How to Create Actions in DesignScape

Did you know that you can create and save your actions in DesignScape? These actions are a quick way of applying a stylized look across your images. You can create a vintage style or even black and white then apply with one click. We will guide you step by step in this tutorial on how to create actions in DesignScape.

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We are using these beautiful pictures of Greece but we have tons of amazing travel and adventure photos to choose from.

Step 1 - Locate the Actions Panel

Once you are in DesignScape, open your image. If needed, you may want to transform and scale the image before creating an action.

Now, let’s locate the Actions Panel. It can be found on the right side toolbar. However, if you don’t see the panel there, go to Window > Actions. The Actions Panel looks like a little Play icon. Click on this to open the panel options.

Here will find all of your loaded and created actions.

Step 2 - Start Creating your Actions

The actions folder is where you store your actions. Say, for example, you want to create a few black and white inspired actions but store them together. This is where the New Action Set comes in.

Create New Action Set

In the Actions Panel, at the bottom click on the New Action Set. You will see a new folder appear with the name Action Set 1. Double click the name to change it. We are going to create some Black and White actions.

Add the First Action Set

To the right of the New Action Set is the New Action icon. Make sure your Actions Folder is selected, then click on this to add a new action to your folder. It should read as Action 0. Double click and rename it to what you want. We renamed our first action to Intense Contrast.

Start Recording the Action

At the bottom of the Actions Panel you will see a round circle. This is the Record icon. Once you click on it all your actions will be recorded until you click on it again to Stop. The icon will also change into a square once recording starts.

Click on this icon and start editing your image.

Edit your Image

At the bottom of the Layers Panel on the right you will see a circle half colored in. This is the Adjustments menu. Click on this and select Black and White. You can also access the Adjustment menu by going to Layer > New Adjustment Layer.

Adjust the settings as needed to get a base result. We used the settings below.

Red: -49

Yellow: 110

Green: 230

Cyan: 80

Blue: -15

Magenta: -200

A new layer will be added under the Layers Panel.

If you click on the Actions tab, you will see that the Adjustment and editing has been recorded.

Now, you can carry on with your editing by adding another Adjustment layer such as Curves. Here we created a nice S curve to create more contrast.

Stop Recording then Delete Actions if Needed

We achieved a fairly good high contrast action, so we clicked on the Record icon to stop recording. Clicking back on the Actions tab you may notice other actions recorded, such as hiding a layer.

Every little action, including hiding and making a layer visible for comparison, is recorded. It is easy enough to delete without causing issues. Click on the action to select it, then click on the little dustbin icon bottom of the Actions Panel. This is the Delete option. Do this for any unwanted actions.

Add Additional Steps to the Action

You may want to add additional steps in the action once you have stopped recording. You can select the Black and White Folder. Then click on the Record button to carry on recording more steps. These will record from where you left off.

You can add additional steps between the other steps. To do this, click on a step and then Record. Now edit the image and the new steps will be recorded beneath that selected step.

Step 3 - Test your Action in DesignScape

Open a new image in DesignScape and click on the Actions Panel to open. You will see your action folder in the panel. At the bottom of the panel, click on the Apply icon. As quick as that, your action has been applied.

The Properties Panel will then open with the last action step. You can go ahead and edit the step in the Properties Panel. You can also edit any other adjustments by clicking a layer under the Layers Panel. Then edit in the Properties Panel.

Once you know that your actions are working, you can go ahead and create another action.

We are going to add another style under the same Black and White folder. Simply click on the New Action icon and follow the same processes above when adding actions. Here, we created a more matte black and white look.

Step 4 - Save your Action Set

Once you have created your action sets, you can now save them to your device. Click on the Save icon and the action set will save as actions.atn. However, when you upload it to DesignScape, you will see the name you initially assigned to it.

The action can be uploaded by dragging and dropping into DesignScape. We have a detailed tutorial on using Photoshop Actions in DesignScape. While it may discuss Photoshop actions, the process for uploading any set of actions is the same.

Learning how to create actions in DesignScape can save you huge amounts of time when editing. You may want to quickly apply an editing style across multiple images. With the Actions Panel, all it takes is one click.