Chapter 16
Annotating and Automating an Image
Chapter Lessons
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Add annotations to an image
Create an action
Modify an action
Use a default action and create a droplet
Communicating
• Communicate with the person
viewing an image by:
– Creating written notes
• A comment that appears in the image
Using Automation
• Use the Actions feature to automate
commonly performed tasks:
– Record all the steps required for an action
– Play the action
• An action is a series of tasks that are recorded
and saved for future use
Ensuring Consistency
• Create actions for frequently used tasks to:
– Use them in other Photoshop images
– Ensure consistency between related images
Add Annotations to an Image
Creating Written Notes
• Use the Notes tool to create notes
– Similar to yellow sticky notes
• Click the Notes tool on the Tools panel
• Click where the note should appear in the
image
• Type the contents of the note
Working with Notes
• Each note has an icon displayed on the image
– This icon does not print
• Open the note by double-clicking the icon
Viewing a Note
Note text
Personalizing a Note
• Change the color of the note’s title bar
– Click the Notes color box on the options bar
• Change the author of the note
– Select the contents of the Name of author for
annotations text box, then enter a new name and
press [Enter] (Win) or [return] (Mac)
Create an Action
• Most Photoshop actions that can be
performed using a button or menu command
can be recorded as an action
• Each action can contain:
– One or more steps
– A stop that allows completion of a command that
can’t be recorded
Saving and Storing Actions
• Actions are stored in sets
• Each set is saved as an .atn file typically
named by the category or actions they contain
– Example: A multiple type-related action could be
stored in a set named Type Actions
Accessing Actions
• Access actions from the Actions panel
– Grouped with the History panel
• View actions in List mode or in Button mode
on the Actions panel
Modes
• List Mode
– Default setting
– Displays the details within each action
• Button Mode
– Displays each action without details
Operating Actions
• Use media-player buttons to operate an action
• Buttons include:
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Play
Record
Stop
Move Forward
Move Backward
Creating Actions
• When recording takes place, the red
Recording button appears on the Actions
panel
• Use the Playback Options dialog box to modify
how actions are played back
Playback Options Dialog Box
Action Playback Options
Creating an Action
• Take a snapshot of the image
• Click the Actions panel tab
• Click the Create new action button on the Actions
panel
• Type the name of the action in the Name text box
• Assign a color to the action
– The action is displayed in this color in Button mode
Actions panel
Create new action
button
New Action Dialog box
Recording an Action
• Perform the steps required for the action
• Click the Stop playing/recording button on the
Actions panel
Playing an Action
• Click the action on the Actions panel
• Click the History panel tab and click the snapshot
taken of the image before performing the action
– The image is restored to its original state
• Click the Actions panel tab
• Click the Play selection button on the Actions
panel
Modifying an Action
• Click the step that will come after or before the
new steps to add
• Click the Begin recording button on the Actions
panel
• Record the steps
• Click the Stop playing/recording button on the
Actions panel
Switching Modes
• Toggle between List mode and Button mode:
– Click the Actions panel list arrow
– Click Button Mode (or List Mode)
Actions Panel Modes
List Mode
Button
Mode
Modifications for Actions
Understanding a Stop
• Command that interrupts playback to allow
performance of another operation
• To insert a stop:
– Click the step just above where the pause should take
place
– Click the Actions panel list arrow, then click Insert Stop
– Enter a text message in the Record Stop dialog box
– Select the Allow Continue check box
Record Stop Dialog box
Use a Default Action and
Create a Droplet
• Add a default action to any action already
created
• Default actions are actions included with
Photoshop
Default Actions
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Vignette
Frame Channel
Wood Frame
Cast Shadow
Water Reflection
Custom RGB to Grayscale
Molten Lead
• Make Clip Path
(selection)
• Sepia Toning (layer)
• Quadrant Colors
• Save as Photoshop
PDF
• Gradient Map
• Mixer Brush Cloning
Paint Setup
Using Default Actions
• Select the step in a new action that is above where the
default action should occur
• Click the Begin recording button
• Scroll through the Actions panel to find the required
default action
• Click the action, then click the Play selection button
– All the steps in the default action are performed when the
new action is played
Default Action Sets
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Commands
Frames
Image Effects
LAB – Black & White Technique
Production
Stars Trails
Text Effects
Textures
Video Actions
Loading a Default Action Set
• Click the Actions panel list arrow
• Click the name of the set to load
Understanding a Droplet
• Stand-alone action in the form of an icon
• Drag one or more Photoshop files onto the
droplet icon to perform the action on the file
• Accessing droplets:
– Store on the hard drive
– Place on the desktop
– Distribute to other users
Droplet on the Desktop
Droplet
Creating a Droplet
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Click File on the Menu bar
Point to Automate, then click Create Droplet
Click Choose
Enter the name of the droplet
Identify the location in which to save the
droplet, then click Save