Creating Photoshop Actions

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Creating Photoshop Actions

Assumptions

There are some assumptions I have made in writing this tutorial.

You are using a PC Computer.		I am sure you will understand this tutorial if you are using a Mac, but the keyboard commands will be the same. If you are using a Mac, I am assuming your smart enough to figure out what the key command is.

You have a version of Photoshop that allows for actions.		If you do not have a version of Photoshop that allows for actions, there is not much you'll get out of this except for a yearning for a better version. Of course, I think all versions of Photoshop have actions.

You have a version of Bridge that will allow playing these actions.		I am using Photoshop CS2. If I remember correctly, Photoshop CS has a kind of Bridge, but I don't remember. I do not remember if that version allows for batching. This is not necessary for this tutorial.

Introduction

For every image I put up on my website, I insert a title, copyright statement, and add a border. I don�t actually manually open each image and click and type, I have this set as a series of actions that I run on all images. This tutorial will show you how you can set up an action for titles. Once you have it figured out, you can apply it to other steps your have in your workflow. Here�s what you will learn:

How to create an action.
How to modify that action.
How to run the action on multiple images.

#1 Starting (Working with an image)

To start, we need an image to work on. Open an image. (If you don�t know how to open an image, you�ll need a different tutorial. In fact, you shouldn�t be reading this in the first place if you don�t know how to open an image). Once you have an image to work on, lets create an action.

Action Dialog Box

In the "Windows" menu there is "Actions" option. Or you can hit the Alt key and F9 (Alt-F9). Then the Action dialog box will display.

On the bottom, the buttons are as follows:

		Stop
		Record
		Play
		Create New Set
		Create New Action
		Delete

#2 Creating a Set of actions

So lets start by creating a set of actions. On the Actions dialog box, click on the "Create New Set" button (). Then enter the set name "Web Conversions" for this tutorial. This way, we can group actions together.

You will now see your set on the list.

#3 Create/Record an action

Now lets create an action in this set for adding title to an image by clicking on the "Create New Action" button. Let�s call this action "Title" (making sure the set drop down box is on "Web Conversions") and then click the Record button.

At this point, you�re recording the action. If you�ve ever worked with macro, you it�s the same thing. If you haven�t worked with macros, basically, everything you do in Photoshop is being recorded to this action. Now, let�s create a title (while the action is being recorded). Click on the "Horizontal Type Tool"

With the "Horizontal Type Tool" click on the area of your image you want your title to appear. Then enter your title, "Day at the beach, Jan 27, 2007."

Once you have the title typed in, lets flatten the image.

And stop the recording ().

#4 Congrats!!! (Editing your action)

You�ve created your first action. But wait! You have the date wrong, or it�s next week and you want to change the title. With the "Title" action highlighted, click on the arrow in the upper right corner of the Actions Dialog box. And choose "Record again" from the menu. This option allows you to record the action with the preset settings. Just change the title.

#5 Running your action on multiple images

Now comes the powerful part of this section. You now need to run your action on more than one image. In Bridge, under Tools/Photoshop menu, there's an option of "Batch..." With this "Batch..." you can run your action on the images you have seleted in Bridge.

Ending Notes

Remember, anything your do while your recording an action, is saved. You can, save an image as JPEG, close an image, flatten layers, run Curves, and so forth. Go wild!

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