Smart Objects - Confused

[darrent17412506]

I've just learned how to export a film from lightroom to photoshop making a file into as a smart object...easy enough.

And although I love the idea that I can re-edit my work done in lightroom while in photoshop, the issue... in order for me to work on the file in photoshop (lets say skin retouching / frequency separation, etc)...i have to rasterize my smart object...thus defeating the whole purpose of using smart objects.

I have to rasterize in order to use the cloning tool, healing brush, spot tool etc...By rasterizing my duplicate layer, it means if I were to make adjustments to the original smart object layer, the effects are now not seen.  What am I doing wrong or what are my limitations when working like this?

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

I do not use lightroom  so I do not know for sure still I thing you first statement "I love the idea that I can re-edit my work done in lightroom while in photoshop"    is true but the re-edit would not be via lightroom or its develop Module  they are not a Photoshop plugin.  If you reopen the smart object layer in Photoshop I believe you will see ACR open  Not Lightroom or its develop module.  Lightroom Also does not support layers. So if your process your RAW Image in Lightroom and Lightroom has Photoshoo open your RAW files as a smart object layer it will be ACR that open the image as a smart object using the Adobe RAW Conversion  engine with the setting you developed in Lightrooms Develop module.   If you further Process your Image in Photoshop to get it back into Lightroom You would need to flatten or Lighrghtroom would need to use Photoshop composited image view.  Lightroom's  none destructing editing went out the window for changes were not outside outside oh Adobe RAW conversion engine.  So if you need to use an external Image editor with  Lightroom.  I think all Lighroom could do is regress you image  to the state it was in before using your external image editor.  So If you can not make the changes to you smart object layer with Adjustment layers and smart filters. You will have to discard  you dupe and rework. the redo the dupe and work.  You are going to loose all you layer back in Lightroom anyway perhaps it would be best to discard all are start over again in lighgtoom  That way you do need to use ACR UI and you can adjust your image like your use to in Lightroom develop module.

[D Fosse]

Smart Objects is a wonderful invention, but with one major limitation: you cannot directly edit pixel content. No clone stamp, no patch tool, no painting.

The main uses for this workflow are masking, adjustment layers, transforms and smart filters. It can also be useful for color space remapping.

[Ronald Keller]

You don't have to rasterize...

While it's true you can not edit pixel content directly, some tools like clone tool, healing brush, spot healing and patch tool can be used on a new layer above the smart object layer provided you check Sample All Layers...

[JJMack]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Ronald+Keller  wrote

You don't have to rasterize...

While it's true you can not edit pixel content directly, some tools like clone tool, healing brush, spot healing and patch tool can be used on a new layer above the smart object layer provided you check Sample All Layers...

However like his duped and rasterized layer cover the smart object your cloned into layer would also cover or partially cover the smart object layer  so if they adjusted the smart object with ACR the updated smart object layer would not blend properly with your cloned into layer they are in the same boat.