Adobe PS tutorials: Install & use actions

You may know what I mean when I say that it's sometimes really hard to remember methods I used to create some visual effect some time ago. Or do you like a special effect on graphics but somehow it's very exhausting and takes too much time? If you feel this way and if you're a proud owner of Adobe Photoshop the action plug-in will save you from despair!

Adobe Photoshop actions are plug-ins meant to be integrated such as brushes. They allow you to make use of a predefined sequence of operations with just one click.

This tutorial will teach you how to install and use actions in Adobe Photoshop. Another tutorial that teachs you how to create actions yourself will probably comming soon. If you want to try it right now, check out the Adobe Photoshop actions section on Grieved-Lightness.

1. INSTALL

• Download a Photoshop action on a website of your confidence!
  
• Make sure the file has an *.atn ending. This is the sign that it's compatible with Photoshop.
• Have a look at your Photoshop Folder and follow this path:
  C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CSX\Presets\Photoshop Actions\
• Insert the downloaded action file (*.atn) into the mentioned folder.

2. USING ACTIONS

• Open Adobe Photoshop and the image you want to edit.
• Take a look at the layer window (Window / Layers or simply F9) and select the image layer.
• Now you have to open the action window by activating it under Window / Actions (F9).
• Open the submenue by using (the additional arrow) at the right-top and "load action".
• The action is possibly packed into a "set". Push the arrow to open the drop-down menue and the action appears.
• To make use of the effect your image has to go through various steps.
• To start this process use this "play selection" button .
  
• And that's it. If your image doesn't look as espected your base possibly doesn't fulfill the requirement to use the action. Always have a close look at previews and description given on the website you downloaded your action from.

Additional information: The exemplary image is an artwork by Kita Senri (北千里) created for Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (ファイアーエムブレム 聖魔の光石).