warping two layers simultaneously

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
November 16, 2016
2 replies
10589 views

I am inexperienced with PS, so please bear with me.

I have the 2015 version of photoshop. I created two pattern layers and want to warp them exactly the same way. I selected each and went to layers, smart object, convert to linked. But when I select one layer and begin to distort it the other layer does not distort. Can you help me so that both layers wil move together?

Thanks.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer edgrimley

If I understand what you are after correctly you could record the warp as an action and save it. Then you can run the action on any new file or new layer to get the same result.

Semaphoric

Community Expert

An alternative would be to use the Liquify filter on both layers sequentially. After doing one layer, run the filter on the second layer, and click on the "Load Last Mesh" button. This will apply the same distortion to the second layer as the first. You can do this with or without Smart Objects.

S

SyyyyyyBAuthor

Inspiring

My image files are for a plain grids which I am skewing and warping. I want to stack a dominant grid over a more subtle grid and distort each the same way because I will be making a mask of the combined distorted shape later on. The liquify filter won’t give me the distortion I need. I tried the suggestion of making a copy of the smart layer of the distorted first file and then replacing it’s contents with the second file but that did not work. The second file was not distorted at all and the sizing was off.

E

edgrimleyCorrect answer

Participating Frequently

If I understand what you are after correctly you could record the warp as an action and save it. Then you can run the action on any new file or new layer to get the same result.

War Unicorn

Community Expert

Linked Smart Objects refer to an external asset; change/edit it once, and anywhere that linked Smart Object is used will be updated. More info:

Work with Smart Objects in Photoshop

What you want to do in your case is create just one linked Smart Object, then insert it twice. (There are a couple of ways of doing this, like using the ol' Ctrl/Cmd + J or just inserting that particular linked Smart Object again.) Double-click just one of the linked Smart Objects to edit, save and then return to the original document. All the instances of that edit should appear in both Objects.

S

SyyyyyyBAuthor

Inspiring

I am really a newbie.

Do I make both layers smart objects first, then take one and convert it to linked? I don’t know what it means to “insert” it twice.

Thanks for your help with this.

War Unicorn

Community Expert

No, you only make the one a linked Smart Object, delete the other one and follow what I posted before. (e.g., Workflow would be: Make a linked Smart Object > duplicate by using Ctrl/Cmd + J > arrange the duplicate by moving it around > double-click linked Smart Object (can be the original or the copy) > edit > save > switch back to main document.)

Since I was a little quick on the draw the last time, I should mention one thing: This is all assuming you want to take one layer that looks exactly the same and insert it into your composition (at least) twice. If you wanted to apply the same warping effect to two layers that look completely different, it just won't work that way.

Now, if you wanted to use two (or more) different-looking layers, but have the same effects, there's a way to do that too. Reply if you want to know how.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded