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Photoshop in 60 Seconds: How to Use Smart Objects

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Welcome to our Photoshop in 60 Seconds series, in which you can learn a Photoshop skill, feature, or technique in just a minute! Today I'll explore some of the amazing benefits of using Smart Objects in Photoshop.

Photoshop in 60 Seconds: Smart Objects

The majority of product mock-ups available on Envato Market use Smart Objects to embed content so it can be easily updated without disrupting the layout or design. The best way to make the most use of such an excellent resource is to understand how to work with Smart Objects.

How to Use Smart Objects

A Smart Object is a separate Photoshop file that is embedded into another file. So, any layer or layers can be turned into one through the Smart Object menu.

Accessing Smart Objects through the Smart Object MenuAccessing Smart Objects through the Smart Object MenuAccessing Smart Objects through the Smart Object Menu

An embedded Smart Object can be edited, and then when it is saved, all the files that contain it are automatically updated.

Working with Embedded Smart ObjectsWorking with Embedded Smart ObjectsWorking with Embedded Smart Objects

You can scale the Smart Object down to be very tiny, and it can be scaled back up to the original size again without any loss of resolution.

Scaling Smart ObjectsScaling Smart ObjectsScaling Smart Objects

Finally, Smart Objects can use Smart filters. So even the most drastic of filters can be easily readjusted or removed completely.

Using Smart Filters on Smart ObjectsUsing Smart Filters on Smart ObjectsUsing Smart Filters on Smart Objects

Want to see this in action? Make sure to check out the video above to follow along with this tutorial.

A Bit More Detail

Want to learn more about Adobe Photoshop's vast tools and settings? Check out these tutorials below:

60 Seconds?!

This is part of a new series of quick video tutorials on Tuts+. We're aiming to introduce a range of subjects, all in 60 seconds, just enough to whet your appetite. Let us know in the comments what you thought of this video and what else you'd like to see explained in 60 seconds!

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