Eye Candy with PhotoLine, help

[mrocha]

Update: Photoline is incompatible with Eye Candy 7 plugin look this:

Bug 1 (Most effects don't work):
https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 662#p50662

Bug 2 (Auto duplicate layer setting don't work):
https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 664#p50664

Note: Auto duplicate layer setting don't working also on "Alien Skin" Exposure and Snap Art 4, and in many other modern and legacy plugins, as the famous Topaz Remask v4 or 5

Update 6-9-2022: Bug 1 was fixed on PL version 23.40b13, and Bug 2 is not possible to be fixed because there is no way to handle Photoshop automation plugins with PhotoLine or any other software than the original. A good solution to this limitation can be implement this:

https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6739

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I'm trying the Eye Candy 7 plugin and when I add some text for example, I need first convert to RGB because EC don't support vector, (is possible make it compatible with vector or pure text?) so after converting to RGB I have this result of attachment 1, so I go to layer panel below "transparency" and I increase the size and I have the result of attachment 2 when on Eye Candy, but when I apply, the result is attachment 3. What I'm doing wrong? Is someway to make this process more easy or fast, and how to make it work correct? Thanks

[shijan]

Not sure if i understand the problem, but try this:
Layout -> Image -> Bring to Document size. This will extend transparent background of rasterized text layer to larger size and Eye Candy will be able to use larger area.

[mrocha]

Perfect! Thanks!

[Hoogo]

(is possible make it compatible with vector or pure text?)

Might be possible with a "placeholder", but I'm not sure if you can avoid your other problem.
- Create your text as usual
- Check layer attributes, and convert the type from "text" to "placeholder"
- Apply your filter to it.

- With "Layout > placeholder..." you can switch to the text and edit it. Or use a right-click in the layer list, there's an entry in the context menu.

[mrocha]

Really as placeholder don't has the "bring to document size" and when you open the Eye Candy, Photoline automatically convert from placeholder to "gray" type, seem like Eye Candy force this convertion, I don't know. But anyway thanks your answer and information!

[mrocha]

Sorry my ignorance, I started with Eye Candy now, and I never used it on Photoshop, I started directly with Photoline, so I don't know if the issue is with the Eye Candy or with me, . I think which is with me. I have two questions.

Question 1 - For instance I had a vector rectangle converted to RGB and I want to apply a effect in Eye Candy, then EC show one thing, a dark shadow, but when I apply, the PL show a white shadow, what I'm doing wrong?

Question 2 - I removed a background with Topaz Remask, then I apply a effect using Eye Candy, the Photoline and Eye Candy don't show the removed background, but when apply the effect the background is showed. To avoid it I use "Group marked layers" and "Merge Layers". I want to ask is it the right way to avoid this problem?

[Hoogo]

I assume that Eye candy doesn't create additional layers, but does everything within the given layer?
It's difficult/impossible to do all the effects in a nice way when you can't add new layers and do everything in 1 layer in mode "normal". And that's what the plugin has to do. I'm not even sure if a plugin could create new layers...

1) Your shadow isn't a "real" shadow, but a gradient going from medium to light grey with some additional transparency. That looks like a nice shadow on a light grey background, but on a different background it looks just like a grey gradient with some transparency.
- I read something like "low opacity, black" on the left. Try that instead.
- Or duplicate the original layer, keep the original on top, apply the Eye candy to the layer below and set it to "multiply".
- PLs layer effects are imho best for that purpose.

2) I see that there's no background within Eye candy, and I assume in your PL stack there's a black background and that ladder?I think I can explain that, but what does "To avoid it I use "Group marked layers" and "Merge Layers"" mean?
- PLs layer effects should be good again if you just want to have that result.
- Check the attachment, I tried to explain half transparency and pixel colors there.
- I wonder why Eye candy treats transparency differently for preview and for final result.

[mrocha]

If you look at image 4 on the applied yellow borders you can see the background, I removed this background with Topaz Remask, but when I send the image to Eye Candy and I apply any effect the background is back with any background color used on PL, black, white, transparent. So I tried somethings and using on this layer, which is just one layer, using "Group marked layers" and "Merge Layers" on this layer, PL don't show removed background again after processing with Eye Candy. This way work perfect, I just wanted to know if is the correct way, but anyway this work. About the drop shadow effect, really Eye Candy just use one layer for all, and some effects I tried show an white border when applied, I think the issue is with Eye Candy as you said. I also tried change opacity on Eye Candy, this help, but change a lot the final result. But I think the issue is with some Eye Candy presets, as you said, with different background color you see the problem, but I found strange how can be so different when applied, from a dark shadow to a almost white shadow, so I think maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I think the issue is with the preset. Thanks Hoogo your attention and explanations!

[Herbert123]

I've installed the trial version of Eye Candy, and it seems to work correctly?

Aside from ensuring the surrounding canvas is large enough for certain effects, that is.

Btw, if you want to use Eye Candy with vector layers and/or non-destructively, convert your layer(s) to a Placeholder layer first, and then apply the Eye Candy filter. It will create a live non-destructive Eye Candy filter adjustment layer, which works with just about any content, including vector shapes.

To convert one or more layers or layer group(s) to a Placeholder layer: select the layer(s), then Layer-->Placeholder-->Create from layer.

[mrocha]

To keep surrounding canvas large I'm using the "Bring to Document size", I'm with impression which some issues is preset related, for instance the preset I posted "Drop-Blurry" a shadow in a rectangle, the shadow when applied go from dark to almost white, you also think this is just a preset feature? And thanks the tips!

[Herbert123]

To keep surrounding canvas large I'm using the "Bring to Document size", I'm with impression which some issues is preset related, for instance the preset I posted "Drop-Blurry" a shadow in a rectangle, the shadow when applied go from dark to almost white, you also think this is just a preset feature? And thanks the tips!

I have done some testing, and Eye Candy 7 pre-multiplies its alpha (transparency) with white! Which is odd - it should be doing that with black instead.

It is easy to figure out:
1) draw a vector rectangle. Any colour.
2) convert to a placeholder layer.
3) apply the EC7 dropshadow.
4) merge that layer with its effect.
5) select the layer, and create a layer mask from alpha (option in the layer mask menu at the bottom of the layer panel). This action converts the alpha (transparency) to a layer mask.
6) hide or delete the layer mask.

Result: notice that the shadow is not completely black, but actually mixes with the white background. This means that white is mixed in, which is generally unwanted.

Compare:

2022-06-20 22_28_19-#1.png

I removed the transparency/alpha channel to display the underlying bitmap data. Left is EC7, right is what PhotoLine's dropshadow layer effect does.

Because the shadow is premultiplied with white, it causes an undesired white halo when the dropshadow is placed over a darker image. This issue does not occur with the right version because no white/greys are present.

If you really insist on using the dropshadow effect from Eye Candy 7 (which is inferior in quality and controls compared to PhotoLine's built-in dropshadow layer effect), then the only recourse is to:

7) after removing the alpha/transparency, assign a Color to Transparency filter adjustment layer, and set the transparency colour to white.

This will 'repair' the alpha by removing the white component that was mixed in by Eye Candy 7.

Learn more about premultiplied alpha here:
https://limnu.com/premultiplied-alpha-primer-artists/

I am unsure if this is caused by the Eye Candy 7 filter, or by how PhotoLine interprets the result. I suspect the former is to blame, since Gmic and Filter Forge have no such issues and also include various dropshadow effects - and those correctly pre-multiply with full black.

[Herbert123]

I had a lightbulb insight, and this is the simple solution to make it work with EC7:

2022-06-20 22_42_24-#2.jpg

First convert to a placeholder layer. Then apply the EC7 dropshadow. Then attach a color to transparency with white to it. It removes that silly white mixed in.

[mrocha]

Very good Herbert123! Very good your explanation and your technical knowledge. Thanks so much your attention and your time! You have reason about the superior quality of native drop shadow from PL, is really good. But I think your workaround can be useful anyway for other EC presets which has the same issue. I'm trying to do it here, I got it:

1 - Select the image over some background image and convert the selected image to placeholder layer. If is a Vector or Text convert to RGB, then go to "Layout - Image - Bring to document size" and convert to placeholder layer

2 - Apply the effect with EC

3 - Assign a Color to Transparency filter adjustment layer, and set the transparency colour to white.

4 - In the end, if you want, "Fix" the placeholder layer.

Worked perfect for the drop shadow effect, I just have one issue, if for instance I'm processing with Eye Candy a white text, or if the EC effect has the white color like a fire effect, so the white text or the white parts of the effect, is converted to transparent. Has some workaround to it or is better forget about Eye Candy? Maybe is an incompatibility is very strange this white issue.

[shijan]

Duplicate original text layer and put it on top of layer with Eye Candy effect

[mrocha]

Duplicate the text or original image can be a solution for this part, but the effect still with issues please look at the images again I replaced the images with some better images, in this case is needed duplicate also the effect and in the end can be a lot of work to apply the effect. I'm suspecting this is a incompatibility with PL. I don't have Photoshop anymore to try Eye Candy, but I think very hard this "white transparency" issue be present on Photoshop, but who knows? Is possible. Because no make sense the Eye Candy show one result and apply another very different. But if I have a perfect workaround on PL, to me is fine.

This is what we see on Eye Candy interface before apply (Effect Preview):