live mirror in photoshop

[zatisskates]

Is is possible to have a live mirror in photoshop similar to illustrators live mirror technique with the transform effect? Mirror draw doesnt work for me because that only effects brush drawing, so it doesnt include most other important tools like the smudge tool, which i use alot in digital painting, and it also doesnt include anything thing i cut paste or move. The only work around ive found is creating the mirror in a separate document by duplicating and flipping the image and relinking it to the original image file, and then constantly exporting the original half image to png so it updates in the mirror document. This method is kind of a tedious guess and check, and makes it harder to fine tune the mirror seams, so I'm really hoping there's a better alternative.

[Dan Rodney]

You could make one half a smart object.

Then duplicate the smart object, flip it and line it up next to the other to create the mirror. 

When you update the one smart object, the other will automatically update. You won't see both halves are you work, but you will at least get the other half to update automatically!

If you have any questions about how to do that, let me know and I can be more specific.

[zatisskates]

As far as i know you cant paint on smart objects though

[davescm]

You are right you need to open the SO and update the content. The flipped copy will update when the SO is closed and saved.

However, to your last point. If you are painting then you can use brush symmetry.

Dave

[c.pfaffenbichler]

The proposed embeded Smart Object route should be a more efficient than your previous approach (with a linked Smart Object and exporting?). 

So that should count as a win already … but ultimately what you seem to want is not possible in Photoshop at current. 

So you may want to check out the existing Symmetry-related Feature Requests over at 

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/

and add a new one if they don’t meet your expectations.