Creating an Action: Sharpening (7 screenshots)

[Guest WPalank]

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In answer to another members query about sharpening in another thread, I thought I would post a quick tut on how to create your own sharpening actions. I got the following information from Scott Kelby's "7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop". the screengrabs below are form CS4 but are very similar in CS3 (I'm on a Mac).

 

After opening CS4 open an image (anything) and make sure your Actions panel is open by going to the Menu Window>Actions and make sure there is a check mark next to Actions.

 

Then go to the Actions panel and click on the button illustrated below to get the fly-out menu and select "New Action":

[ATTACH]126122[/ATTACH]

 

In the dialogue box that opens up, name this action "Sharpen Low" or anything that makes sense to you. You can also assign a Function Key if you like as well at this stage. Hit "Record". At this point you can go at your own pace.

 

[ATTACH]126123[/ATTACH]

 

Now go to Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask...

 

In the Box that opens up put the following values I have illustrated below in the respective boxes and hit OK:

 

[ATTACH]126134[/ATTACH]

 

Before you do anything else go to Edit>Fade Unsharp Mask... and then next to "Mode" in the drop-down menu select "Luminosity" (all the way at the bottom):

 

[ATTACH]126129[/ATTACH]

 

This will apply sharpening to the Luminosity channel alone and reduce saturation shifts. Hit OK.

 

Now stop recording your action by hitting the Stop Redording button (which is to the FAR left, square in shape) illustrated below. IT IS NOT THE CIRCLED BUTTON:

 

[ATTACH]126130[/ATTACH]

 

Now anytime you want to play the action, select Sharpen Low and then hit the Play button (CIRCLED ABOVE).

 

Now to create a Medium and High Sharpen action, follow the same steps above only change the name (obviously) and in the Unsharp Mask Dialogue Box put the following values:

 

Medium Amount:85% Radius: 1.0 Threshold: 4

High Amount:120% Radius: 1.0 Threshold: 3

 

Your done. Just remember to apply sharpening only after you have your image at ti's desired size. The other nice thing about this system is that if you feel you have over sharpened, go back to the Edit Menu and bring up "Fade Unsharp Mask" and adjust the opacity slder.

[mdt2]

Thanks WIlliam!

 

~Mike

oHIo

USA