Automating Routine Tasks in Adobe Photoshop CS - Tips for Conservators
© Jeffrey Warda - 2006. contact: [email protected]
Actions and Droplets in Adobe Photoshop CS
Actions and Droplets allow you to automate repetitive tasks in Adobe Photoshop such as convert RAW files to TIF or to resize large
images and save them as JPEG for a PowerPoint presentation. When using Actions and Droplets to convert RAW images, it is
assumed the RAW image was captured with the correct exposure. If you need to adjust exposure settings for your RAW images in
Camera Raw, then Automations will not work. Note, a properly exposed image should have approximately the following RGB
values for the neutral patches of the Gretag MacBeth Color Checker: 243/242/238 (white); 200/200/200; 160/160/160; 122/122/121;
85/85/85; 52/52/52 (black). Don’t expect to obtain these figures exactly with a DSLR, just note that only the grey patches are neutral
and the second grey patch should be close to 200 - 206 RGB with the eye-droper tool in Photoshop.
Triangle
pull-down
menu
Stop
recording
1.
From within Photoshop, make sure the Actions palette is visible:
choose Window drop-down menu, and select Actions.
Before recording an action, establish which actions you want to
record. To convert a RAW image into TIF, make sure the File Browser or
Bridge (CS2) is open and a sample RAW image is displayed in the File
Browser (but not open).
Hold down the triangle pull-down menu on the Actions palette and
choose “New Set...” Label the new set “Custom” or choose another
name for a group of particular actions.
Play selected
action
While your new Custom Set is highlighted in the Actions palette,
choose
“New Action...” from the triangle pull-down menu. Name the New
Action and click Record. Photoshop will record all of your actions
until you click Stop on the Actions palette.
1. Actions Palette
2.
Double click on a RAW file in File Browser or Bridge (CS2), it will open
in Camera Raw, make sure “Camera Default” is selected in Settings.
If you have not done so already, you should define a Camera Default
Setting in Camera Raw before recording an action. Make sure you
uncheck all Auto settings in CS2 version of Camera Raw. White
Balance should be “As Shot” if you set a custom (PRE) White Balance in
your camera before taking the image. You can also default to a
specific Color Temperature if you know it will correctly render a
Gretag MacBeth Color Checker or other control patch, and your
lighting is consistent. Other settings: Adobe RGB (1998), 8
bits/channel, 300 or 360 pixels per inch. Also, while Camera Raw is
open, choose Photoshop drop-down menu and “Camera Raw
Preferences...” I recommend “Save image settings in: Camera Raw
database” instead of Sidecar “.xmp” files for most situations.
Assuming all of these settings have already been set before recording
an Action, click OK (CS) or Save or Open (CS2) to save the file in
Photoshop as a TIF. Do not change the file name, just the format.
Once saved, close the file and click the Stop button in the Actions
palette (grey square box at lower left).
image detail: Maurice Prendergast, Beach Scene with Boats.
Brooklyn Museum Collection
2. Camera Raw CS2 Window
Now that you have recorded the Action, you can apply it to individual
images, or convert multiple images by making a Droplet out of your
Action.
Automating Routine Tasks in Adobe Photoshop CS - Tips for Conservators
© Jeffrey Warda - 2006
[email protected]
Making Droplets in Adobe Photoshop CS
3.
Once an Action has been recorded, you can automate the commands
by making a Droplet that resides on the Desktop or in a Folder.
Multiple image files can be dragged and dropped over the Droplet
and your recorded Actions will be applied to each file.
From within Photoshop, choose File drop-down menu / Automate /
“Create Droplet...”
4.
3. Create a Droplet
Create Droplet Dialog:
Designate where you want the Droplet saved. For RAW to TIF Droplets,
try the Desktop for easy access. Under “Play,” choose your Custom
Action Set, and the RAW to TIF Action you recorded earlier.
Since we recorded an “Open” command in the Action, highlight
Override Action “Open” Commands. Do not highlight Include All
Subfolders. Highlight Suppress File Open Options Dialog and
Suppress Color Profile Warning depending on your color management settings.
Choose a Destination to save the TIF file. I usually set this to the
Desktop.
Since we recoded a “Save As” command in the Action, highlight
Override Action “Save As” Commands. Make sure file extensions
will be added, and Compatibility is set for Windows, Mac OS and
UNIX. Click OK when done.
Your Droplet should be on the Desktop now. Drag your RAW files over
the icon and let go. If the Droplet does not highlight for some reason,
double click on the Droplet (Photoshop will open), then click back to
the Desktop and try dragging files again.
4. Droplet Dialog Box
Once your files are converted to TIF format, you can rename them in
the File Browser or Bridge (CS2).
5.
Droplet on Desktop
Another useful Action is to convert large images for PowerPoint. You
will need two Actions: one for Horizontal and one for Vertical images.
PowerPoint images should be set to 7.5 H x 10 W (inches), and 96 100 ppi (resolution). To size your Horizontal images, choose “Image
Size...”; uncheck “Resample Image” and insert 100 (ppi) for Resolution. Now go back and highlight “Resample Image (Bicubic)” and
insert 10 (inches) for Width then Tab out of the field. Click OK.
If your image is from a point and shoot digital camera (4:3 ratio) the
Height will default to 7.5 (inches). If you have a DSLR (3:2 ratio) the
Height will be 6.65 (inches). For Vertical images insert 7.5 (inches) for
the Height and Tab out of the field, and click OK. Save as JPEG.
5. Image Size Dialog Box - PowerPoint Image Size
This PowerPoint image agjustment Action works best on individual
images, not necessarily large batches. You can include a “Save As...”
command to convert to JPEG and specify where the resized images
are stored.
Automating Routine Tasks in Adobe Photoshop CS - Tips for Conservators
© Jeffrey Warda - 2006
[email protected]
Printing Contact Sheets in Adobe Photoshop CS
Contact Sheets are a quick and easy way to print multiple images on a page and save on ink and paper. When printing Permanent Conservation Records, an acceptable format is to print 4 images per page. This will produce images roughly 4-3/4 x 3-1/4
inches. When using the Contact Sheet Automation, you do not need to worry about image size or resolution (72 ppi vs. 300 ppi).
1.
From within Photoshop, open all the TIF or JPEG images you wish to
print for a particular object (all the Before and After Treatment images).
Once they are all open, choose File drop-down menu, Automate,
“Contact Sheet II...” The Contact Sheet II dialog box will open.
2.
Contact Sheet II Dialog Box:
If you want to print all the images in a folder you can select the folder,
otherwise “Use: Current Open Documents” for the images you
already opened.
Under Document: Choose Unit: Inches; Width: 8.5; Height: 11;
Resolution: 300 or 360 ppi (depending on your printer); Mode RGB
Color; highlight “Flatten All Layers”
1. Create Contact Sheet II...
Under Thumbnails: Place: across first; Check “Use Auto-Spacing”;
Columns: 2; Rows: 2 (or other layout); Check “Rotate For Best Fit”
Check “Use Filename As Caption”; Font: Helvetica; Font Size 9 pt
Click OK, and Photoshop will resize and place all your selected images
on 8.5 x 11 inch sheets witout altering your original files.
3.
2. Contact Sheet II Dialog Box
Printing:
Photoshop will print Contact Sheets as bleed images, so I recommend
scaling the images to provide a border. Choose the File drop-down
menu, and “Print with Preview...” Under the “Scaled Print Size”
section Scale: 90% or similar to provide a border.
Color Management Tips for Printing:
Always allow Photoshop to color manage your printing, and make sure
to turn off all color management by the printer in the printer software
dialog box. Always print through “Print with Preview” in Photoshop.
Print with Preview:
Under Color Management “Source Space” or “Print” (CS2) click
Document. Under Print Space or Options (CS2) the “Profile” or
“Printer Profile” should be set to the profile supplied by your printer
manufacturer. For instance, Epson supplies ICC profiles for their
printers and paper combinations. Scroll down to find the printer and
paper combination that matches what you are using such as Epson
R2400 on Archival Matte paper.) Under “Intent” or “Rendering Intent”
choose Relative Colorimetric and click “Use Black Point Compensation.” Click Print.
image details: Maurice Prendergast, Beach Scene with Boats.
Brooklyn Museum Collection
3. Print with Preview Dialog Box
When the printer software dialog box opens, set the output to the
highest setting, select the correct paper (Archival Matte) and navigate
to the color settings area and specify No Color Management by the
printer. Save the setting as a default.