Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D Designer
Non-destructive custom filters in #Photoshop? Yes, please. Build them in #Substance3DDesigner and adjust to your heart’s content using the new Parametric Filters Panel in Photoshop (beta). Unleash your creativity in every render. pic.twitter.com/eEbmNgTFDs
— Adobe Substance 3D (@Substance3D) December 9, 2024
Adobe has added a new set of Parametric Filters powered by Substance 3D materials in the current beta build of Photoshop, its image editing and digital painting software.
As well as applying over 20 readymade image-stylization filters, users can create their own custom filters in Substance 3D Designer and import them into Photoshop.
Parametric Filters let you author custom Photoshop filters in Substance 3D Designer
The current Photoshop beta – the experimental build of the software, released in parallel to the stable version – features a new Parametric Filters panel with over 20 image-stylization filters.
Some replicate the effects of existing filters, including halftone, pixelate and scratch effects, but provide more user controls.
However, some are completely new: the video above shows filters adding rain or snow to images, and for making source images look like embroidery.
If that sounds reminiscent of the filters recently added to Adobe’s Substance 3D tools, there’s a reason for that: the new filters are built as Substance 3D .sbsar files.
That makes it possible to create node graphs in Substance 3D Designer and export them in .sbsar format, to use in Photoshop as custom filters.
The same control parameters exposed inside Substance 3D Designer are exposed in Photoshop.
As well as providing a new way for designers to create stylized looks for images, the feature has potential applications to texturing and material-authoring workflows for 3D projects.
Other features in the current Photoshop beta
Other current beta features in Photoshop include the Substance 3D Viewer plugin, for importing and editing 3D models inside the software.
There are also new generative AI features, including the Generative Workspace, for generating multiple variant images from a single text prompt, for quickly exploring different looks.
Beta users also get the option to use a reference image to guide the output of Generative Fill and Generative Expand, the new AI-based tools added to the software last year.
Pricing and system requirements
Beta builds of Photoshop are available free to current subscribers.
You can find details of pricing and system requirements in this story on Photoshop 26.2, the current stable version of the software, which was released earlier this week.
Read more about the new Substance-powered parametric filters in Photoshop on Adobe’s blog
Read more about the other current beta features in Photoshop on Adobe’s website
Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.