adrianomeara
06-15-2005, 03:50 AM
We need to keep a layered Photoshop file for future use on all of our files. These files are loaded onto our worldwide database.
At present our designers are not restricted into how many layers they use etc. However going forward we'd like to stop the designers using loads of layers, or at least lessening the amount when they have finished the design by merging layers.
The problems of doing this are:
1. Use of layers in Photoshop is virtually unlimited; designers can use over 50 layers to create complicated artwork. (An average card would be 2-12 layers approximately)
2. Effects and filters can be applied to individual layers, groups of layers and sets of layers. Effects and filters can also be linked to other layers within the document.
3. Designers are already heavily restricted in the way that they produce artwork, restricting their creativity further may alienate them, especially with going forward they may be having to enter metadata as well.
4. We can’t use an automation to merge the layers down, as it would be too indiscriminate, as each design is different. (i.e. if we merged it down to four layers, a drop shadow that had been applied to a layer with a character on would be combined, and there would be no way of separating the shadow from the character at a later date.)
5. Making use of Layer Sets and asking the designers to create their files by placing elements in each set would cause confusion, and although it would look tidier there would still be lots of layers within the sets.
6. Layer Comps is only ok for showing different versions of a file.
7. Each designer has their own way of working within Photoshop, not because they are working in a wrong way, but Photoshop has lots of different ways to achieve similar results, and each designer feels more comfortable using it in a way they know, and making them use it in a different way would stifle their creativity as they would be worried about files being correct all the time, and be less able to experiment.
8. Would be difficult to implement and teach.
I'm stumped!!! I would be grateful for any ideas or suggestions we could use. Sorry for the long post, but thought it best to describe as much as possible.
Thank you in advance.
At present our designers are not restricted into how many layers they use etc. However going forward we'd like to stop the designers using loads of layers, or at least lessening the amount when they have finished the design by merging layers.
The problems of doing this are:
1. Use of layers in Photoshop is virtually unlimited; designers can use over 50 layers to create complicated artwork. (An average card would be 2-12 layers approximately)
2. Effects and filters can be applied to individual layers, groups of layers and sets of layers. Effects and filters can also be linked to other layers within the document.
3. Designers are already heavily restricted in the way that they produce artwork, restricting their creativity further may alienate them, especially with going forward they may be having to enter metadata as well.
4. We can’t use an automation to merge the layers down, as it would be too indiscriminate, as each design is different. (i.e. if we merged it down to four layers, a drop shadow that had been applied to a layer with a character on would be combined, and there would be no way of separating the shadow from the character at a later date.)
5. Making use of Layer Sets and asking the designers to create their files by placing elements in each set would cause confusion, and although it would look tidier there would still be lots of layers within the sets.
6. Layer Comps is only ok for showing different versions of a file.
7. Each designer has their own way of working within Photoshop, not because they are working in a wrong way, but Photoshop has lots of different ways to achieve similar results, and each designer feels more comfortable using it in a way they know, and making them use it in a different way would stifle their creativity as they would be worried about files being correct all the time, and be less able to experiment.
8. Would be difficult to implement and teach.
I'm stumped!!! I would be grateful for any ideas or suggestions we could use. Sorry for the long post, but thought it best to describe as much as possible.
Thank you in advance.