Editing Using Photoshop As Storyboard Software

== Brushes ==

[[File:Storyboard-brushes.png|right|320px]]
[[File:Classic cartoonist with texture.png|right|320px]]''[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<br />Without this option, the file will be opened in Photoshop without any files being saved.
** '''Override Action "Save As" Commands:''' `checked`<br />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.

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
$ 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'
</syntaxhighlight>

== Photoshop workflow ==

=== onion skins ===
[[File:Photoshop-onion-skin-groups.png|right|240px]]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 ===
[[File:Photoshop-onlon-skin-layer-comps.png|right|240px]]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''': <kbd>⌥</kbd> + <kbd>⌘</kbd> + <kbd>]</kbd>
** '''Panel Menu Command''' > '''Layer Comps''' > '''Previous Layer Comp''': <kbd>⌥</kbd> + <kbd>⌘</kbd> + <kbd>[</kbd>

==== 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|Batch Processing Images]] and [[#Renaming_files|Renaming files]] above.

[[Category:Photoshop]][[Category:Storyboarding]][[Category:Animation]]