Curator for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator is an integration Panel for Photoshop and Illustrator, providing creatives with direct access to their Curator system and media assets, directly in their creative applications. It offers a very similar look and feel as Curator Clip Link and the Curator for Adobe Premiere Pro Panel.
Please note that when using the Curator for Adobe Panel in Photoshop and Illustrator, the Place functionality replaces the familiar Import functionality found in the Premiere Pro / After Effects version of the panel.
Installation
To install the Curator for Adobe Panel, follow the installation steps from this article.
Search, Find, and Preview
The Curator for Adobe Panel extension in Adobe Photoshop provides a familiar look and feel for users. This aids in user adoption and makes finding and using content much more intuitive.
Search by Folder
The Folders tab in the upper left-hand side of the panel allows you to browse content through Curator’s folder structure.
Search by Filter
The Filters tab in the upper left-hand side of the panel allows you to browse content using metadata to guide your search.
Tabbed browsing
Tabs allow you to keep multiple searches open at once. New tabs can be opened by selecting the plus icon from the lower left-hand side of the panel.
When a new search tab is opened, the root folder will be displayed in folder view.
Grid View and List View
You can toggle between Grid view and List view by selecting the relevant icon from the upper right of the panel. Grid view displays clear thumbnails and shows only the asset name in the results page.
List view displays assets and any selected metadata in rows and columns. From here, you can define which fields you wish to see by choosing from the Columns drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the search results.
Viewing and Editing Metadata
The metadata panel allows you to view and/or edit metadata. From here, you can select the left-facing arrow, on the right side of the search results, to expand the metadata panel and view metadata for a selected asset.
If you have permission, you can make changes and save these to Curator.
Searching with Facets
The facet panel (on the left when searching using filters) is normally used to guide user search using the metadata stored within Curator.
To provide a clearer view of the search results, you can collapse the facet panel by selecting the left-facing arrow found at the edge of the facet panel.
The number of assets per page can be defined by selecting from the drop-down menu in the lower right-hand corner of the search results.
Results can be sorted to further aid searching.
You can select from any of the available metadata fields.
Where applicable, sorted results can be ordered in an ascending or descending fashion. The arrow beside the chosen sort field can be clicked to change this sort order.
When viewing results in the Curator for Adobe panel, you can the size of the assets within the search results page.
This is done by dragging the slider in the upper right of the search results: dragging right zooms in, dragging left zooms out.
Previewing Assets
Content can be previewed before being imported into the Photoshop environment.
Double-click an asset, or press the space bar with an asset highlighted to preview the asset.
Browse all in a new tab
Using the red Select project drop-down, you can browse all available documents.
A new tab is opened, showing all applicable assets. The results can be refined even further by using facets, asset types, sorting, etc.
Working with Projects
Recent Projects
Use the red Select project drop-down to open recent projects.
Open as Duplicate (Create new PSD)
You may opt to open a project as a duplicate (which creates a new PSD file).
This is only available with a single image asset selected.
To open a selected asset as a duplicate:
- Right-click on your asset of choice.
- Select Open.
- Confirm.
Alternatively:
- Select the asset.
- Choose the Open drop-down menu.
- Select As Duplicate.
- Confirm.
The new project is opened in Photoshop
- If it is a PSD file, this will have the same layers as the original PSD document.
- If it is not a PSD file, the project's contents will be flattened into a single layer.
Open and Lock (Only for PSD assets. Lock project to the user)
Note
This option is only available with a single PSD image asset selected.
To open and lock a PSD asset:
- Right-click on your selected asset.
- Select Open and Lock.
- Confirm.
Alternatively:
- Select the asset.
- Navigate to the Open drop-down menu.
- Select And Lock.
- Confirm.
Place selection
Placing a selection adds a new layer containing the selection to the current project. If the project is a PSD file, this is flattened to a single layer.
This option is available for any image asset. Multiple assets can be selected and placed at a time.
- Select your chosen asset(s).
- Right-click one of the selected assets.
- Select Place selection.
- Select your asset(s).
- Choose Place Embedded from the upper-right.
Upload
Uploading allows you to store your local files in the Curator system, so you can use them as part of your Curator projects.
To upload an asset, choose Upload from the toolbar in the top right.
Drag and drop or browse through available files.
When you've found the file(s) you want to upload, select Next.
Type in names for each of your assets.
Add metadata.
When you've filled in the details, select Confirm.
Your assets will begin uploading.
Save as New Project
You can turn an opened PSD into a new Curator PSD asset using the Save as New Project option.
To save a PSD as a new project:
Choose the Save drop-down menu, and select As New Project.
Enter the asset's name.
Add metadata.
(Optionally) You can select the checkbox to continue working on the asset after creation.
Click Save.
Your project will be uploaded.
When the project has been uploaded, you will be notified.
Save and Release
The Save and Release option allows you to update Curator PSD assets to their current state and unlock them.
To save and release assets:
From the Save drop-down menu, select And Release.
Confirm your changes.
From the current project's drop-down menu (in the upper-right), choose Save and Release.
Confirm your changes.
Quicksave
Quicksave allows you to update Curator PSD assets to the current state without unlocking them. This option is only applicable whilst a project is open and locked.
Select Quicksave from the upper right-hand corner of the panel.
The up-to-date project state will be uploaded to Curator.
When the asset is successfully updated in Curator, you will be notified.
If you choose to use this asset, you will now be able to see the latest saved version.
Other Features
Other features of the Curator for Adobe panel include some of the core settings: you can view version information about the currently installed Curator for Adobe panel, access the IPV customer portal, and make changes to the configuration.
Activity logs can also be accessed from the panel. These provide information about a variety of activities including file uploads, project creation, project saving, project opening and asset placement.
Settings
Activity Logs
Discard
To discard a project:
From the active project menu, select DISCARD.
Confirm your changes.
The project will be unlocked, and no changes since the last save or quicksave will be committed to Curator.
