A Smart Object is not really an object. It’s just a Layer. But it’s a Layer that acts like it’s own Photoshop document. With a Smart Object (Layer), you can double click on it within the Layers Panel and open it in it’s own tab in Photoshop. Whatever changes you make in this Smart Object tab, will be reflected in your original Photoshop document after you save.

Using a Smart Object to make edits is a great non-destructive technique, because it’s forever editable (it’s basically the Captain America of the non-destructive Avengers). Each time you open the Smart Object in it’s own tab, you’ll see it’s own Layers Panel with all the edits that you’ve made. If you really like changing your mind, this is a great workflow for you! You can make a regular old Layer into a Smart Object by right clicking on it and choosing Convert to Smart Object. (Can I keep going with my metaphor and say that you can turn a Steve Rogers Layer into a Captain America Smart Object?)

You’ll see the Smart Object symbol appear over the Layer’s thumbnail preview image. Go ahead and double click on this now smart Layer and make a change in the new tab. Save the new tab, close it, and see your change appear in the original Photoshop document. Two warnings about Smart Objects, however—1. They will increase your file size. 2. Try to keep all Smart Objects rooted in the original Photoshop document. You don’t want to end up with a Russian Doll effect of Smart Objects containing other Smart Objects containing other Smart Objects.

Filters are a great way to add style to an image. Adding a Filter is as easy as going up to the Menu Bar, clicking Filter, and choosing from the many aptly-named options. With one click, you’ve added shear, blur, wind, wave, flame...I think we’ve created a Captain Planet of Filters at this point. So creating a Filter is easy, but editing it after you’ve added it to a Layer is not just difficult, it’s not even a thing! Now we’re stuck with a shear, blur, wavy, windy, flame mess, just like the Captain Planet theme song is now stuck in my head. Unless, you’re a smart (photo)shopper and you use a—drumroll—Smart Filter!

The difference between a regular old Filter and a Smart Filter, is that a Smart Filter is forever editable, a.k.a. non-destructive. Even if you close the app and reopen it, you can still edit your Smart Filter. Whether or not I think I’m going to nail it the first time with my Filter choice/settings, I always use a Smart Filter, just in case I want to edit it down the road. Once applied to a Layer or Smart Object, a Smart Filter appears as a sub Layer in the Layers Panel, similar to a Layer Style.

A Smart Filter can automatically be applied to a Smart Object. And if you want to apply one to a regular Layer, just use the Convert for Smart Filters option in the Filter Menu. When you want to edit the Smart Filter, and you will want to, just double click on it in the Layers Panel to open its editing options window.