Sharpening or similar operation with layers

[dkperez]

In a recent seminar, the presenter recommended NOT creating a merge visible layer above all the adjustment layers. The idea was that you'd open your image as a smart object, do whatever editing was needed, and everything was non-destructive.....

So, open image as smart object
create layer for cloning/healing
create curves adjustment layer
create hue/saturation adjustment layer

Clone/heal do happy stuff, adjust curves, play with saturation, etc....

Now I'm at the point where I want to do to an unsharp mask or smart sharpen. And I'm not supposed to create a merge visible layer to do it on... So, how DO I do it? I can't use the original smart object image layer 'cause then everything done on the layers above won't get sharpened, which can look really odd...

So, how DO I do "normal" sharpening or even better, high-pass sharpening WITHOUT creating a merge visible layer?

 

[iDad]

One quick way that I can think of is (you won't like this but it works) merge visible, copy it,back up so they separate again close those and paste the copied image

 

[iDad]

Or duplicate the layers close the ones that you want to keep merge duplicates

 

[RTContent]

The above that iDad suggested works and is valid, however a faster way of doing this would be to create a new blank layer then go to Image - Apply Image. This will apply whatever is visible onto the top selected layer. You can then use filters.

 

[ibclare]

Why not apply the filter to all layers that have pixels. Your original smart object will retain the filter settings. I think you can then transfer those to the healing layer. Hold alt/opt, click and hold the symbol and move it to the layer. It might be necessary to make the healing layer a smart object though. I've never tried moving any filters or effects this way unless it is from smart object to smart object. This would be against your rules?

 

[dkperez]

Thanks for all the replies... I just got back, so I haven't tried any yet, but I'll play tomorrow. As far as rules, I'm not sure there really are any. I wish I could go back and rewatch the seminar (I can't), because when it was explained (why you don't want to create any merged/fixed layers) it made sense... But, now that I'm actually using smart objects and trying not to create new fixed pixel-bearing layers after adjustments, I'm having problems....

Kind of like the problem of going back and changing the smart object in ACR after you've done healing/cloning... The healing/cloning layer doesn't get changed, so changes made to the smart object don't match the healing/cloning any more......