How to use Smart Object in Photoshop CC Tutorial. Smart Object Benefits.

Our today topic is how to use smart object and smart object benefits. There are two major parts of this tutorial, first one is “what is Smart Object” and second part is “Why should we use smart object”. Let’s discuss about both parts of Smart Object one by one.

What is Smart Object?

Smart Object is group of layers that contain multiple data of text and images. In Adobe Illustrator we do not convert art work into Smart Object because it remains vectored at all stages. But when we copy our art work from Adobe Illustrator to Adobe Photoshop then we have an option to keep our design as Smart Object.

Also when we are working in Adobe Photoshop and we have multiple layers, we can covert all or a few layers into Smart Object. For example if you are designing a website and there are multiple sections of landing page like header, hero, services, footer etc, you can select all layers of hero and press right click of your mouse then select “Convert into Smart Object” option. You will notice that all selected layers are removed from layer panel and only one layer is visible with name of smart object, you can rename it and keep some relevant name. Now all of your layers are saved in this one layer and you can edit them anytime by double clicking on this layer. When you will double click on this all layers will be visible and you can make changes in this file, save it and close file, you change will be done and occur in your original landing PSD.

Why should we use smart object

The main reason to use Smart object is re-usability. Let’s discuss again above mentioned example of landing page, if you have multiple page of your website and there are a few common module in all pages. Whenever any new changes come from client you have to change in all of your psd. It will be very easy for you if you converted all common modules into Smart Object. What you need to do it just convert your header into smart object and save as that Smart Object file as .PSB format and close it. Now in your About, Service and contact pages wherever you are using similar header just use this “Header.PSB” file or in about.psd file select your header files convert them into smart object, press right button of your mouse and click “Replace Contents” option, now you can re-link your Header.PSB file. Now whenever you will make change in your Header.PSB that change will be done in all your psd files you just need to “Replace Content”.

Smart Object Benefits

  • Once you converted your image into Smart Object then you can resize, scale, rotate, skew, distort, perspective transform, or warp your image without losing original resolution and quality.
  • The most important benefit is re-usability of Smart Object as mentioned above.
  • Art work can be copied as Smart Object from Adobe Illustrator to Photoshop and can be edit anytime.
  • Make changes in your Smart Object and automatically update all its linked files.

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Copy design from Adobe Illustrator to Adobe Photoshop

Hello Friends in this tutorial you will learn how to copy design from Adobe Illustrator to Adobe Photoshop. If you are going to start project in Adobe Photoshop and might be you need some of your design parts from Adobe Illustrator then this tutorial is very important for you. This is very easy to copy content from Illustrator to Photoshop it is slightly tricky.

Basic Information

When you have to move your design from Adobe Illustrator to Adobe Photoshop you will have to options, one is export which I never use and second is copy your desired part of design and paste in Photoshop. When you will paste your design in Photoshop it will give you a few options:

  • Smart Object
  • Pixels
  • Path
  • Shape Layer

You have to choose one them option.

1- Smart Object

If you select Smart Object option that is good because you can edit anytime time your design by double clicking on the layer. You can resize this object as you want it will not be pixalting and when you need to edit this just double click on its layer and it will get open in Illustrator because originally it was designed in Illustrator. To know more about Smart Object you can visit my Video and Article from the following link:
How to use Smart Object in Photoshop CC Tutorial. Smart Object Benefits.

2- Pixels

If you select Pixels then you design will appear as raster image and this method is not recommended at all. Because once you pasted neither you can enlarge this nor you can edit it. You can simple avoid this option.

3- Path & Shape Layers

This method is recommended as well like Smart Object. In this method you will get all original layers and objects as they were in Illustrator. The most useful benefit is you can edit them within Photoshop because now you have full control of layers. You can change the colors and modify the shapes according to your requirement.

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