Photoshop plugins are a great way to enhance your Adobe Photoshop software and tailor the experience to your needs. Plugins are easy to use and they are much reliable to constantly ease your work flow. Plugins are designed to unlock new features, optimize your productivity and save you time, but it can be difficult trying to find the ones that suit your workflow.
Plugins are not design hack or something, but are tools to bring out productivity and complete small takes which might take lot of time if doing separately. Designers prefers to use plugins in their project to save time and maintain their project deadline.
Luckily for you, we've assembled a list of all our favorite Photoshop plugins (free and premium), and provided a little explanation of what they do, just to make sure you are choosing the right plugins for your project.
1. Photolemur 3
If you’re using Photoshop CS5 or higher, you’ll love the Photoleumr 3 plug-in. This automatic photo editor uses AI to make your photos pop. Why do all the hard work, when there’s a plug-in that was created for this job?
From recovering color to correcting your exposure, Photoleumr 3 will make your photos just as magical as your special moments.
2. ALCE 3
Photographers will love this easy-to-use plug-in. With the help of ALCE 3, you can add more depth to your photos by enhancing the contrast.
What makes it so great is that it’s much easier to use than Photoshop’s unsharp mask filter.
3. Blow Up 3
Blow Up 3 will blow your mind. Thanks to this practical plug-in, you can create piercing sharp enlargements. As a matter of fact, the algorithm that this plug-in uses is better than the filters that Photoshop boasts.
Next time that your client emails you a low-resolution photo, Blow Up 3 will see to it that your project will not be blown off course.
4. SuperPNG
If you work with PNG files often but don’t have access to the latest version of Photoshop yet, you’ll love the Supping plugin.
With the help of this plug-in, you can gain better control over the exporting process. Battling to render your PNG files will be a thing of the past!
5. 3D Invigorator
Let’s face it, the 3D process can be challenging, even for experienced designers. Though with 3D Invigorator in your arsenal of design tools, you can create 3D elements and polished final renders without breaking a sweat.
This Photoshop plug-in boasts an easy-to-use object editor that will make it a lot easier to draw and edit your shapes.
6. ParticleShop
Thanks to the Particle Shop plug-in for Photoshop, you can now play around with Corel Painter tools. From fabric to fur, Particle Shop boasts over 10 brushes!
These brushes will boost your productivity and help you to take your creativity to the next level.
7. Machine Wash Deluxe
Machine Wash Deluxe is definitely no washout! With the help of this Photoshop plug-in, you can add a realistic scratchy weathering effect to images. It works especially well with typography.
So, if you want to add an attractive aging effect to design, this is the tool for the job.
8. Page Curl 2
Although the functionality of this plug-in is very limited, what it does it can do brilliantly. It’s ideal for graphic designers who need to create a realistic fold and page-turn effects.
So, if you regularly work with eBooks, get Page Curl 2 to promote your page-turner.
9. Flaticon
If you need access to a large database of free vector icons, Flaticon will make sure that your designs will not fall flat. With the help of this Photoshop plug-in, you can search for icons within Photoshop that you can download in different formats including PNG, SVG, and PSD.
10. Eye Candy
Published by Alien Skin, Eye Candy is a well-known plug-in among Photoshop users. It boasts a really impressive collection of effects which you’ll find quite handy for plenty of projects.
If you find that the effect is too obvious and boring, just fiddle with the default settings to create a better effect. This plug-in might just be a lifesaver next time that you’re battling with a tight deadline.
There are certainly many Photoshop plugins to choose from, depending on what type of design you do and what effects you’re trying to achieve. The point is that you’re not limited to using Photoshop’s stock tools for all of your editing needs. Sometimes, a little outside help is just the thing you need to get the job done right.
