Pattern grid in photoshop using smart objects

[Alex234969494b7f]

Hi everyone, 

I'm trying to figure out how to recreate a similar sort of re-usable pattern grid using four different smart objects. Here is my difficulty:

-To streamline the process, there are four smart objects which will auto-populate the rest of the grid.

-However, each instance of one smart object is a different section of the original image, different size and different rotation. 

-Therefore, copying via a NEW SMART OBJECT VIA COPY would mean that I have to manually populate each instance.

-But, DUPLICATING the smart object does not allow me to adjust the positioning, size and rotation of the source image in each instance. 

It feels like there is a simple solution that I just don't know about. Thanks in advance.

[Bojan Živković]

Instead of trying to edit the pattern, which won't work, have you tried to transform or rotate the cloned or duplicated smart object? Editing the source of the cloned smart object layers will automatically affect all other cloned instances. However, transforming each of the cloned smart object layers will not change the other clones.

[Alex234969494b7f]

I think I understand what you are suggesting, but I would like to be able to easily change the source image and have it auto-populate the rest of the grid with the copies. If I understand you correctly, I would have to unlink the copies from the source, so if I wanted to change the source image, I would have to start over and then unlink all the copies as I go.

Any ideas? If I'm misunderstanding you, please feel free to clarify -- thank you!

[didiermazier]

I would do the following :

Working with embedded same smart object in frames from the same Photoshop file

This images are smart objects in which you have imported the same base image with a link (not incorporated);  Hereafter one of the smart objects

Adding or changing layers on the base objects will change the embeded images

You will only have to resave the base object to get images changed. The rotation and size in the frames will still be the same…

I add a zip file of the sample

 

 

[didiermazier]

I worked a little more with this example grey and yellow car…

To update the grid after a change on the base image, juste click, on one of the frames again; Photoshop will update all frames with new populating image. All crop, sizes symetry and rotation will be keep as it in the frames

 

 

[Alex234969494b7f]

Thank you, I appreciate your ideas! I downloaded the files and understand your logic. Is there a way however to keep the source images easily available and editable in the same .psd file? If you see the image I attached, it seems they may have set up the grid pattern in the way that you suggest here, but they have the four smart objects in the same .psd, and then you can see the four folders with the copied layers. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I am not sure I folow your description. 

Does it comes down to you wanting to create multiple instances of a new Smart Object from multiple instances of an existing Smart Object? 

[Alex234969494b7f]

The idea is to have 4 main smart objects (which visibility is then turned off). A pattern grid is then automatically populated with the source images from the smart objects, however each instance of the copy within the grid has a different scale and rotation. So the difficulty is automatically populating the grid using only four main smart objects, but at the same time having the ability to edit the scale and rotation of each copied instance within the grid pattern.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please post meaningful screenshots. 

What is the problem with changing the scale and rotation of the individual instances? 

How are they masked – Layer Masks, Vector Masks, Clipping Groups, …? 

[Alex234969494b7f]

Ok I think I finally figured it out, working off of @didiermazier 's example. Here is a screenshot. I basically create a new frame for each instance in the grid, and then drag and drop a copy of the source image smart object into the frame.

The difficulty was editing each individual instance without unlinking it from the original source image and at the same time not affecting the other instances of the image when one was scaled or rotated.

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

What about the screenshot in your original post? 

There were Groups that apparently contained the masked Smart Object instances, don’t you have that file? 

In a layerd image one can select a Layer on the Canvas by cmd-clicking it and then, if the Layer Mask or Vector Mask is unlinked, transform it. 

Edit: This example only features instances of one Smart Object, but instances of multiple Smart Objects would not make a relevant difference on the task. 

[Alex234969494b7f]

Wow, great explanation! Thank you so much, that is exactly what I was trying to do. I just tried it and it works perfectly. I suppose what I was missing was that it is necessary to unlink the layer masks and then you can transform each copy independently of the others, and yet it remains linked to the source.

Also, just to clarify, the original screenshot that I attached was not my file, I was just using it from a project on behance that I like, and was attempting to learn the method of creating a similar grid pattern.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I don’t quite understand your workflow. 

Anyway, a Smart Object can feature multiple Layer Comps which can applied to the instances in the containing document via the Properties Panel. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible in which the SOs are visible in the Layers Panel?