photoshop filters problem....

[m1lenk0]

i have a problem using the filters in photoshop 6:

I create a new blank image, and then fill it in with the clouds/difference clouds filter.
After that i want to use the lighting effects and edge accentuation filters. But these, and a lot of the other filters a just grayed out....

what can be the reason for that?
and help would be greatly appreciated.

[vogonpoet]

Are you working in a channel? If so, the Lens Flare, and Lighting effects filters are inactive like you said. (I cannot find the accentuated edges filter that you mention so I presume that is a 3rd Party Plugin?)

I am guessing you are creating a 'bump' map using a channel (clouds/diff clouds), so that you can apply that via the lighting effects filter. Presumably you are working through a tutorial?

If thats the case, you need to apply the lighting filter to a 'layer' using the lighting filter. This means that you create the 'bump' map in the channel palette, then jump back to the layer palette, and then apply the bump map via the lighting effects filter (which should be active now that you are back in the layer world).

More details will confirm this [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Hope that helps and welcome to the forums

~Vp~

[dalel]

Check Image/Mode, and make sure you are in RGB mode, not Indexed.

I started a new image in RGB mode, filled it with white, and applied the Difference Clouds filter, then applied the Brush Strokes/Accented Edges filter, with good results. (cool effect!)

Need more information to correctly diagnose your problem.

Dale

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[vogonpoet]

I think Dale is on the right track here !

I just did some testing with an document that was in CMYK mode and the Filters you mentioned are grayed out.

As Dale says, IMAGE-->MODE-->RGB and you should be all set!

~Vp~

[dalel]

I have never checked CMYK mode, to see which filters work or not. I only use CMYK mode to do color correcting, and spend 95% of my time in RGB.

Good to know.

Dale

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[m1lenk0]

i checked out the stuff you told me...
i was working in CMYK....
when i tried to use RGB it worked just fine....
and vogonpoet the filter is not 3rd party.. but the actual name is 'accented edges' (under brush strokes)

thanx to everyone for the trouble