exercise we've simply recorded basic actions such as re-sizing the image/document, blurring, saving the file in a new folder, and closing it thereafter. However, feel free to record more/different actions.

Note how each action is being added orderly in the newly created “Resize, Filter & save as”” action folder. In addition, the record button is turned on/red.  

5-Once finished, simply click on the “Stop playing/recording” button to stop. 

6-To apply the previous actions to a new file/document, simply pick the relevant document, followed selecting the action folder in its dialog, and pressing the “Play selection” button.

Please note that, once a file/document is closed, Photoshop selects the next existing file/document automatically. Hence the “Close” action was also recorded in action folder. 

Photoshop actions can also be used for a variety of different purposes such as setting up PSD files/layers/adjustment layers, etc.   

I hope you've found the above tips useful.

Finally, the next article will focus in other commonly used techniques to help speed up your production workflow!  

Ta 

Please also check:



My 3D Portfolio:

New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

Post-production techniques

Photoshop tips & tricks, for production (part 2)

Essential tips & tricks for VRay & mental ray

Photorealistic Rendering

Creating Customised IES lights

Realistic materials

Creating a velvet/suede material 

FoxRenderfarm

www.arroway-textures.com 

Renderpeople

epictor.com