Adobe Photoshop CS3 - Manual (Page 391)

PHOTOSHOP CS3
User Guide
384
See also
“About plug-in modules” on page 50
Apply a filter from the Filter menu
You can apply a filter to the active layer, or to a Smart Object. Filters applied to a Smart Object are nondestructive
and can be readjusted at any time.
1 Do one of the following:
• To apply a filter to an entire layer, make sure the layer is active or selected.
• To apply a filter to an area of a layer, select that area.
• To apply a filter nondestructively so you can change your filter settings later, select the Smart Object that contains
the image content you want to filter.
2 Choose a filter from the submenus in the Filter menu.
If no dialog box appears, the filter effect is applied.
3 If a dialog box or the Filter Gallery appears, enter values or select options, and then click OK.
Applying filters to large images can be time consuming, but you can preview the effect in the filter dialog box. Drag
in the preview window to center a specific area of the image. In some filters, you can click in the image to center it
where you click. Click the + or – button under the preview window to zoom in or out.
See also
“About Smart Filters” on page 312
“Nondestructive editing” on page 308
“Filter Gallery overview” on page 384
Filter Gallery overview
The Filter Gallery provides a preview of many of the special effects filters. You can apply multiple filters, turn on or
off the effect of a filter, reset options for a filter, and change the order in which filters are applied. When you are
satisfied with the preview, you can then apply it to your image. Not all filters in the Filter menu are available in the
Filter Gallery.