Applying Photoshop filters to image sequences

If you have an image sequence or video that has been converted to image sequences then it is possible to apply almost any photoshop filter, transforms and or processes to your work using Actions in Photoshop. Most any menu commands or tasks in photoshop can be recorded as an action to make a macro. This includes but not limited to resizing an image, doing color correction, and applying filters.

To start of with, make sure the image sequence is in a seperate folder because we will be applying a batch process to the whole folder. Next, open an image from the sequence in Photoshop. Next, to view the action pallette select Window>Actions which looks like the image bellow.

In the actions pallette select the folder icon to create a new folder set and give the set a unique name. Next select the Create new action icon which is to left of the trashcan icon in the action pallete and give it a unique name. To start recording actions press the Ok button.

In this example an image is going through just just two steps but a whole stream of actions can be recorded at once depending on the desired effect.

First select the Filter> Artistic> Neon Glow with the Glow Size of 5, Glow Brightness of 15, for Glow Color select a bright Blue. Once the options are set press Ok. Next, go to Image> Adjustments> invert which should make the blues a brown color. Now that is done select the square "stop playing/record" button at the bottom left of the actions pallette. In the pallette under the name of your action set> action name there should be an entry for Neon Glow and Invert. At this point close the oppened image without saving.

For the Final Steps select File> Automate> Batch. In the batch menu select your action set from set and your recorded session from Actions. For the Source select Folder then Choose and select the folder with the original image sequence from the folder list. In the check boxes only leave the "suppress" check boxes selected like in the image below. Select Folder for Destination and then use Choose to find the same folder as before but in the folder browser select Make New Folder which place a new folder in your existing folder. The override action check box should be switched off if not already.

For the File naming convention select Document Name + 4 digit serial number (this allows up to 9999 frames in the image sequence) + extension from the first three selection boxes. Set the starting serial to 1. Finally, select desired operating system compatibilities and tell PhotoShop to Stop for Errors from the Error list. Once you press Ok photo shop will open each image in the sequence, add Neon Filter, Invert Image, and save image with the frame number in the new folder. Once Photoshop is done you will be able to import the image sequence into most video editing and composting packages.This work flow allows for limit less possibilities for video production and the actions are also saved for future use.

Thanks for Reading........

Examples based on my seamless tutorial

These seamless patterns where made using the technique in the last tutorial.
http://seamlesstexture.blogspot.com/

Custom made Seamless Texture Tutorial

Custom made seamless textures in Photoshop

• To start of with go to File>New to create a new document.
• In the create new document screen I'm using the following settings.
  

• I set width and height to 1024 pixels with a resolution of 72 pixels/inch. Having width and height the same is common practice but some certain patterns require different dimensions. If you are planning to print the pattern then use inches or centimeters and the resolution should be at least 150 dpi.

• Working on the centerlines of the canvas create a few shapes like shown below. As long as nothing is overlapping the borders of the document then the next few step are a breeze.

• Make a copy one of the original shapes and select all layers except for the just copied.
  
• Under the Layer menu select merge layers.
• Under the Filter menu select other>offset. This filter will flip anything from the center to the border. Set horizontal and vertical pixels to half the width and height of the document. verify that the wrap around option is picked.

• Notice the image below after the filter is applied.

• Now copy that original shape a few time and place them around the image like before(just stay away form the borders).
• Finally, merge all the layers and that is what we call a seamless texture. If you don't believe me hit the offset filter a few times and notice how the images don't show any seams.
  
  

• To get the below texture I duplicated, rotated, colored, and offset the layers with different pixel dimensions pixels. Once seamless a pattern can be offset by any dimension and still work.

Thank You for reading.