Photoshop® CS3 Bible

Chapter 11. Distortions and Effects

IN THIS CHAPTER

Compelling foundation data on Photoshop's special effects filters

Applying filters via the Filter Gallery

Using the Pixelate and Mezzotint filters

Applying the Edge-Enhancement filters

Creating metallic effects with Bas Relief, Plastic Wrap, and Chrome

Twisting reality with Distort filters

Torturing your images with the Lens Correction and Liquify tools

Using the enhanced Vanishing Point filter

Changing a picture's atmosphere using Clouds

Understanding the complete inner workings of Lighting Effects

As you discovered in Chapter 10, corrective filters enable you to eliminate image flaws and apply special effects that enhance the appearance of an image — generally without losing any details or changing the overall image content. These filters improve upon, rather than change, an image.

Destructive filters, on the other hand, are devoted solely to special effects. There are nearly twice as many destructive filters as corrective filters, perhaps because they simplify the creation of special effects, from simple artistic medium-mimicry to total distortion — things you could not easily do from scratch with any of Photoshop's tools or corrective commands and filters.

Now, some Photoshop veterans will tell you that destructive filters aren't useful or they aren't as important or effective as the corrective ones. That's an entirely subjective position, and one that isn't really worth defending or attacking. Suffice to say that many veteran designers ...