Step by step THE UNSHARP MASK WORKFLOW

The basics of using Unsharp Mask are straightforward to master

Prepare the image

Unsharp Mask is a tool for output sharpening, so it’s mainly used when you’re preparing an image for print or web. First crop and resize the image for your chosen print size or display. Next duplicate the layer with Ctrl/Cmd+J, then rightclick the duplicate layer in the Layers panel and select Convert To Smart Object.

Apply sharpening

Double-click the Zoom tool to jump straight to the 100% view, which is best for assessing sharpening. Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask. In the dialog box that appears, increase Amount and Radius to crisp the details, then tweak Threshold if necessary to restrict the sharpening from the finer details. When you’re happy, click OK.