How to flatten without losing layer effects' "looks"

[fphz...@adobeforums.com]

I am working on a client project. My client had another vendor produce photoshop files, each containing lots of layers and a fair amount of layer effects...things like drop shadow, glow, bevel, etc.

I am not having luck flattening these images (which I need to do) without losing the look of the original.

For example, the shadows might be there, but they aren't as dark, or the glows might not be as bright.

I am using CS4 for Mac OS X, and this vendor used a Windows version of photoshop, but I don't know which version.

thanks for any ideas!

DZ

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

The layered image and the flattened version are the same - there's no way to avoid that.

What can happen is that you see a noisy image at less than 100% zoom, and the preview and final can differ a bit (because the preview is downsampled). Or in 16 bit/channel you may get a slightly coarser preview at less than 100% zoom.

[fphz...@adobeforums.com]

Thank you, Chris...

after I did my flattening, the change was very apparent right before my eyes, especially on elements in the image which were meant to look like glowing glass...it was not a slight difference.

with some effects, you get a warning when you try to layer them that "not all effects layer properly."

could the same thing be at work during the flattening process? perhaps, "Not all effects translate properly when file is flattened?"

DZ

[Neil_...@adobeforums.com]

DZ,

Are you viewing you layered and flattened images at 100% size?

Neil

[Mark_R...@adobeforums.com]

You didn't listen. as Neil says you have to view at 100% before and after flattening.

[fphz...@adobeforums.com]

Well, thank you VERY much for that, Mark.

I did view at 100% before and after flattening.

But thank you for making sure that I got the correct meaning...

DZ

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

Yes, the "create layers" option doesn't preserve appearance exactly -- because not all the layer effects are that simple.

But what you see before flattening, *is* the flattened image -- it goes through exactly the same logic.

[christoph_pf...@adobeforums.com]

DZ, just to make sure: With »flatten« You do mean reduce to the background layer and not just reducing the file-complexity by merging groups or such?

[Mike_O...@adobeforums.com]

after I did my flattening, the change was very apparent right before my
eyes, especially on elements in the image which were meant to look like
glowing glass...it was not a slight difference.

Some of the blending modes may cancel out eachother when flattened. It happens and have samples, but who cares. At some point it will be fixed. Until then, live with it.

[fphz...@adobeforums.com]

Mike, I'm not sure what you sat on, but your cheek is not appropriate.

if you don't have anything contsructive to add to the conversation, be crabby in solitude.

DZ

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

Try making a "merged-up" Stamp Visible layer at the top of the stack before flattening.

Cmd Option Shift E

[Mike_O...@adobeforums.com]

I have plenty to say. All of it seems to be less then palatable for commercial use. The features are broken. Unless you can fix it, what's your point?

[fphz...@adobeforums.com]

yer kiddin' with that, right?

if features in software are broken, (and many features in many software titles ARE broken) then what to do?

A. get cranky, throw your hands up and be disgusted?

or

B. reach out to professional peers to see what solutions they might have developed.

I'm not in the group who's simply going to roll over and take it. I'm an artist. artists solve problems and challenge the status quo. artists talk to other artists. artists share ideas.

the end process of "B" is that the situation can get better for everyone who participates in the conversation.

Since I've posted, I've gotten a lot of helpful ideas and information from people who've been there.

Before I posted, I had what appeared to be a nasty problem.

I prefer choice "B."

DZ

[Buko]

fphz3rDz, if you had a clue you would know that Mike is being very helpful.

[Buko]

No one is kidding and if you will reread you have been give quite a few answers.

[Mike_O...@adobeforums.com]

C = don't flatten your files.

simple math.

[fphz...@adobeforums.com]

In other words, as long as I stay in the layered photoshop environment, all's good, but making any modification required by the outside world will result in degradation of what I see only within photoshop.

DZ

[Mike_O...@adobeforums.com]

pretty much.

Ur an artist. Be creative and work around it.

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

DZ:
Have you tried "Merging-UP" before flattening … as I suggested earlier?

[Buko]

Use ID to make a PDF

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Christoph,

just to make sure: With »flatten« You do mean reduce to the background
layer and not just reducing the file-complexity by merging groups or such?

That terminology ("reduce to the background layer") is not used in the English version of Photoshop. Not even "reduce". :)

The menu item labeled "Auf die Hintergrundebene Reduzieren" (oder so was ähnliches) in German is labeled with a single word in English: Flatten.

I know how hard it is to refer to specifics in a version in a different language when you don't have it available. It's not a question of just translating the word. "Layers" in the German version are not layers at all but planes (»Ebenen«). Took me a few seconds to figure that one out. :)

The concept of "Reducing" is not used in the English version at all. "Sichtbare Ebenen auf eine Ebene reduzieren" is simply Merge Visible.

Usw…

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

What I found useful, from a linguistic point of view, was to download each of the User Guides/Help Files PDFs in the languages I'm interested in. They all amounted to just over half a Gigabyte. :D

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Found the bookmark I wanted to give you, Christoph:

<http://www.oweiss.com/articles/photoshop-glossary.htm>

(Photoshop-Wörterbuch englisch / deutsch)

[christoph_pf...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks, Ramón.
Actually I’m working with the English language version now, but for years had been using the German one, so I guess some residual terminology crept in …

[René_Garneau@adobeforums.com]

fphz3rDz,

Try flattening the layers a few at a time (instead of the whole image in one shot).

[Savageduck]

In the current Photoshop User, on the last page (138) in Photoshop
Beginner's Tips there is the following:

"Flattening layers without flattening.
You can create a single layer that contains the contents of all your
layers without flattening them. First, click your top layer in the
Layers panel, then click the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom of
the panel to make a new layer on top of the layer stack. Then from the
layers panel flyout menu, choose Merge Visible while holding down the
Option(PC: Alt) key. Bingo! A new composite layer.
Or easier still, try this keyboard dance: Select the top layer in the
Layers panel, then press Command-Shift-Option-E(PC: Ctrl-Shift-Alt-E)."

--
Regards,
Savageduck