Create Custom Photoshop Parametric Filters with Substance Designer

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Create Parametric Filters in Photoshop with Adobe Substance Designer, a node based app that builds reusable, adjustable effects instead of one time edits.

Photoshop Parametric Filters are powerful, interactive tools that allow you to add customizable effects to any layer. In this tutorial, we’ll explore how to create your own Parametric Filters using Adobe Substance Designer. With this node-based editing tool, you can craft dynamic filters that integrate seamlessly into Photoshop.

What You Will Learn

• How to build a basic parametric filter with an Input node, an Output node, and one effect in between.
• How to expose a node’s setting as a slider that shows up inside Photoshop.
• How to combine blur, HSL, noise, grunge, and scratch nodes into one retro photo effect.
• How to fix a grayscale node so it can connect to a color node.
• How to export a graph as an SPSAR file and load it into Photoshop’s Parametric Filters panel.
• How to delete a custom parametric filter you no longer want.

Requirements

Create Parametric Filters in Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts

What Is Adobe Substance Designer?

Adobe Substance Designer is a versatile application designed to create dynamic, parametric textures, materials, and filters. Unlike Photoshop’s layer-based editing, Substance Designer operates on a node-based workflow, where each node represents an adjustment or effect. This approach allows you to build reusable, non-destructive processes that can adapt to different inputs.

What makes Substance Designer unique is its ability to generate parametric materials, entire processes for creating textures or effects, not just static outputs. These parametric designs can then be used to create custom Photoshop filters, enabling unparalleled flexibility.

If you’re new to this concept, check out the previous tutorial on the Embroidery filter, another parametric filter built the same way.

Example 1: Creating a Simple Parametric Filter

Step 1: Setting Up Adobe Substance Designer

Open Adobe Substance Designer from your Creative Cloud app. From the welcome screen, start a new project by selecting New Substance Graph and choosing the “Empty” template.

To standardize your interface, reset your interface layout: Go to Windows > Reset Layout and confirm.

Step 2: Understanding the Interface

• Explorer Panel (top-left): Stores project assets.

• Library Panel (bottom-left): Contains nodes and resources.

• Graph View (center): Workspace to build your filter.

• 2D & 3D Views (bottom): Visualize your work in real-time, with a primary focus on the 2D view for Photoshop filters.

Step 3: Creating Your First Filter

Add an Input Node: Press the space bar, type “Input,” and select Input Color. This node pulls the image data from Photoshop.

Add an Output Node: Press the space bar, type “Output,” and select it. This node sends the processed image back to Photoshop.

Add a Blur Effect: Press the space bar, type “Blur,” and select it. Connect the Input Node to the Blur Node and the Blur Node to the Output Node by dragging from one node’s output circle to another’s input circle.

Step 4: Previewing Your Filter

First, import an Image. Right-click on your project package in the Explorer panel and choose Import > Bitmap. Select an image from your computer.

Then, drag the Image: Move the imported image into the Input node to generate a preview in the 2D view.

Step 5: Adding User Controls

To make your filter customizable in Photoshop, first, Expose Parameters. Select the blur intensity slider in the Properties panel, click the Flyout menu, and choose Expose as New Graph Input.

Then, Label the Parameter: In the “Expose Parameter” window, name the slider (e.g., Blur Amount) for clarity.

Step 6: Finalizing the Filter

Name your graph by double-clicking the graph and going to the Attributes tab in the Properties Panel. Enter a unique name under Identifier (e.g., PTC_Blur) and Label (e.g., PTC Blur).

Save the package: Press CtrlS (Windows) or CommandS (macOS).

Step 7: Exporting for Photoshop

Click the package and select Publish SPSAR. Name your file (e.g., PTC Blur) and save.

Publish the file to generate the .SPSAR filter file.

Step 8: Importing into Photoshop

Open Photoshop, go to Filter > Parametric Filters, and click the plus icon.

Select the .SPSAR file you created. Your filter will appear under Your Filters with the custom name and label.

With this setup, you’ve created a basic filter that applies customizable blur effects to Photoshop layers.

Example 2: Photo Retro Effect

Install the Retro Photo Parametric Filter

Now, let’s create a more complex Parametric Filter to explore additional features, common pitfalls, and their solutions. Our goal is to create a filter that produces a retro photo effect with customizable dust, stains, and scratches.

Step 1: Create a New Substance Graph

Start from scratch. Create a new substance graph. Choose the empty template and name it PTC Retro. Press OK. 

Then click on the package in the Explorer panel and press CtrlS (Windows) or CommandS (macOS) to save the SPS file. From the save window, simply click the Save button. 

As you work, continue to press CtrlS (Windows) or CommandS (macOS) regularly to save your progress.

Step 2: Add Input and Output Nodes

We’ll begin by adding input and output nodes. Hold the space bar and search for “Input Color” and “Output.” Place the output node to the side and zoom out using the mouse wheel. To pan, hold down the mouse wheel while dragging.

Step 3: Import an Image for Preview

In the Explorer panel, right-click on the package (the box icon). Under Import, choose Bitmap and select an image. 

Step 4: Apply the Retro Effects

4.1. Blur the Image

Add a Blur HQ Color node. You can search for it using the space bar or find it in the Library panel under Filters > Blurs. 

Drag it onto the graph and connect the input node to the blur node.

Adjust the Intensity to 0.25 and expose this setting by selecting Expose as New Graph Input from the Flyout menu. Label it Blur Intensity.

4.2. Adjust Color and Saturation

Add an HSL node to control the hue, saturation, and lightness of the image. Connect the blurred node to the HSL node. 

Set the Hue to 0.52, Saturation to 0.4, and leave the Lightness at default. Expose these settings for Photoshop, keeping the default labels.

4.3. Add Noise for Grain

Add a Blue Noise Fast node. This node produces a simple noise pattern for simulating grain. Since the output is grayscale, convert it to color using an RGBA Merge node. Connect the noise output to the red, green, and blue inputs of the merge node.

 Use a Uniform Color node set to pure white (255) for the alpha channel.

Then, blend this noise with the image using a Blend node. Set the blend mode to Soft Light and adjust the Opacity to 0.25. Expose this setting as Grain Opacity.

4.4. Add Grunge Stains

Use the Grunge Rust Fine node for stains. Adjust Balance and Contrast to 0.25 and expose these settings as Grunge Amount and Grunge Contrast. 

Recolor the stains with a Gradient Map node, setting bright areas to red.

To allow color customization, connect the Gradient Map to an HSL node and expose the Hue and Saturation settings as Grunge Color and Grunge Saturation. For more control over one color range, see how to invert Hue/Saturation color ranges in Photoshop.

Blend this effect with the previous layers using another Blend node, setting the mode to Screen. Expose the Opacity as Grunge Opacity.

4.5. Add Scratches

Use the Grunge Scratches Fine node. Convert its grayscale output to color with an RGBA Merge node and connect it to a blend node. 

Adjust properties like Balance (0.5), Contrast (0.3), Scratch Amount (0.3), Sharpen (3), and Value Bias (0.4). Expose these settings with descriptive labels such as Scratch Balance and Scratch Amount.

Step 5: Finalize and Export the Filter

Connect the final blend node to the output node. 

Once satisfied, click on the package, then click the export icon and choose Publish SPSAR. Name your filter (e.g., PTC Retro) and save it.

In Photoshop, go to Filter > Parametric Filters, click the white plus icon, and import your SPSAR file. 

How To Delete Custom Photoshop Parametric Filters

Go to Filter > Parametric Filters. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) and click the filter you want to delete.

A trash icon will appear. Click it to remove the filter. Repeat this process for any other filters you want to delete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Parametric Filters turn a one time effect into a reusable tool with sliders anyone can adjust.

Once you understand nodes, inputs, outputs, and exposed parameters, you can build a filter for almost any effect, not just a blur or a retro look.

Watch the full video above for every click, and comment on the video if you get stuck on a node.

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