It is important to remember that performance is not only based about hardware, but about software as well. Such an aspect is undoubtedly the Optimization of the file which we are working on. It may sound strange, but it is one of the most important things that will ensure you are working as effectively as possible.
Organising layers
PSD file (Photoshop Document) – a file format in which Adobe Photoshop stores 2D graphics (newer versions can also embed 3D objects and video files). The number of layers in our project significantly affects how quickly Photoshop performs. For this reason, it is worth considering how to manage them in a sensible way.
The first thing to remember is the number of layers – in fact, which layers are required to display the effects of our work. It’s worth removing layers that are disabled or empty – this will not only make it easier to find your way around them, but also make it easier for Photoshop to interpret the file without taking up RAM.
If possible – work on a vector
Working on vectors is always much “Lighter” than displaying rasters – purely for technical reasons and the basic issue of how rasters and vectors are generated. The latest version of Photoshop makes working with vectors much easier and more efficient. You can create your own shapes or use pre-made ones from the progRAM‘s library.
When working on a website, it is recommended to copy any company logos or icons directly from Illustrator. While pasting our object in Photoshop, a message will appear asking how to treat the pasted object:
- Smart object
- Pixels
- Path
- Shape layer
The best option is to choose the latter one, as it allows us to change the colour of the pasted vector quickly (all you need to do is double-click on the layer thumbnail, as in the case of an ordinary rectangle drawn in the PS) and it’s treated the same way as an ordinary shape from Photoshop. However, it’s worth remembering that the object you insert by selecting the “shape layer” while pasting will be flattened to one colour, so if your object is not monochromatic – you have to opt for “Smart Object”, which is also a very good solution. It works as a link to the Illustrator file, which can be called up by double-clicking on a layer thumbnail.
Familiarise yourself with Blending Options
This is also an important step on the way to making our work efficient. It is all about using Blending Options as often as possible by right-clicking on a layer. There, you will find most of the options that allow us to customize the look of a layer the way we want it.
You can safely say that any effect you get from Blending Options can be done “manually”, i. e. by creating several layers, applying them to each other, mixing adjustments and so on. Unfortunately, what is created here is something that we should avoid – an excessive number of layers. Let’s try to reduce them by using Blending Options, it will not only give Photoshop a break, but it will also make your. psd file tidy and speed up your work without the need to go through hundreds of layers.
