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� In Windows, double-click thePhotoshop application icon.

� In Windows, click Adobe Photoshop CS.

� In Mac, click the AdobePhotoshop CS icon in the Dock.

Welcome to Photoshop 8—Er...CS!In this chapter (which is more of a readthan a do), you’ll learn how to launchPhotoshop and get acquainted with thePhotoshop interface—menus, palettes, and whatnot. You can use this chapter as areference guide as you work. The next chap-ter, which is an introduction to color inPhotoshop, is more theory than technique,too. From Chapter 3 onward, though, it’snonstop action.

To launch Photoshop in Windows:In Windows 2000 or XP, click the Start button on the taskbar, choose All Programs,then click Adobe Photoshop CS �. orOpen the C: \ Program Files \ Adobe\Photoshop CS folder in My Computer, thendouble-click the Photoshop application icon �.orDouble-click a Photoshop file icon.

To launch Photoshop in Macintosh:In Mac OS X, click the Photoshop icon inthe Dock �. (If you don’t have an iconthere yet, open the Adobe Photoshop CSfolder in the Applications folder, then dragthe Adobe Photoshop CS application iconinto the Dock.)orOpen the Adobe Photoshop CS folder inthe Applications folder, then double-clickthe Adobe Photoshop CS application icon.orDouble-click any Photoshop file icon.

Too hearty a welcome?When you launch Photoshop, a welcome screenpops up, offering you access to an online tutorial, color management information, lists of new featuresin PDF format, etc. If you get tired of seeing it,uncheck Show this dialog at startup.

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7 Toolbox

The Photoshop screen in Macintosh

8 The status bar displays Document Sizes, Document Profile, DocumentDimensions, Scratch Sizes, Efficiency, Timing, or Current Tool information.

4 Title bar (zoom level, current layername, image mode, and bit depth)2 Close, minimize, zoom buttons

9 Color/Swatches/Styles palettes

3 Options bar

1 Menu barPress any menu heading to access dialogboxes, submenus, and commands.

2 Close, minimize, and zoom buttonsTo close a file or a palette, click its close (red)button. Click the minimize (yellow) button tostow it in the Dock. Click the zoom (green)button to enlarge a window to maximum size,or on a palette to show/hide extra options.

3 Options bar Use to choose settings for the current tool.

4 Title bar Displays the image’s title, zoom level, currentlayer (or the Background), image mode, andbit depth.

5 Palette well Use to store and open palettes.

6 Rulers Choose View > Show Rulers to display rulers.The position of the pointer is indicated by a mark on each ruler.

7 Toolbox Press Tab to show/hide the Toolbox and allopen palettes.

8 Status bar The status bar displays Document Sizes,Document Profile, Document Dimensions,Scratch Sizes, Efficiency (the percentage oftime Photoshop is processing edits, asopposed to writing to the scratch disk),Timing, or Current Tool information. Toreset the timer, choose Timing with Alt/Option held down.

9 Palettes There are 19 movable palettes. Click a tab(palette name) in a palette group to bringthat palette to the front of its group.

Key to the Photoshop screen: Macintosh and Windows features

6 Rulers

Imagewindow

1 Menu bar

5 Palette well

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The Photoshop screen in Windows

Title bar (zoom level, current layername, image mode, bit depth)

Document minimizebutton

Documentmaximizebutton

Documentclose button

Palette well

Menu bar

DocumentControl menu

1 ApplicationControl menu 2 Application minimize button

4 Application close button

3 Application maximize button

The status bar displays Document Sizes,Document Profile, Document Dimensions,Scratch Sizes, Efficiency, or Timing information.

1 Application (or document) Control menuThe application Control menu commands are Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize,and Close. The document Control menu commands are Restore, Move, Size, Minimize,Maximize, Close, and Next.

2 Application (or document) minimize buttonClick the application minimize button toshrink the document to an icon in the taskbar.Click the icon on the taskbar to restore theapplication window to its previous size.Click the document minimize button toshrink the document to an icon at the lower

Key to the Photoshop screen: Windows-only features

Image window

Options bar

left corner of the application window. Clickthe restore button to restore the documentwindow to its previous size.

3 Application (or document) maximize/restorebutton Click the application or document maximizebutton to enlarge a window to its largest possi-ble size. Click the restore button to restore awindow to its previous size. When a window isat the restored size, the restore button turnsinto the maximize button.

4 Application (or document) close buttonCloses the application (or image).

A minimized window, showing the restore button

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File menu Use commands onthe File menu to create, open, close,save, place, scan,import, export, andprint images; openthe File Browser;automate opera-tions; and exitPhotoshop. Use theJump To submenu to switch to a helperapplication, such as Adobe Illustrator or GoLive. (In Mac,the Quit Photoshopcommand is on thePhotoshop menu.)

Image menuAn image can be converted to any of eight image (color) modes via theMode submenu. The Adjustment commands modify an image’s hue, saturation, brightness, contrast, etc. The Image Size command modifies an image’s file size, dimensions, or resolution. The Canvas Size dialog box is used to add or subtract from animage’s live canvas area. Other com-mands rotate, crop, or trim the canvas.

Layer menuLayer menu com-mands create, dupli-cate, delete, applystyles to, rasterize,arrange, align, dis-tribute, merge, andflatten layers. Othercommands add,remove, or disablelayer, vector, andclipping masks.Some of these com-mands can also bechosen from theLayers palette menu.

The menus

Edit menu The Edit menu is astorehouse of image-editing commandsthat copy, transform,and paste imagery;apply fills and strokes;and create custombrushes, patterns, andshapes. Fade lessensthe effect of the lastedit; the Purge com-mands free up mem-ory. Also found hereare commands forword processing, formanaging presets,and for customizingshortcuts. (In Mac, the Preferences andColor Settings com-mands are on thePhotoshop menu.)

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Filter menuFilters, which perform a wide range of image-editing functions, are organized into submenu groups.Extract allows you to make complex sil-houettes, the FilterGallery allows you toapply multiple filters,Liquify pushes pixelsaround, Pattern Makercreates seamless pat-terns from selections,and Digimarc embedsa copyright watermark.

Select menuThe All command on theSelect menu selects anentire layer. Deselect deselects all selections, Reselect restores the lastdeselected selection, andInverse swaps the selectedand unselected areas. TheColor Range commandcreates a selection basedon image color. OtherSelect menu commandsenlarge, contract, smooth,or feather selection edges, as well as save selectionsto and from channels.

Help menuUse Help menucommands toaccess Photoshoponscreen help, get the latest newsfrom Adobe, connect to AdobeOnline, or per-form automatedtasks via onscreenprompts. (Not allthe commandsshown here areavailable in Mac.)

View menuCommands on the View menu control whatfeatures are visible onscreen. Use this menuto show/hide rulers, grids, guides, slices,selection edges, the currently selected (target) path, or annotations, or to changethe current zoom level or screen mode. TheProof Setup commands allow you to see howyour image will look in different output colorspaces, and the Gamut Warning highlightscolors that won’t print on a four-color press.

Window menuThe Window menu is used primarily forshowing and hiding the 19 palettes. Openimages can also be activated via this menuand arranged via Arrange submenu com-mands. Workspace commands allow you tocustomize your workspace. In Windows, theStatus Bar command for showing/hidingthe status bar is also found on this menu.

Using the ToolboxTo choose a tool whose icon is currently visible, click once on its icon. Click the itty bitty arrowhead next to a tool icon tochoose a related tool from a pop-out menu.

Or even better, choose a tool using its short-cut (try to memorize the boldface letters onthe next three pages). If you forget a tool’sshortcut, just leave the cursor over the toolicon for a moment, and the tool tip willremind you �. To cycle through hidden,related tools on a pop-out menu that alsoshare the same shortcut, press Shift plus the shortcut key. You could also Alt-click/Option-click the currently visible tool icon.Note: If Use Shift Key for Tool Switch isunchecked in Edit (Photoshop, in Mac) >Preferences > General, you can just pressthe letter without using Shift.

Attributes are chosen for each tool (e.g.,blending mode, opacity percentage) fromthe options bar at the top of the screen(read more about the options bar on page 11) �. Features on the bar changedepending on which tool is selected.

Options bar settings remain in effect for anindividual tool until they’re changed or thetool is reset. You can save settings as presetsin the Tool Preset palette (see page 28). To reset a tool to its defaults, right-click/Control-click the tool thumbnail on theoptions bar, then choose Reset Tool fromthe context menu �. Or to reset all tools,choose Reset All Tools from the same menu.

If you try to use a tool incorrectly, a cancelicon will appear. Click in the image window to make an explanation appear.

TIP Choose whether tool pointers look liketheir Toolbox icon or a crosshair in Edit(Photoshop, in Mac) > Preferences >Display & Cursors.

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� Choose options for the current tool from the options bar at the top of your screen.

� To access the Reset Tool command foran individual tool or the Reset All Toolscommand for all tools, right-click/Control-click the tool thumbnail on the options bar.

Tool tipsRest the pointer on a tool icon—without clicking or pressing themouse button—to learn thattool’s name or shortcut �. Usethe same method to learn thefunction of a palette or optionsbar feature �. Check Show ToolTips in Edit (Photoshop menu, inMac) > Preferences > General toenable this feature.

Tool shortcutsHide/show the Toolbox Tab

and all open palettes

Cycle through hidden, Shift plus shortcut key*related tools on the or Alt-click/Option-click

same pop-out menu the currently visible tool

Cycle through blending Shift-+ (plus) ormodes for the current Shift - - (minus)

editing tool or layer

*If Use Shift Key for Tool Switch is checked in Edit

(Photoshop, in Mac) > Preferences > General

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VMove Moves a layer, selection, or guide

WMagic Wand Selects similarly colored pixels

KSliceSlices images for optimization

B BrushApplies brushstrokes

Y History BrushRestores pixels from a designated state

G Gradient Creates color blends

O Dodge Lightens pixels

T Horizontal Type Creates editable type on its own layer

U Rectangle Draws rectangular shapes

I Eyedropper Samples colors from the image

Z ZoomChanges the zoom level

X Switch foreground/background colors

Background color square

QQuick Mask mode

F Full screen with no menu bar

F Full screen with menu bar

Rectangular Marquee MCreates rectangular selections

Lasso LCreates freehand selections

Crop CCrops the canvas

Color Replacement JChanges colors, preserves texture

Clone Stamp SClones imagery

Eraser EErases pixels

Blur RBlurs edges

Path Selection ASelects paths

Pen PDraws curved or straight paths

Notes NCreates nonprinting annotations

Hand HMoves the image in its window

Foreground color square

Default colors DBlack and white

Standard mode Q

Standard windows F

Edit in ImageReady Ctrl-Shift-M/Cmd-Shift-M

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L Polygonal LassoCreates polygonal selections

L Magnetic LassoCreates snap-to freehand selections

S Pattern StampApplies patterns

M Elliptical MarqueeCreates oval selections

Single rowCreates 1-pixel-high selections

Single columnCreates 1-pixel-wide selections

E Background EraserErases the sampled color to transparency

E Magic EraserErases color areas by clicking

R SharpenSharpens pixels

R SmudgeSmudges pixels

J Healing BrushCorrects flaws by hand

J PatchCorrects flaws using a selection

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N Audio AnnotationCreates audio annotations

K Slice SelectSelects slices by clicking

B PencilDraws freehand lines

Y Art History BrushPaints a history state or

snapshot in stylizedbrushstrokes

A Direct SelectionSelects segments and points

on a path

P Freeform PenDraws freehand paths

Add Anchor Point Adds points to a path

Delete Anchor Point Deletes points from a path

Convert PointConverts corner points into

curve points, and vice versa

G Paint BucketFills similarly colored

areas by clicking

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� An annotation created using theNotes tool

AnnotateThe Notes tool creates nonprintingAcrobat-compatible notes, which can beused for communicating with a client,output service, etc. � When you click anote icon, a note window containing themessage opens. The Audio Annotationtool creates audio notes.

U Rounded RectangleCreates rectangular shapes with

rounded corners

U EllipseCreates oval shapes

U PolygonCreates polygonal shapes

U LineCreates straight lines

U Custom ShapeCreates predefined custom shapes

O BurnDarkens pixels

O SpongeSaturates or desaturates pixels

I Color SamplerPlaces color sampler points

I MeasureMeasures distances and angles

T Vertical TypeCreates vertically oriented type

T Horizontal Type Mask Creates a horizontal type-

shaped selection

T Vertical Type Mask Creates a vertical type-shaped

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Options barThe options bar is used to choose settingsfor each tool (e.g., Opacity, Flow, blendingMode). Options on the bar change depend-ing on which tool is currently chosen, andyour choices remain in effect until youchange them. Like the palettes, the optionsbar can be dragged to a different part ofyour screen. Double-click the left edge of the options bar to collapse/expand it.

The palette well on the options bar is discussed on page 12.

The options bar for the Rectangular Marquee tool

The options bar for the Brush tool

The options bar for the Gradient tool

The options bar for the Pen tool

The options bar for the Type tool

Press this arrowhead to open the pop-up palette menu.

Click this button to create a newpreset from the current brush.

To close the Brush Preset pickeror any other pop-up palette, clickanywhere outside it or click thearrowhead on the options bar.

Click the Brush arrowhead to open the Brush Preset picker (it’s a pop-up palette).

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� To separate a palette from its group,drag the tab (palette name) away fromthe palette group.

� The Swatches palette is now going solo.

either by dragging the palette into the well� or by choosing Dock to Palette Well fromthe palette menu.

If the current tool uses a particular palette(e.g., the Pencil tool uses the Brushespalette, the type tools use the Characterpalette), you can click the Toggle palettebutton on the options bar to show/hidethat palette.

To shrink/expand a palette, double-click its tab. In Windows, you can also click thepalette minimize/maximize button. If thepalette isn’t at its default size, click the mini-mize box/zoom (green) button once torestore its default size, then click it a secondtime to shrink the palette.

TIP Quick-change: Click in a field on apalette or in a dialog box, then press the up or down arrow on the keyboardto change that value incrementally.

Press this arrow-head to choosecommands fromthe palette menu.

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The palettesHow to use the palettesMany Photoshop operations are triggered bychoosing commands on movable palettes. To save screen space, the palettes are joinedinto default groups, such as History/Actionsand Color/Swatches/Styles.

To open a palette, choose its name from theWindow menu. The palette will appear infront within its group.

Press Tab to show/hide all open palettes,including the Toolbox. Press Shift-Tab to show/hide all open palettes except the Toolbox.

To display an open palette at the front of its group, click its tab (palette name).

You can separate a palette from its group bydragging its tab �–�. You can add a paletteto any group by dragging the tab into thegroup. If you need to widen a palette to makeadditional tabs visible, drag the palette’sresize box (lower right corner). Most of thepalettes are resizable.

You can dock (store) palettes in the palettewell on the right side of the options bar,

If Save Palette Locations is checked in Edit (Photoshop, in Mac) > Preferences >General, palettes that are open when you exit/quit Photoshop will reappear intheir same location when you relaunch the program.

To further customize your onscreen workingenvironment, you can set up special config-urations of palettes and dialog boxes for different kinds of tasks and save them asworkspaces. For example, you might want tokeep the Character and Paragraph palettesopen any time you’re working on a text-intensive document, or create a workspacein which the Brushes, Color, and Swatchespalettes are open and accessible for usewhen painting.

To create a custom workspace:1. Display whichever palettes you want

open and accessible, and arrange themon the screen as you like.

2. Choose Window > Workspace > SaveWorkspace.

3. Enter a descriptive Name for the newworkspace, then click Save. The newworkspace is now accessible on theWindow > Workspace submenu.

To delete any or all custom workspaces:1. Choose Window > Workspace > Delete

Workspace.

2. Choose the name of the workspace youwant to get rid of, or choose All �.

3. Click Delete, then click Yes.

TIP To restore the palettes’ default group-ings and locations at any time, chooseWindow > Workspace > Reset PaletteLocations.

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� In the Delete Workspace dialog box, choose aworkspace name, or choose All.

Change your valuesYou can change most numerical values simply byclicking the option name and dragging to the left or the right. Examples of options that this works forare the Width and Height values in dialog boxes,Opacity and Fill on the Layers palette, Feather onthe options bar, Input Levels and Output Levels inthe Levels dialog box, and Fuzziness in the ColorRange dialog box.

There are two ways to use a pop-up slider �:Either press an arrowhead and drag the slider in one move, or click the arrowhead and then drag theslider. To close a slider, click anywhere outside it orpress Enter/Return. If you click the arrowhead toopen a slider, pressing Esc will restore its last setting.

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� A pop-up slider on the options bar.

Actions paletteYou can record a series of commands in anaction, and then replay that action on oneimage or on a batch of images. The Actionspalette is used for recording, storing, editing,and replaying actions.

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Recordedcommand

Action

Actions set

Dialog control

Turns an action command on or off

Play

New SetRecord DeleteCurrentAction

The game planThe palettes are illustrated in alphabeticalorder, starting on this page except, that is, for the indispensible Toolbox, which isillustrated on pages 7–10, and the optionsbar, which is illustrated on page 11.

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Brushes paletteThe Brushes palette is used for customizingbrush tips for the Brush, Pencil, HistoryBrush, Art History Brush, Clone Stamp,Pattern Stamp, Eraser, Background Eraser,Blur, Sharpen, Smudge, Dodge, Burn, andSponge tools. Options on the palette areorganized into categories, such as ShapeDynamics, Scattering, Texture, and ColorDynamics. You can also use the Brushespalette to choose options for a stylus or foran airbrush input device.

TIP The numeral under a brush tip icon isthe diameter of the tip, in pixels.

Brush editingcategories

Brush tips

Individualbrush options

Brush strokepreview

New Brush Delete Brush

� Click here to open the Brush Preset picker.

Picker or palette?Brush tips for the painting and editing tools canbe chosen either from the Brushes palette (illus-trated below) or from the Brush Preset picker �,a pop-up palette that you open from the optionsbar. To close the Brush Preset picker, click outsideit or click the Brush arrowhead again. To hide theBrushes palette (but keep it open), dock it into the palette well on the options bar; to redisplay it,click the palette tab in the well.

Commands for loading, appending, and savingbrushes and brush libraries can be chosen fromthe Brushes palette menu or the Brush Presetpicker menu (click the palette menu button on the right side).

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The eye icon indicates that this channel iscurrently visible. To display a channel byitself in the image window, click its nameor use the keystroke listed on the palette.

Load Channelas Selection Save Selection

as Channel

Delete Channel

New Channel

A user-createdalpha channel

A user-created spot color channel

Channels paletteThe Channels palette is used for displayingone or more of the color channels that make up an image. It is also used for creating anddisplaying alpha channels, which are used for saving selections, and spot color channels,which are used for producing individual spotcolor plates.

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Character paletteWhen a type tool is chosen, type attributescan be chosen via the Character palette,illustrated below, or from the options bar.

Font

Horizontal scale

Leading

Tracking

Point Size

Kerning

Vertical Scale

Baseline Shift

Type Styles

Language

Anti-aliasing

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Color paletteThe Color palette is used for mixing andchoosing colors. Colors are applied with a painting or editing tool, or via a commandsuch as Fill or Canvas Size. Choose a colormodel for the palette from the palettemenu. Mix a color using the sliders, orquick-select a color by clicking on the colorbar at the bottom of the palette.

To open the Color Picker, from which youcan also choose a color, click once on theForeground or Background color square if it’s already active, or double-click thesquare if it’s not active.

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This is the Foreground color square. Thecurrently active square has a white border.

Background color square

Choose a color model for the palette.

Quick-select a hue byclicking the color bar.

Choose a different spectrum for the color bar.

File Browser palette The File Browser enables you to search for,open, sort, batch-process, move, rename, and delete Photoshop files. Images in the currently selected folder are represented byimage thumbnails in the main window. TheFile Browser in Photoshop CS boasts a num-ber of new features, such as buttons at the topof the palette, palettes on the left side, andmenus that let you activate many commands.

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MAIN PANE

PREVIEW

METADATA,KEYWORDS

Rotate Image Counterclockwise

Rotate ImageClockwise Search

DeleteFlagFile

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Histogram paletteThe Histogram palette (formerly a dialogbox) diagrams the current light and darkvalues of an image, or its before and afterlight and dark values as it’s being edited or while an adjustment dialog box is open.Via the Channel pop-up menu, you canchoose to have the palette display infor-mation about the combined channels or about just one channel. You can alsoexpand the palette to display histogramsfor every channel. The screenshot at rightshows the palette in Expanded View (theother display options are Compact Viewand All Channels View).

History paletteThe History palette is used to selectivelyundo one or more previous steps in a worksession. Each brushstroke, filter applica-tion, or other image-editing command islisted as a separate state on the palette,with the bottommost state being the mostrecent. Clicking on a prior state restoresthe document to that stage of the editingprocess. What happens to the documentwhen you click on a prior state dependson whether the palette is in linear or non-linear mode.

In linear mode, if you click back on andthen delete a state or resume image editing from an earlier state, all subse-quent states (dimmed, on the palette) willbe deleted. In non-linear mode, you canclick back on an earlier edit state or deletea state without losing subsequent states.This option is turned on or off via theAllow Non-Linear History check box inthe History Options dialog box (chooseHistory Options from the palette menu).You can switch between linear and non-linear modes at any time during editing.

The New Snapshot command creates astate that stays on the palette until theimage is closed. The History Brush toolrestores an image to a designated priorstate where the brush is dragged in theimage window. The Art History Brush doesthe same thing, but in stylized strokes.

The current source for the History Brush

This is the History palette in linear mode. Notethat some steps are dimmed.

History Stateslider (at thecurrent state) New Snapshot

New Documentfrom CurrentState

DeleteCurrentState

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The current x/ylocation of thepointer on the image

Info paletteThe Info palette displays a color breakdownof the pixel that’s currently under thepointer �. The palette will also show read-outs for up to four color samplers, if they’re placed on the image �. If a color adjust-ment dialog box is open, the palette will display before and after color readouts. TheInfo palette also shows the x/y location ofthe pointer on the image.

Other information may display on thepalette, depending on which tool is beingused, such as the distance between pointswhen a selection is moved, a shape is drawn,or the Measure tool is used; the dimensionsof a selection or crop marquee; or the width, height, and angle of a selection as it’s being transformed �.

Press one of the tiny arrowheads to choose a color mode for that readout (it can be different from the current image mode):Actual Color (the current image mode),Proof Color, Grayscale, RGB Color, WebColor, HSB Color, CMYK Color, Lab Color,Total Ink, the current layer Opacity, or 16-bit.

To do this via a dialog box, choose PaletteOptions from the palette menu, then changethe mode for the First and Second ColorReadouts. You can also change the unit of measurement for the palette (MouseCoordinates), and for an image in 16-bitmode, you can check Show 16 bit values �.

TIP If an exclamation point appears next to a color readout, it means that color is outside the printable, CMYK gamut.

� Color breakdown for the pixelthat’s currently under the pointer

Press an arrowhead tochoose a different colormode for that readout.

Press this arrowhead tochoose a different unitof measurement for thepalette (and the rulers).

� During a transform operation, the width (W),height (H), angle (A), and horizontal skew (H)or vertical skew (V) of the transformed layer,selection, or path are shown in this area.

The Width and Heightof the current selection

� #1, #2, #3, and #4 color readouts on theInfo palette from four color samplers that wereplaced on the image

� Choose options for different areas of theInfo palette via the Info Options dialog box.

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Layer Comps paletteA layer comp (short for “composition”) is aset of layer characteristics, including visibil-ity, position, and appearance (layer styles).The purpose of layer comps is to enablemultiple versions of the same image to coex-ist in one Photoshop or ImageReady file,and to provide a convenient palette mecha-nism for displaying them. This can be usefulwhen you need to present design variationsto a client.

Layer comps are saved to the Layer Compspalette with the image in which they’re created and are applied to a whole imagesimply by clicking the comp name on thepalette. Whereas histories affect all editingdone to an image (and can’t be saved), layercomps remember and apply only specificlayer options and settings.

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ApplyLayerComp

Caution icon (indicates the layercomp can’t be fully restored)

ApplyNext

ApplyPrevious

UpdateLayerComp

NewLayerComp

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Add Layer/Vector Mask

Blending mode pop-up menu

The current (active) layer (in

this case, aneditable type layer)

Lock TransparentPixels, Lock Image

Pixels, LockPosition, and

Lock All buttons

Link icon

Click in the eye column to show/

hide that layer.

Layer Opacity

New Set New Fill/AdjustmentLayer pop-up menu

Add Layer Style pop-up menu

Layers paletteEach new image starts out with a Background,which can be a solid color or transparent.Using the Layers palette, you can add layerson top of the Background, that you canshow/hide, duplicate, group, link, delete, or restack. Each layer can be assigned its own blending mode, opacity, and fill opacitywithout affecting the other layers.

In addition to standard layers, you can alsocreate three other kinds of layers: adjust-ment layers, which are used for applyingtemporary color or tonal adjustments to

Adjustment layerthumbnail

Adjustmentlayer mask

Layer mask

Layer Fill opacity

NewLayer

DeleteLayer

Starting out transparentTo have the bottommost tier of a new image be a layer with transparency instead of an opaqueBackground, in the File > New dialog box, clickContents: Transparent.

the layers below it; editable type layers,which are created automatically when theHorizontal Type or Vertical Type tool is used;and shape layers, which contain vector shapeswith a color or pattern fill. If you apply a layereffect to a layer (e.g., Inner Glow or DropShadow), a layer effect icon and pop-upmenu will appear next to the layer name.You can also attach a mask to a layer.

Only the current (or “active”) layer can beedited. To choose a layer, click next to itsname or click its thumbnail.

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Navigator paletteThe Navigator palette is used for moving an image in its window and for changing thezoom level of an image.

Zoom Outbutton

Zoom Inbutton

Zoom slider

Enter the desired zoompercentage (or enter aratio, as in 1:1 or 4:1),then press Enter/Return.

Drag in the view box to move amagnified image in its window.Ctrl-drag/Cmd-drag in the view box to marquee an area for magnification.

HorizontalAlignment

Indent Left Margin

Indent First Line

Add Space BeforeParagraph

Auto-hyphenate

Add Space AfterParagraph

Indent RightMargin

Paragraph paletteThe Paragraph palette is used to apply para-graph-wide attributes to type, including horizontal alignment, indentation, spacebefore, space after, and auto hyphenation.

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Paths paletteA path is a vector shape that’s composed ofcurved and straight line segments connectedby anchor points. A path can be drawndirectly with a shape tool or a pen tool, oryou can start by creating a selection and thenconvert the selection into a path. To create a precisely drawn selection, you can draw apath and then convert it into a selection.

Once a path is drawn, you can apply a fill or stroke color to it or use the Pen tool orany of its relatives—the Add Anchor Point,Delete Anchor Point, or Convert Pointtool—to reshape it. Paths are saved, acti-vated, duplicated, and deleted via the Paths palette.

TIP While a shape layer or an image layer that has a vector mask is selected, thepath for that vector mask will be listed on the Paths palette.

Stroke Path(with brush)

Fill Path (withForeground color)

LoadPath asSelection

Work Pathfrom Selection

New Path

DeleteCurrentPath

A saved path

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Styles paletteThe Styles palette is used to save and applypreviously saved individual layer effects orcombinations of effects. Custom stylelibraries can be loaded, appended, and savedusing commands on the Styles palette menu.

Style thumbnails ClearStyle

Load in style libraries fromthis part of the palette menu.

NewStyle

DeleteStyle

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Swatches paletteThe Swatches palette is used for saving andchoosing already mixed colors. Individualswatches can be added to or deleted fromthe palette. Custom swatch libraries can also be loaded, appended, and saved usingcommands on the Swatches palette menu.

Color swatches

Load in color swatchlibraries from this part

of the palette menu.

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New Tool Preset

Delete Tool Preset

Tool Presets paletteYou can save and reuse tool settings, just asyou can any other type of preset. Say, forexample, you frequently resize and cropimages to a particular set of dimensions. Ifyou create a preset with the width, height,and resolution parameters you need, thenext time you perform the cropping opera-tion, instead of having to type in the num-bers, all you have to do is choose the toolpreset from the Tool Presets palette or pop-up palette.

You can also save presets for type (completewith font, point size, and color attributes),

and for selection tools, brushes, gradients, patterns, shapes, contours, and styles.

The Tool Presets palette is used for manag-ing saved tool presets. To have the palettelist the presets for only the current tool,check Current Tool Only.

Click a tool preset to make it the currenttool, complete with its saved settings.

Tool presets are also accessible from thispop-up palette, which opens if you clickthe tool’s thumbnail on the options bar.

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� The Levels command, appliedvia an adjustment layer

� Individual pixels are discernible in this imagebecause it is shown at 500% view.

� Layers are like clear acetate sheets: opaque wherepixels are present, transparent where there are none.

A layer effect

Mini-glossary LayerAn image can have just a Background (nolayers), or it can have multiple layers �.Only the currently active layer can beedited. Individual layers can contain layereffects; they can be restacked and moved;you can choose blending options for them;and you can assign masks to them. They aretransparent where there are no pixels.

Adjustment layerUnlike a standard layer, modifications madeto an adjustment layer don’t alter actual pixels until the layer is merged with the layers below it �. You can use them to try outcolor and tonal adjustments without havingto commit to those changes immediately.

PixelsPixels are dots that are used to display a bitmapped image in a grid onscreen �.

VectorIn addition to pixel imagery, you can alsocreate paths, shapes, and editable type inPhotoshop, each of which automaticallyappears on its own mathematically definedvector layer �. Vector elements print at theprinter resolution, not the file resolution.

Foreground and Background colorsThe current Foreground and Backgroundcolors are shown in the Foreground andBackground color squares on the Toolboxand on the Color palette. The Foregroundcolor is applied when you use a paintingtool, create type, or use the Stroke com-mand. The Background color is appliedwhen you apply a transformation command

An editabletype layer

A shapelayer

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to, or move a selection on, the Backgroundusing the Move tool.

SelectionA selection is an area of an image that’s isolated via a “marching ants” marquee; theunselected area is protected from editing �.A selection can be created by using a selec-tion tool (e.g., Lasso), by using a command(e.g., Color Range), by converting a pathinto a selection, or by loading an alpha channel mask as a selection. Another way toprotect part of an image is by using a mask.

PresetSaved type, gradient, pattern, shape, contour, style, or tool settings.

HistoryEvery change that’s made to an image issaved on the History palette as a separatestate. While an image is still open, it can berestored to any prior state that’s listed.

Layer effectsPhotoshop has ten effects (e.g., DropShadow, Outer Glow, Gradient Overlay) thatcan be applied to any layer and are fullyeditable (and removable). A style is a savedeffect or combination of multiple effects.

Pixel dimensions, resolutionThe pixel dimensions value is the numberof pixels an image contains. The resolutionis the density of pixels per unit of measure(usually per inch) �.

Brightness, hue, saturationBrightness is a color’s lightness �; its hue isthe wavelength of light that gives the colorits name, such as red or blue; saturation isits degree of purity (amount of gray).

OptimizationOptimization is the preparation of an imagefor Web output, and it involves choosing fileformat, color, and size parameters. By usingslices, you can apply differing optimizationsettings to various areas of an image.

RolloverA rollover is a change on a Web page (e.g.,the temporary appearance of supplementaltext or a picture) that occurs when the user’smouse is over or clicks on a designated area.

� A selected area of an image

Hue slider

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� The Photoshop Color Picker

Saturation range

� The Image Size dialog box is used for changing animage’s pixel dimensions and/or resolution.

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Production techniquesKeep these ideas in mind for future refer-ence (don’t worry, we’ll explain them later!):

■ To undo the last modification, choose Edit > Undo (Ctrl-Z/Cmd-Z)(Note: Some commands can’t be undone.) To undomultiple steps, click a prior state on theHistory palette or use the History Brushtool to restore selective areas.

■ Drag across an option name (e.g.,“Opacity” on the Layers palette) to theleft or right to change a value withouthaving to type it in the field.

■ Use the File Browser to search for, sort,open, move, rename, and delete files, and to activate Automate commands.

■ Periodically click the New Snapshot but-ton at the bottom of the History palette to save temporary versions of your image.Click a snapshot thumbnail to revert tothat version.

■ Use adjustment layers to try out tonal andcolor adjustments, and then later mergethem downward to apply the effect, or discard them to remove the effect. Usethe Layers palette Opacity slider to lessen the impact of an adjustment layer.

■ Use Edit > Fade (Ctrl-Shift-F/Cmd-Shift-F)to lessen the last applied filter, adjustmentcommand, or tool edit without having toundo and redo—and choose an opacityand blending mode for the commandwhile you’re at it.

■ Memorize as many keyboard shortcuts as you can. Start by learning the shortcutsfor choosing tools. Use onscreen tool tipsto refresh your memory, or refer to pages7–10 or our shortcuts appendix. Shortcutsare included in most of the instructionsin this book.

■ Choose the lowest possible resolution anddimensions for your image, given youroutput requirements. Note that vector layers (editable type, shapes, and vectormasks) print at the printer resolution—not at the file resolution.

Build your image using layers You can work on one layer at a time withoutaffecting the other layers, and discard any layersyou don’t need. You can conserve memorywhen you’re working on a large image by merg-ing two or more layers together periodically.

Using a layer mask or a vector mask, you cantemporarily hide pixels on select areas of alayer. When you’re finished using the mask, youcan either discard it or permanently apply itseffect to the layer.

Quick on the redrawTo speed performance, choose Palette Optionsfrom the Layers, Channels, or Paths palettemenu, then click the smallest Thumbnail Size.

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■ Interrupt the screen redraw after execut-ing a command or applying a filter bychoosing a different tool or command.

■ Save any sequence of commands that youuse frequently in an action so it can beapplied quickly and easily to any image.

■ Display your image in two windows simul-taneously, one at a larger zoom level thanthe other, so you don’t have to constantlychange zoom levels.

■ Save any complex selection to its owngrayscale channel, called an alpha chan-nel, which can be loaded and reused onany image whenever you like. Or evenbetter, create a path or a vector mask,which occupies significantly less storagespace than an alpha channel and can be converted into a selection at any time.

■ Use Quick Mask mode to turn a selectioninto a mask, which will cover the pro-tected areas of the image with transpar-ent color and leave the unprotected areaas a cutout, and then modify the maskcontour using a painting tool. Turn offQuick Mask mode to convert the cutoutarea back into a selection.

■ CMYK files process more slowly than RGBfiles. You can work in RGB Color mode,using View > Proof Setup > WorkingCMYK to preview your image as CMYKColor mode, and wait until it’s done toconvert it to the “real” CMYK Color mode.

■ Try to allot at least 50% of available RAM(at least 128 MB) to Photoshop, or fourtimes an image’s RAM document size.

■ Choose the Edit > Purge submenu com-mands periodically to regain RAM thatwas used for the Clipboard, the Undocommand, the History palette, or All (of the above) �. The Purge commandscan’t be undone.

� Use the Purge submenucommands to free up memory.

� Right-click/Control-click with a selection tool tochoose from yet another list of commands.

� Right-click/Control-click with a type tool to choosefrom a list of type commands.

� You can choosesome palette commands

via context menus.

Context menus save timeTo choose from an onscreen context menu,right-click/Control-click a Layers, Channels, or Pathspalette thumbnail, name, or feature �. Or choosegeneral commands or options for the current toolby right-clicking/Control-clicking in the image window �–�.