Using Photoshop As Storyboard Software

Brushes

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Error creating thumbnail: File missing

[custom brushes] > experiments > classic cartoonist with texture

Managing files

Adobe Bridge

Adobe Bridge 2023 issues

Transitioning between previews behaves differently in Bridge 2023 than previous versions.

The images were cached, so maybe there would be a low resolution version of the image presented briefly while viewing an image for the first time.

With Bridge 2023 there is a blurry low-resolution version of the image being loaded pretty much each time, which is distracting when previewing storyboard frames.

PSD images seem to work a little better than JPG images.

Batch processing images

• In Bridge select the image to be processed.
• Main Menu > Tools > Photoshop > Batch...
• Batch dialog
  • Play
    • Set: bg painting (select the Photoshop action set that contains an action to apply to the images)
    • Action: [Select the action to apply, e.g. flatten all layers]
    • The action doesn't need to have Save or Save As... steps.
  • Destination: Save and Close
    Without this option, the file will be opened in Photoshop without any files being saved.
  • Override Action "Save As" Commands: checked
    With this option is unchecked, a copy of the file is saved. With the option checked, the original file is overwritten.

Renaming files

Bridge

Select the files to rename in Bridge, right click and select Batch Rename....

The Batch Rename dialog can assign a base name along with a optionally padded sequence.

Command line

JPEG files generated exporting through Photoshop's export layer comps come with sequences inserted into the file names.

Use zmv on the command line to remove these sequences from the files in batches using wildcards.

$ zmv '001-[0-9]_(0[0-9].jpg)' '001-$1'
# use the -n option to perform dry runs, e.g.
$ zmv -n '001-[0-9]_(0[0-9].jpg)' '001-$1'

Photoshop workflow

onion skins

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Create groups for each frame in a scene. Adjust the transparency of the groups to use them as onion skins.

Put shared background and foreground elements in their own groups.

layer comps

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Create a layer comp for each frame in the scene. Turn on the background and foreground groups, plus the groups dedicated to the frame in question.

navigating through layer comps

Make sure that keyboard shortcuts are in place for navigating through layer comps.

• Photoshop main menu > Edit > Keywboard shortcuts...
• Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus dialog
  • Shortcuts for: Panel Menus
  • Panel Menu Command > Layer Comps > Next Layer Comp: ⌥ + ⌘ + ]
  • Panel Menu Command > Layer Comps > Previous Layer Comp: ⌥ + ⌘ + [

exporting layer comps

• Photoshop main menu > File > Export > Layer Comps to Files...
• Layer Comps to Files... dialog
  • Destination: [select location]
  • File Name Prefix: [scene number]
  • File Type: PSD or JPEG

It may be necessary to further process the files after exporting them, e.g. flatting PSD layers, renaming etc. See Batch Processing Images and Renaming files above.