Your one-stop Photoshop reference, filled with the latest tips and techniques There's a reason why Photoshop is the industry standard for image-editing software. But it's also that big, Photoshop has so many facets and features that a handy one-stop guide is exactly what you need. And you'll love the "Putting It Together" exercises that give you hands-on experience - in rich, full color!
Learn the parts -- the desktop, menus, panels, and key tools, and how to use Adobe Bridge Make your selection -- learn about each of the selection tools plus the powerful Pen tool and Paths panel Brush up -- on the Brush and Pencil tools and how to create vector shapes, create and edit type, and put type on a path Restore and retouch -- correct and enhance color, improve contrast, and use the Clone Stamp and Healing tools to fix flaws and damage Print it -- learn how to get the right resolution, image mode, and file format, and prepare your work for printing Open the book and find:
How to crop images and increase their canvas size Tips for creating gradients and patterns Advice on resizing images How to composite images with layers and blending modes Filter techniques to correct or alter images How the Vanishing Point feature makes editing easier Steps for making adjustments with levels and curves How to create contact sheets
Author(s): Barbara Obermeier
Series: For Dummies
Publisher: For Dummies
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 696
Photoshop® CS4 All-In-One For Dummies
About the Author
Dedication
Author’s Acknowledgments
Introduction
About This Book
What’s in This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Icons Used in This Book
Book I: Photoshop Fundamentals
Chapter 1: Examining the Photoshop Environment
Launching Photoshop and Customizing the Desktop
Playing with Panels
Working with Your First Photoshop File
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Tools Panel
Turning On the Tools Panel
Introducing the Photoshop Tools
Saving Time with Tool Presets
Chapter 3: Starting, Finishing, and Getting It on Paper
Browsing for Files
Opening an Image
Placing Files
Creating a New Image
Saving a File
Closing and Quitting
Getting It on Paper
Chapter 4: Viewing and Navigating Images
Looking at the Image Window
Zooming In and Out of Image Windows
Cruising with the Navigator Panel
Choosing a Screen Mode
Getting Precise Layout Results
Measuring On-Screen
Using the Info Panel
Working with Extras
Managing Images with Adobe Bridge
Creating PDF Presentations
Creating a Web Gallery
Chapter 5: Customizing Your Workspace and Preferences
Creating Workspace Presets
Saving and Deleting Workspace Presets
Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts
Customizing Menus
Setting Your Preferences
Using the Preset Manager
Book II: Image Essentials
Chapter 1: Specifying Size and Resolution
Putting Images under the Microscope
Viewing Raster Images On-Screen
Using the Image Size Command
Resampling Images
Changing the Canvas Size
Cropping an Image
Chapter 2: Choosing Color Modes and File Formats
Selecting a Color Mode
Converting to a Different Color Mode
Choosing the Right File Format
Chapter 3: Using and Managing Color
Dealing with Foreground and Background Colors
Defining Color
Finding and Sharing Color Themes with Kuler
Color Management Essentials
Establishing Your Settings
Getting Consistent Color among Adobe Applications
Proofing Colors in the Final Output ( Soft Proofing)
Chapter 4: Time Travel — Undoing in Photoshop
Undoing What’s Done with the Undo Command
Reverting to What’s Saved
Working with the Almighty History Panel
Viewing an Image’s Various States
Looking at the History Options Dialog Box
Taking Snapshots
Restoring Part of an Image
Chapter 5: Creating Actions for Productivity and Fun
Using the Actions Panel
Introducing Preset Actions
Creating a New Action
Editing and Managing Actions
Creating and Saving Actions Sets
Batch Processing Actions
Creating Droplets
Book III: Selections
Chapter 1: Making Selections
Defining Selections
Marqueeing When You Can
Lassoing (When You Can’t Marquee)
Performing Wand Wizardry
Saving Time with the Quick Selection Tool
Chapter 2: Creating and Working with Paths
Introducing Paths
Creating a Path with the Pen Tool
Working with the Paths Panel
Loading Paths as Selections
Turning a Selection into a Path
Using the Kinder Freeform Pen
Creating Paths without the Pen
Editing Paths
Using the Options Bar
Chapter 3: Modifying and Transforming Selections and Paths
Achieving Selection Perfection
Getting the Keys to Behave
Using the Select Menu
Moving and Cloning Selections
Transforming Pixels
Transforming Selection Marquees
Using Content-Aware Scaling
Transforming Paths
Book IV: Painting, Drawing, and Typing
Chapter 1: Painting and Drawingwith Photoshop
Introducing the Pencil and Brush Tools
Chapter 2: Filling and Stroking
Filling a Selection with a Solid Color
Filling Options and Tips
Pouring with the Paint Bucket Tool
Stroking a Selection
Working with Gradients
Managing and Saving Gradients
Working with Patterns
Chapter 3: Creating and Editing Type
Selecting a Type Mode
Understanding Different Kinds of Type
Exploring the Type Tools
Entering Text in Point Type Mode
Entering Text in Paragraph Type Mode
Creating Type on or in a Path
Using the Options Bar
Working with the Character Panel
Working with the Paragraph Panel
Editing Text
Masking, Shaping, and Warping Type
Book V: Working with Layers
Chapter 1: Creating Layers
Getting to Know the Layers Panel
Looking at the Background and Layers
Introducing Different Types of Layers
Making Layers
Compositing with Multiple Images
Transforming Layers
Auto-Align Layers
Auto-Blend Layers
Chapter 2: Managing Layers
Rearranging Layers
Moving Layer Elements
Aligning and Distributing Layers
Linking Layers
Locking Layers
Color-Coding Layers
Creating Layer Groups
Flattening and Merging Layers
Working with the Layer Comps Panel
Chapter 3: Playing with Opacity and Blend Modes
Adjusting Layer Opacity
Adjusting the Fill Opacity
Creating Effects with Blend Modes
Working with the Advanced Blending Options
Chapter 4: Getting Jazzy with Layer Styles and Clipping Groups
Layer Styles Basics
Introducing the Many Layer Styles
Applying a Layer Effect
Managing and Editing Layer Styles
Editing Bevel and Emboss Effects
Editing Satin Effects
Changing Overlay Effects
Changing Stroke Effects
Playing with Contours
Applying and Modifying Preset Styles
Clipping Layers into Masks
Chapter 5: Working with Smart Objects
Introducing Smart Objects
Creating Smart Objects
Editing Smart Objects
Book VI: Channels and Masks
Chapter 1: Using Channels
Understanding Channels
Working with Channels
Using Painting and Editing Tools with Channels
Introducing Alpha Channels
Using the Channel Mixer
Chapter 2: Quick-and-Dirty Masking
Working with Quick Masks
Using the Color Range Command
Selective Erasing with the Eraser Tools
Chapter 3: Getting Exact with Advanced Masking Techniques
Introducing the Masks Panel
Working with Layer Masks
Creating and Editing Vector Masks
Creating Channel Masks
Book VII: Filters and Distortions
Chapter 1: Making Corrections with Daily Filters
You Say You Want a Convolution?
Introducing Smart Filters
Sharpening What’s Soft
Blurring What’s Sharp
Smoothing with the Facet and Median Filters
Applying a Filter Again
Fading a Filter
Selectively Applying a Filter
Chapter 2: Applying Filters for Special Occasions
Working in the Filter Gallery
Getting Artsy
Stroking Your Image with Filters
Distorting for Fun
Pumping Up the Noise
Pumping Down the Noise
Breaking Your Image into Pieces
Rendering
Getting Organic with the Sketch Filters
Adding Texture
Looking at the Other Filters
Chapter 3: Distorting with the Liquify Command
Exploring the Liquify Window
The Options Areas
Transforming an Image
Mastering Freezing and Thawing
Reconstructing an Image
Extending and Cloning Distortions
Book VIII: Retouching and Restoration
Chapter 1: Enhancing Images with Adjustments
Introducing the Histogram Panel
Choosing Automatic Color Correctors
Setting Auto Color Correction Options
Using Simple Color Correctors
Fixing Lighting with Shadow/Highlight
Adjusting Exposure
Correcting Colorcast with Variations
Washing Out Color with Desaturate
Working with Professional Color Correctors
Matching Color between Documents
Switching Colors with Replace Color
Increasing and Decreasing Color
Chapter 2: Repairing with Focus and Toning Tools
Lightening and Darkening with Dodge and Burn Tools
Turning Down the Color with the Sponge Tool
Smoothing with the Smudge Tool
Softening with the Blur Tool
Cranking Up the Focus with the Sharpen Tool
Chapter 3: Fixing Flaws and Removing What’s Not Wanted
Cloning with the Clone Stamp Tool
Digital Bandaging with the Healing Brush Tool
Patching without Seams
Zeroing In with the Spot Healing Brush
Colorizing with the Color Replacement Tool
Getting Rid of Dreaded Red Eye
Working with Vanishing Point
Book IX: Photoshop and Print
Chapter 1: Prepping Graphics for Print
Getting the Right Resolution, Mode, and Format
Working with a Service Bureau
Using a prepress checklist
Saving and Printing Vector Data in a Raster File
Choosing Color Management Print Options
Getting Four-Color Separations
Creating Spot Color Separations
Chapter 2: Using Photomerge and Merge to HDR
Using the Photomerge Command
Using the Merge to HDR Command
Index
