Adobe ADBCD17648MC Manuale Utente

USING PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 8
Filters, effects, styles, and artwork

Tips for applying filters
The following information can help you understand the process of applying filters to your images.

•

Preview the filter’s result. Applying filters to a large image can be time-consuming. It’s quicker to preview what the 
filter does in the Filter Gallery. Most filters also let you preview their result in the Filter Options dialog box and the 
document window. You can then choose to apply the filter or cancel the operation without losing time.

•

Filters apply only to the active part of an image. Filters affect only the active, visible layer or a selected area of the 
layer.

•

Filters don’t work on all images. You can’t use some filters on images in grayscale mode, or any filters on images in 
bitmap or Indexed-color mode. Many filters don’t work on 16-bit images.

•

You can reapply the previous filter. The last filter you applied appears at the top of the Filter menu. You can reapply 
it with the same settings you last used to further enhance the image.

Tips for creating visual effects with filters
Use the following techniques to create special visual results with filters:

•

Feature the filter edges. If you’re applying a filter to a selected area, you can soften the edges of the filter effect by 
feathering the selection before you apply the filter. 

•

Apply filters in succession to build up effects. You can apply filters to individual layers or to several layers in 
succession to build up an effect. Choosing different blending modes in the Layers panel blends the effect. For a filter 
to affect a layer, the layer must be visible and must contain pixels. 

•

Create textures and backgrounds. By applying filters to solid-color or grayscale images, you can generate a variety 
of backgrounds and textures. You can then blur these textures. Although some filters (for example, the Glass filter) 
have little or no visible effect when applied to solid colors, others produce interesting effects. For such colors, you 
can use Add Noise, Chalk & Charcoal, Clouds, Conté Crayon, Difference Clouds, Glass, Graphic Pen, Halftone 
Pattern, Mezzotint, Note Paper, Pointillize, Reticulation, Rough Pastels, Sponge, or Underpainting. You can also 
use any of the filters in the Texture submenu. 

•

Improve image quality and consistency. You can disguise faults, alter or enhance images, or make a series of images 
look similar by applying the same filter to each.

Choose the area you want to apply the filter to:

•

To apply a filter to an entire layer, deselect any selected areas, and then select the layer in the Layers panel.

•

To apply a filter to a portion of a layer, use any selection tool to select an area.

Choose how to apply the filter:

•

To use the Filter gallery, choose Filter

  > Filter Gallery, select a category, and click the filter you want to apply.

•

To use the Effects panel, choose Window

  > Effects, select a category, and double-click the filter you want to apply.

•

To use the Filter menu, choose Filter, then choose a submenu followed by the filter you want to apply. If a filter 
name is followed by ellipses (…), a Filter Options dialog box appears.

If a dialog box appears, enter values or select options.