These Actions are very easy to install and put into use, but there are always some things that are good to know...

Getting started with these Actions

The Actions are sent to your return email address ( make sure your spam filter allows it to be received) and are easily set-up from there, with all directions enclosed in the email - printing the email is usually a good idea.

I suggest that you create a new folder in the Storage area of your computer and either drag the compressed file(s) below to that folder, or "save the attachments" within this email to that folder before you start the Unzip, Unstuff or decompression - That way you should be able to access all enclosed files neatly in one place.

A good utility program for decompression, is Winzip or Stuffit Expander. Here's the link for the Expander utility for decompression. The expander program is free and will unstuff or unzip the files sent to you. Once decompresssed you will see Description and Read Me files, as well as the Action Sets

http://www.stuffit.com/expander/

Loading Craig's Photoshop Actions may be loaded to your PC or Mac system by going to the Actions palette and locating the arrow at the top to show the palete options. Locate the "Load Actions" command and indicate the action set you wish to load. Double-Clicking on the action file itself will also load the Actions on a Mac. Remember to quit Pshop to save all settings after the actions are loaded.

A Sampler Tutorial set is enclosed - I do suggest that you spend a few minutes with it to familiarize yourself with some of the cool trix and features built into these Actions. The Tutorial set makes use of a very simple procedure and contains three Actions. The Glamour Blur Action, the Action with hints, and the Full Tutorial which explains the whole process and contains hints as to how to best make use of the Action on your images. These hints and explanations are applicable to all of the Action sets, but I chose this basic procedure to demo some of the possibilities for simplicity.

General Tips:

Actions have some steps that may require input, these are indicated by the dialogue box next to that specific step: if empty the action runs unattended, if the icon is present, the step requires your input and will stop at that point.

Unchecking an action step prevents it from being applied. You might decide that a step is unnecessary and uncheck it, and also unmark a particular step that does not reuire your input - this allows for greater speed and unattended batching.

All "Save" steps have been turned off - for shipping to you. You must check them on before a "save " step will be allowed to run through. This prevents the potential for accidentally overwriting of a file. Leaving the "Save " step off allows you to play and practice without affecting any archived copies.

Logo PSD documents have sometimes been provided to give you a reference as to how to prepare your logo for inclusion within some of the Action sequences. To use the supplied Logo as a sample, when the Action stops to locate the Logo file, search and locate where you installed the Action Volume and open either of the two sample files. To lock this in as a default setting - with an image open, double click on the "Open" step in the Action sequence that " is looking for the logo file " and locate the desired ( supplied sample or your own) file. Once targeted and opened by Photoshop, it is loaded as a default value. You will need to quit Photoshop and restart it to save these changes.

To alter the set values in any particular step, simply have an image open and double click on that step, from there enter the values or complete the request on your own computer. This is how you would customise the action and designate destinations for " Save" steps.

Actions are intended to be used on a flattened file and applied to the background layer, there are many that will work elsewise but if something trips up, then check that first and flatten the document if necessary (saving a version prior to trying things out).

Many of the actions generate masks and adjustment layers. These are intended so that you can fine tune the desired effect and " paint in or out" the effect as well.

All of the actions may be customised for your system so that you may indicate folders and files where needed and fine tune the application as you wish. Simply open the action by clicking on it's arrow and locate the step that you wish to modify, with an image already on screen, double click the desired step and insert your own values.

** Note - If you change a text entry step, you may need to re-record the next step if it "looks" for that text layer (as it is now named differently). To do so, have your image open with the text layer NOT the active layer, select the previous step to the one you need to replace and press the record buttom at the bottom of the palette, NOW select the new text layer and then press stop (bottom palette). Trash the previous (old) selection step and you are done!

Where there is a "save as" step, it may be checked or unchecked depending on your preference. Running a batch requires it to be checked, working on an image on screen without saving requires it to be unchecked. Also take note of the file location and the note above about customising to your system.

With all batches, I recommend setting up a test folder to try the action first. Try running the batch on a set of three images first, rather than the whole list... I also recommend having the destination folder open and visible so that you can see the progress and interrupt and make corrections if anything is amiss.

The Cool Stuff !

These Actions have been grouped into various Sets based entirely on marketing and packaging <g> - Feel free to create your own sets for those you use most often and copy the Actions ( Option (mac) / Alt (pc) - Drag ) to your own set of favorites. Some of the Actions make use of others in a specific set, so if something goes goofy, try to run that same Action from where it was originally installed.

Brush Shortcuts:

These will be used throughout the descriptions:
The X key switches the white and black swatches in the tool palettte to allow you to paint in or out on mask layers.
The brackets { & } to the right of the P , changes the size of the Brush up or done one step.
The numbers 1-0 at the top of the keyboard, change the opacity of your brush: 1= 10% thru to 0=100%

Many of these Actions have built-in "Undo's" by creating a history snapshot. Look for the pop-ups to provide details on how to use it.

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Copyright 2006 - Craig Minielly MPA