dont use them.hahah

never EVER use filters.

I might use gaussian blur for a shadow ... but that's about it.

sittingduck said: never EVER use filters.

I might use gaussian blur for a shadow ... but that's about it.

Captain Awesome said: dont use them.hahah

Wait.. why are filters bad?

ICFTS said:

sittingduck said: never EVER use filters.

I might use gaussian blur for a shadow ... but that's about it.

Captain Awesome said: dont use them.hahah

Wait.. why are filters bad?

they just are, shit comes out really, really bad, unless you know how to use them. i dont, so i stay away. i think i only used 2 filter in the past year
1)haltone pattern
2)gaussian blur.

and live trace if you count it

livetrace is just my way of making what I already drew look better. filters aren't a great idea unless you can hide the use of them ... I can look at most photoshop pieces and be like, "hey look! I know that filter!" ... just kinda ruins it for me. i think lens flare is probably the most widely used and also the least respected ... it's an awesome filter if it's subtle, but horribly tacky otherwise.

Not just for tees but in general.

KolbyLee said: Not just for tees but in general.

yea, still no dude. they just make your artwork look amateur. if you want it to have a watercolor look, go get some watercolors :D.

conor said: I have a sweet polarizer filter on my digicam. Does that count?

I guess it would count since it is a filter. Does anybody use photoshop filters? A lot of the time they do look bad but if you know what you are doing they can be very convenient.

Jon Kruse said:

KolbyLee said:

conor said: I have a sweet polarizer filter on my digicam. Does that count?

I guess it would count since it is a filter. Does anybody use photoshop filters? A lot of the time they do look bad but if you know what you are doing they can be very convenient.

I know that nothing will turn shit into gold. I am just exploring options.

Some are good like Noise > Despeckle does a good job on scanned images to get rid of the rosetta patterns that appear.

Gausian blur is great.

Most of the stuff you want to stay away from, unless you want to look like a noob. Just forget about it, there isn't a magical filter that's going to turn your shit into gold.

I know that nothing will turn shit into gold. I am just exploring options.

i think the general rule is to not JUST use a filter.
it looks like trash.
Gaussian blur is pretty helpful, as are most of the blurs, IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE THEM.
I use CS3 and use a lot of layer effects, and some smart filters.
if you check out any of the psdtuts.com stuff, or any tut for that matter, you're going to find the use of a filter, at least once.

it comes down to knowing how and when to use them, and subtly.

I use some filters when I'm retouching a photo or if I have to add something.

Example:

A client had a photo of their building. I had to remove a tree stump and add a sign to the building. Well, you can't just make a sign and slap it on. You need to make it match the photo (angles and light as well as picture quality). Once I had my perspective and everything else right I had to use Gaussian Blur (ever so slightly) and the Add Noise filter to make it match the existing photo. When I was done it was pretty much impossible to tell it was Photoshopped in.

The filters are there for a reason. They're great tools IF you use them correctly. Unfortunately, too many people like to go to extremes with them and then it looks like ass.

filters i use all the time

- blur, mainly gaussian blur
- unsharp mask (saves the day so many times)

basically go by the rule: If it looks like you've used filters, you failed.

justgeoff said: I use some filters when I'm retouching a photo or if I have to add something.

Example:

A client had a photo of their building. I had to remove a tree stump and add a sign to the building. Well, you can't just make a sign and slap it on. You need to make it match the photo (angles and light as well as picture quality). Once I had my perspective and everything else right I had to use Gaussian Blur (ever so slightly) and the Add Noise filter to make it match the existing photo. When I was done it was pretty much impossible to tell it was Photoshopped in.

The filters are there for a reason. They're great tools IF you use them correctly. Unfortunately, too many people like to go to extremes with them and then it looks like ass.

Right on man. They are there for a reason!

Check out Filter Forge.

i like gaussian blur, radial blur, render clouds, noise, smart sharpen, unsharpen mask, liquify (for ugly people in photos), and every now and then some paint daubs or watercolor for texture.

like chris kinda said, just dont make it look like you took a shortcut, or just through on an effect because you hit a wall.

I love how while Im in school, my teachers are so fucking dumb to award a student an "A" for taking a picture and putting 3-4 filters on it, when i spent all week on something, its fucked up

AverGrace said: I love how while Im in school, my teachers are so fucking dumb to award a student an "A" for taking a picture and putting 3-4 filters on it, when i spent all week on something, its fucked up

I went to art school. upon graduating and getting out into the real world I realized how little I learned in school.

justgeoff said:

AverGrace said: I love how while Im in school, my teachers are so fucking dumb to award a student an "A" for taking a picture and putting 3-4 filters on it, when i spent all week on something, its fucked up

I went to art school. upon graduating and getting out into the real world I realized how little I learned in school.

+ numbers

chrisrushing said: basically go by the rule: If it looks like you've used filters, you failed.

Exactly.