5. PRAISE FOR VISUAL BOOKS
“I have to praise you and your company on the “Like a lot of other people, I understand things
fine products you turn out. I have twelve Visual best when I see them visually. Your books really
books in my house. They were instrumental in make learning easy and life more fun.”
helping me pass a difficult computer course. John T. Frey (Cadillac, MI)
Thank you for creating books that are easy to
follow. Keep turning out those quality books.” “I have quite a few of your Visual books and have
Gordon Justin (Brielle, NJ) been very pleased with all of them. I love the way
the lessons are presented!”
“What fantastic teaching books you have Mary Jane Newman (Yorba Linda, CA)
produced! Congratulations to you and your staff.
You deserve the Nobel prize in Education. Thanks “Thank you, thank you, thank you...for making it
for helping me understand computers.” so easy for me to break into this high-tech world.”
Bruno Tonon (Melbourne, Australia) Gay O’Donnell (Calgary, Alberta,Canada)
“A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words! If your “I write to extend my thanks and appreciation for
learning method is by observing or hands-on your books. They are clear, easy to follow, and
training, this is the book for you!” straight to the point. Keep up the good work! I
Lorri Pegan-Durastante (Wickliffe, OH) bought several of your books and they are just
right! No regrets! I will always buy your books
“Over time, I have bought a number of your because they are the best.”
‘Read Less - Learn More’ books. For me, they are Seward Kollie (Dakar, Senegal)
THE way to learn anything easily. I learn easiest
using your method of teaching.” “I would like to take this time to thank you and
José A. Mazón (Cuba, NY) your company for producing great and easy-to-
learn products. I bought two of your books from a
“You’ve got a fan for life!! Thanks so much!!” local bookstore, and it was the best investment
Kevin P. Quinn (Oakland, CA) I’ve ever made! Thank you for thinking of us
ordinary people.”
“I have several books from the Visual series and Jeff Eastman (West Des Moines, IA)
have always found them to be valuable
resources.” “Compliments to the chef!! Your books are
Stephen P. Miller (Ballston Spa, NY) extraordinary! Or, simply put, extra-ordinary,
meaning way above the rest! THANKYOU
“I have several of your Visual books and they are THANKYOU THANKYOU! I buy them for friends,
the best I have ever used.” family, and colleagues.”
Stanley Clark (Crawfordville, FL) Christine J. Manfrin (Castle Rock, CO)
6. CREDITS
Sr. Acquisitions Editor Layout
Jody Lefevere Andrea Hornberger
Jennifer Mayberry
Project Editor
Sarah Hellert Graphics
Ana Carrillo
Technical Editor Ronda David-Burroughs
Dennis R. Cohen Jill A. Proll
Copy Editor Quality Control Technician
Scott Tullis John Greenough
Editorial Manager Proofreader
Robyn Siesky Cynthia Fields
Business Manager Indexer
Amy Knies Broccoli Information Mgt.
Sr. Marketing Manager Media Development Assistant
Sandy Smith Project Manager
Jenny Swisher
Project Coordinator
Erin Smith Vice President and Executive
Group Publisher
Media Development Project Richard Swadley
Manager
Laura Moss Vice President and Executive
Publisher
Media Development Associate Barry Pruett
Producer
Josh Frank Composition Director
Debbie Stailey
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynette Kent (Huntington Beach, CA) studied art and French at Stanford University, where
she received a Master’s degree. A photographer and artist, Lynette writes books and
magazine articles on digital imaging and photography. She enjoys traditional and digital
painting and often blends these techniques with her photographs. Her photos and those
permitted per agreement can be found at www.wiley.com/go/photoshopcs4top100. In
addition to the Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks titles for Photoshop CS2, CS3, and CS4, her
latest book is Teach Yourself VISUALLY Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2. She has also written
Teach Yourself VISUALLY Mac OS X Leopard and Teach Yourself VISUALLY Digital Photography,
3rd edition. Lynette helps run the Adobe Technology Exchange of Southern California, a
professional organization for photographers, graphic designers, and fine artists.
7. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Photoshop® CS4: Top 100 Simplified® Tips & Tricks includes 100 tasks that reveal cool secrets, teach timesaving
tricks, and explain great tips guaranteed to make you more productive with Photoshop. The easy-to-use layout lets
you work through all the tasks from beginning to end or jump in at random.
Who is this book for?
You already know Photoshop basics. Now you’d like to go beyond, with shortcuts, tricks and tips that let you work
smarter and faster. And because you learn more easily when someone shows you how, this is the book for you.
Conventions Used In This Book
1 Steps 3
This book uses step-by-step 4
instructions to guide you easily
through each task. Numbered
callouts on every screen shot show
you exactly how to perform each
task, step by step.
2 Tips
Practical tips provide insights to 1
save you time and trouble, caution
you about hazards to avoid, and 2
reveal how to do things in
Photoshop that you never thought
possible!
3 Task Numbers
Task numbers from 1 to 100
indicate which lesson you are
working on.
4 Difficulty Levels Demonstrates a new spin on a
common task
For quick reference, the symbols
below mark the difficulty level of Introduces a new skill or a new
task
each task.
Combines multiple skills requiring
in-depth knowledge
Requires extensive skill and may
involve other technologies
8. Table of Contents
1 Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects
#1 Select the Color Settings for Your Projects 4
#2 Set the Preferences for the Way You Work 6
#3 Move the Panels and Tools to Customize Your Workspace 8
#4 Personalize Your View of Bridge 10
#5 Add a Keyboard Shortcut for a Favorite Filter 12
#6 Create a Custom Action to Increase Your Efficiency 14
#7 Design a Customized Brush with Your Settings 16
#8 Make a Special Gradient to Suit Your Design 18
#9 Calibrate and Profile Your Monitor for Better Editing 20
#10 Turn on the Full Power of Photoshop with a Pen Tablet 22
#11 Change Your Window Views 24
2 Working with Layers, Selections, and Masks
#12 Name and Color-Code Layers to Organize the
Layers Panel 28
#13 Duplicate and Change the Background Layer for
More Options 30
#14 Adjust a Photo with an Adjustment Layer 32
#15 Blend Two Photos Together with a Layer Mask 34
#16 Add a Design with a Custom Shape Layer 36
#17 Accentuate a Sky with a Gradient Fill Layer 38
#18 Make a Selection with the Quick Selection Tool 40
#19 Use Refine Edge to Make All Selections Better 42
#20 Paint a Quick Mask to Make a Detailed Selection 44
#21 Add Layers as Smart Objects for Flexible Changes 46
#22 Apply Filters as Smart Filters for Dynamic Adjustments 48
vi
9. 3 Straightening, Cropping, and Resizing
#23 Crop Your Images to Improve Composition with
Photographers’ Rules 52
#24 Create a Level Horizon 54
#25 Expand the Canvas with a Reverse Crop 56
#26 Crop and Straighten in Camera Raw 58
#27 Straighten Crooked Scans Quickly 60
#28 Create Multiple Images from One Original 62
#29 Change Your Perspective with the Crop Tool 64
#30 Straighten Buildings with One Filter 66
#31 Create a Panorama from Multiple Photos 68
#32 Resize Your Image with Minimal Visible Loss 70
4 Retouching Photographs
#33 Remove Blemishes to Improve the Skin 74
#34 Reduce Wrinkles with a Soft Touch 78
#35 Remove Red Eye to Quickly Improve any Photo 80
#36 Change Eye Color Digitally 82
#37 Add a Gradient Layer to Lighten the Irises 84
#38 Brighten the Eyes by Lightening the Whites 86
#39 Add Depth to the Eyes to Emphasize Them 88
#40 Add a Catch Light to Make the Eyes Come Alive 92
#41 Sharpen Just the Eyes to Add Focus 94
#42 Whiten Teeth to Add a Youthful Look 96
#43 Add a Soft-Focus Effect to Make a Portrait Glow 98
vii
10. Table of Contents
5 Changing and Enhancing Colors and Tone
#44 Improve an Underexposed Photo in Two Steps 102
#45 Improve an Overexposed Photo in Three Steps 103
#46 Remove a Colorcast to Improve the Overall Color 104
#47 Colorize a Black-and-White Photograph 106
#48 Change a Color Photo into a Custom Grayscale Photo 108
#49 Add a Creative Touch with a Little Color 110
#50 Dodge and Burn with a Special Layer 112
#51 Increase Saturation Subtly Using a Vibrance
Adjustment Layer 114
#52 Use Camera Raw to Visually Adjust Any Photo 116
#53 Recover Highlights with Camera Raw 118
#54 Improve a Sky with the Graduated Filter in Camera Raw 120
#55 Create a Split Tone for a Special Effect in Camera Raw 122
6 Making Magic with Digital Special Effects
#56 Apply a Photo Filter for Dynamic Adjustments 126
#57 Add a Quick Dark Vignette Effect to Direct the Focus on
the Subject 127
#58 Add Action with a Simulated Motion Blur 128
#59 Blend Separate Photos for the Best Group Shot 130
#60 Merge Multiple Raw Photos to 32-Bit HDR 132
#61 Apply a Split-Neutral Density Filter Using Smart Objects 134
#62 Adjust Depth of Field with a Lens Blur Filter 136
#63 Use the Auto Blend Tool to Create Greater Depth of Field 140
#64 Create a Silhouette for a Custom Design 144
#65 Become a Digital Architect with the Vanishing Point Filter 148
#66 Erase Items in Perspective with the Vanishing Point Filter 152
#67 Add a Simulated Reflection to an Object with the
Clone Stamp Tool 154
#68 Blend One Image into Another with a Displacement Map 156
viii
11. 7 Designing with Text Effects
#69 Paint Different Colors into a Text Title 162
#70 Add a Double-Neon Glow to Text for a Unique Design 164
#71 Create a Custom Watermark to Protect Your Images 166
#72 Fill a Shape with Text to Create Unique Effects 168
#73 Warp Type for a Fun Effect 170
#74 Add Perspective to Type and Keep It Sharp 172
#75 Make Your Text Follow Any Path 174
#76 Create an Photo-Filled Title 176
#77 Blend Text into a Photograph Creatively 178
#78 Create an Amazing Colored Shadow 180
#79 Weave Text and Graphics for Intriguing Designs 182
8 Creating Digital Artwork from Photographs
#80 Make Any Photo Appear Sketched on the Paper 186
#81 Add Your Own Signature to Any Artwork 188
#82 Create a Digital Pen-and-Ink Drawing 190
#83 Give a Photograph a Woodcut Look 192
#84 Convert any Photo to a High Contrast Stylized Image 194
#85 Turn a Photo into a Colored-Pencil Illustration 196
#86 Posterize a Photo for a Warhol-Style Image 198
#87 Change a Photograph into a Pen-and-Colored-Wash
Drawing 202
#88 Compose a Photo Collage 206
#89 Turn a Photo into a Hand-Painted Oil Painting 208
#90 Paint a Digital Watercolor 212
ix
12. Table of Contents
9 Giving Your Images a Professional Presentation
#91 Frame a Photo with Photo Corners 218
#92 Make a Line Frame from within a Photo 219
#93 Apply a Filter to Give a Photo an Artistic Edge 220
#94 Create Your Own Custom Edge 222
#95 Create a Custom Slide Template 224
#96 Create a Custom Color Background 226
#97 Make a Photo Look like a Gallery Print 228
#98 Make a Contact Sheet of Your Photos 232
#99 Create a Slide Show Presentation 234
#100 Create a Web Photo Gallery 236
10 Plugging in to Photoshop CS4
#101 Embellish a Photo Effortlessly with Graphic Authority 240
#102 Enlarge Images with Maximum Quality with Alien Skin
Blow Up 2 242
#103 Change Your Photos into Art with Alien Skin Snap Art 244
#104 Colorize a Black-and-White Photo with AKVIS Coloriage 246
#105 Make a Selection and Remove the Background with
Vertus Fluid Mask 248
#106 Control Digital Noise with Nik Dfine 250
#107 Sharpen Photos with Finesse Using Nik Sharpener Pro 252
#108 Apply Photo Filters Digitally Using Nik Color Efex Pro 254
#109 Enhance Colors and Light Selectively with Nik Viveza 256
#110 Create a Dynamic Black-and-White Image with
Nik Silver Efex Pro 258
#111 Transform an Image with an Action from Kubota
Image Tools 260
#112 Explore Colors Visually with AutoFX Software 262
#113 Enhance Your Portraits with Imagenomic Portraiture 264
#114 Travel Beyond Bridge with Extensis Portfolio 266
x
13.
14. Customizing Photoshop
for Your Projects
Photoshop is an incredibly powerful program. With Photoshop CS4, Adobe has changed the
Not only can you perform many different tasks look of the interface and taken customization
with Photoshop, but you can also choose from to a new level. You can modify your settings
a number of ways to complete each project. and preferences by adjusting the workspace,
the panels, and the tools to fit the
By setting up Photoshop to work for you, you requirements of specific projects. You can
can develop your own techniques and find close some panels and open others to simplify
ways to adapt the standard tools so you can your screen and keep only the tools you need
be more creative. available. You can make your own gradients,
customize shortcuts, and design your own
When you work on an image, you may prefer brushes. These may seem like boring steps,
to see some panels and not others. You may yet by learning to customize Photoshop you
also prefer certain tool settings to others. gain familiarity with the program and become
Customizing Photoshop to work your way more efficient as you try different projects.
makes you more productive, the program
more useful, and everything you do with
Photoshop much more fun.
15. Select the Color Settings for Your Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Set the Preferences for the Way You Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Move the Panels and Tools to Customize
Your Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Personalize Your View of Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Add a Keyboard Shortcut for a Favorite Filter . . . . . . . . . 12
Create a Custom Action to Increase Your Efficiency. . . . . 14
Design a Customized Brush with Your Settings . . . . . . . . 16
Make a Special Gradient to Suit Your Design . . . . . . . . . . 18
Calibrate and Profile Your Monitor for Better Editing . . . 20
Turn on the Full Power of Photoshop
with a Pen Tablet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Change Your Window Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
16. SELECT THE COLOR SETTINGS
for your projects
Using Photoshop CS4 is an image-altering a much smaller color space than what better
experience! You can improve photographs, repurpose monitors can show and what printers can actually
them, or create original designs. Because printed produce. Designers and photographers generally
images and Web images have different limits on the prefer the larger color space called Adobe RGB
range of colors that they can represent, you need to (1998) for working with projects intended for print.
set the working color space for your project. In Photoshop CS4, you can easily choose your working
Photoshop’s default color space is set to sRGB, a color space and save it. Set your color space to the
limited color space intended for Web images to be North America Prepress 2 settings and Adobe RGB
viewable on even the lowest-quality monitor. sRGB is (1998) to make your printed colors look much better.
1
1 Click Edit.
2 Click Color Settings.
2
The Color Settings dialog box
appears.
3 Click here and select North
America Prepress 2.
3
4
17. l The RGB setting changes
to Adobe RGB (1998).
Note: ProPhoto RGB is an
even larger color space
often preferred by
professional photographers
4 because it includes a wider
range of tones and allows
for fine detail editing.
The rest of the Color
Settings dialog box
changes to reflect the
preferred working space
for images that you print.
4 Click More Options.
The dialog box expands.
5 Click here and select Relative Colorimetric
6 for a graphic design project or Perceptual
for most photographic projects.
6 Click OK.
Your color settings are saved until you
reset your preferences.
5
Customize It! Try This!
You can save your own Color Settings preset. The You can synchronize the color settings in other
name of the preset changes to Custom when you Creative Suite CS4 applications to match your saved
deselect any check box or make any other changes. custom Photoshop CS4 color settings. In Photoshop,
Click Save after customizing your settings. Type a click File and select Browse in Bridge. In Bridge, click
name in the Save dialog box and click Save. Your Edit and select Creative Suite Color Settings. Click
customized preset appears in the Settings pop-up North America Prepress 2 and click Apply.
menu, ready for you to choose.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 5
18. SET THE PREFERENCES
for the way you work
The Preferences menu option includes ten options for run at the same time. You can change the default
Photoshop and one for Camera Raw. All the colors for the guides and grid when they are similar
Photoshop-specific preferences are accessed through to those in your image. Designating an additional
different panes in the main Preferences dialog box. plug-ins folder keeps third-party items separate from
Although you can work with the default settings, those included with Photoshop. You can set a
changing some of these can make your computer run separate scratch disk to speed up your work on large
more efficiently or make working with your projects files and set Photoshop to automatically launch
easier. For example, by default, Photoshop is set to Bridge.
use more than half of the available RAM. You can Read through each Preferences pane and select the
lower this setting to fit the amount of RAM installed settings to make Photoshop work for you.
in the computer and the number of applications you
1 1 Click Photoshop (Edit).
2 3 2 Click Preferences.
3 Click General.
The General Preferences dialog
box appears.
4 Click any arrows to change your
4 settings.
6 5 Click to select the options you
want or to deselect those you do
5 not want.
6 Click Next to continue
customizing Preferences.
6
19. The dialog box changes
to the Interface
Preferences.
7 Click to select the
interface options you
8 want or deselect those
you do not want.
7
8 Click Next.
!
9 Make any other changes that you prefer
in the other Preferences panes.
0 0 Click OK when you have cycled through
all the Preferences panes.
@
! Click Photoshop (File).
@ Click Quit Photoshop (Exit).
The next time you start the application,
your own settings take effect.
Did You Know? Try This! Did You Know?
You can use keyboard shortcuts to You can change the default You can restore the Preferences
set the Preferences. Press Ô+K Preferences so that just pressing any time by holding the
(Ctrl+K). Set your options for the the appropriate letter toggles each Ô+Option+Shift (Ctrl+Alt+Shift)
General Preferences. Press Ô+2 tool. In the General Preferences keys as you launch the application.
(Ctrl+2), and so on, for each of the pane, deselect the Use Shift Key Click Yes in the dialog box that
Preferences panes. for Tool Switch check box. appears, and the Preferences are
reset to the defaults.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 7
20. Move the panels and tools to
CUSTOMIZE YOUR WORKSPACE
The workspace in Photoshop refers to the layout of With Menu Bar from the View menu, your image
the different panels and tools on your screen. appears as large as possible with all the tool panels
Photoshop CS4 enables you to design your available. You can save the layout with your
workspace to fit your needs. You can then save your preferred tools and panel locations.
custom workspace to reuse it with other images. Photoshop CS4 also includes some preconfigured
You can open the panels that you use most and workspaces, which you can use or modify to
collapse others into buttons. You can move and accommodate different tasks, such as one for
resize individual panels and docks. You can move the color-correcting photographs and one for working
single-column toolbox, dock it, or change it to a two- with type.
column toolbox. When you select Full Screen Mode
1 1 With an image open, click View.
2 Click Screen Mode.
3 Click Full Screen Mode With
Menu Bar.
2 3
The image on-screen maximizes
7 to fill the space.
6 5 4
4 Click here to reduce the panel
groups to buttons with names.
5 Click here and drag to the right
to shrink the docks to buttons
only.
6 Click here to change the width of
the toolbar.
7 Click here and drag to move the
Options bar.
8
21. 8 Note: You can make any
changes you prefer for
your custom workspace.
8 Click here to open the
Workspace menu.
Note: Optionally, click
Window and click
9 Workspace.
9 Click Save Workspace.
The Save Workspace dialog box appears.
0 Type a name for your workspace.
0 ! Make sure that the Panel Locations check
box is selected.
@ l You can also save custom keyboard
! shortcuts and menus by selecting these
check boxes.
@ Click Save.
Your custom workspace is saved.
Did You Know? More Options! Try This!
You can return to the original default You can also change workspaces Photoshop CS4 includes a number
workspace any time by clicking by clicking the name of the current of predesigned workspaces for
Window, Workspace, and Essentials workspace on the menu bar and particular projects, such as Color
(Default) or by clicking Essentials in then clicking another workspace and Tone or Painting. You can
the Workspace pop-up menu on the from the pop-up menu. select a Photoshop CS4
top toolbar. You can also delete predesigned workspace by clicking
unused custom workspaces by Window, selecting Workspace, and
clicking Window, Workspace, and then clicking a specific workspace
Delete Workspace and selecting the from the menu.
one that you want to delete.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 9
22. PERSONALIZE YOUR VIEW
of Bridge
Bridge, which ships with Photoshop CS4, acts as a and view your files, options for adding information,
power browser and central hub for all the Creative and automation for various repetitive tasks. By
Suite 4 applications and shows all types of files and customizing and saving your own Bridge workspace,
folders that are available. You can even see you can review and compare images more efficiently
thumbnails of documents and files from other and have more fun doing so.
applications, such as Word or Acrobat files. When you To launch Bridge from within Photoshop, click File
double-click a thumbnail from Bridge, the other and Browse in Bridge. You can also click the Bridge
application launches. You can open Bridge from button in the Options bar, or press the keyboard
within Photoshop or as a separate application. shortcut Ô+Option+O (Ctrl+Alt+O).
Bridge offers different ways to search, categorize,
2 4 1 Launch Bridge.
Note: You can make any changes
you prefer for your custom
workspace.
2 Click the Folders tab to navigate
to a folder of images.
5
3 Click and drag the Metadata
and Keywords tabs to the left
panel between the Folders and
the Filter tab.
3 4 Click and drag the Preview tab
to the center pane.
5 Click and drag the Content tab
to the right pane.
The Content images align
vertically on the right.
6 Click an image to see it in the
6 Preview tab.
7 Click here and drag to the right.
The Preview tab enlarges and the
Content tab narrows.
l You can also click the left
7 separator bar and drag to the left
to enlarge the Preview tab more.
10
23. 8 8 Click Window.
9 0 9 Click Workspace.
0 Click New Workspace.
The New Workspace dialog box appears.
! Type a name for the workspace.
@ Make sure that both check boxes are
checked.
! # Click Save.
Your custom workspace is saved and listed
# in the top panel.
@
More Options! Enlarge It! Try This!
You can sort files using the Filter Press Tab and the Preview window Press Ô (Ctrl) and click multiple
panel. For example, you can view fills the screen as the other panels images in the Content panel to
only the portrait-orientation slide away on the sides. Press Tab compare them in the Preview
images or all the images created again to return to your custom panel. You can also stack the
on a specific date. You can also Bridge workspace. selected images by clicking Stacks
compare images in the Preview and then Group or by pressing
panel by pressing Shift and Ô+G (Ctrl+G).
clicking multiple images in the
Content panel.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 11
24. ADD A KEYBOARD SHORTCUT
for a favorite filter
Photoshop includes keyboard shortcuts for the tools assigned by Photoshop for another function, a
that you use most often. Many of the tools already warning appears. Although you should generally
have keyboard shortcuts assigned. Still, you may find avoid keyboard shortcuts that are used by your
yourself going to the menu to select an item, such as operating system, you can change Photoshop’s
the Gaussian Blur filter, so often that a personalized default shortcuts, or you can apply a different set of
keyboard shortcut becomes a huge timesaver. keystrokes that are not already assigned.
You can create your own custom keyboard shortcuts Learning and using custom keyboard shortcuts can
or even change some Photoshop keystrokes to streamline your workflow, leaving you more time for
something that you can remember better. If the designing and photo-editing.
keyboard shortcut that you choose is already
1 1 Click Edit.
2 Click Keyboard Shortcuts.
2
The Keyboard Shortcuts and
Menus dialog box appears with
the Keyboard Shortcuts tab
preselected.
3 3 Click here and select Application
Menus.
4 Click the Filter disclosure triangle.
4
12
25. The filters are listed
along with any existing
keyboard shortcuts.
5 Scroll down to the filter
for which you want to
add a shortcut.
5 6 Click the filter.
6
The filter is highlighted, and an empty
data field appears under the Shortcut
9 column.
7 Press Ô (Ctrl) and type your shortcut in
the data field.
8
Note: A shortcut must contain either Ô
(Ctrl) or an F key (function key) in the
name.
7 8 Click Accept.
The Photoshop Defaults set is modified to
include your shortcut.
9 Click OK to finish adding your custom
keyboard shortcut.
Did You Know? Try This!
You can access the Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus You can save and print a list of all keyboard shortcuts.
dialog box by using the keyboard shortcut Ô+Shift+ Click Summarize in the Keyboard Shortcuts and
Option+K (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+K). Menus dialog box and save the file as Photoshop
Defaults.htm. Open the file and print the list for
reference.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 13
26. CREATE A CUSTOM ACTION
to increase your efficiency
Actions help you perform repeated steps quickly. An Using the Actions panel, you record a sequence of
action is a series of commands that you can apply to steps and save your new action. When you need to
an image with one click of the mouse. Unlike a apply the same steps to a different image, even to
keyboard shortcut, which can only invoke a an entire folder of files, you play the action, and
command, an action can open a command, apply Photoshop automatically applies the steps.
changes to an image, step through another Actions can help you automate your work for
command, apply it, and even save a file in a repetitive tasks, leaving you more time to work on
particular way. You can create your own actions for creative projects.
steps that you do over and over and add them to the
Actions panel.
1 Note: As an example, the
following steps show creating an
2 action of opening a new 7- x-5-
inch document at 300 pixels/inch
for a greeting card.
To create an action for changing
an image, start by opening an
image.
3
1 Click Window.
2 Click Actions.
l The Actions panel appears.
3 Click the New Action button.
l Alternatively, you can click here
and select New Action from the
menu.
The New Action dialog box
appears.
4 Type the name of your action.
5 Click here and select a function
key for a keyboard shortcut.
4
l You can click here and select a
6 color for the action.
5 6 Click Record.
l The Record button in the Actions
panel turns red.
7 Perform the steps that you want
to record as an action.
14
27. 8 Press Ô+N (Ctrl+N) to
open a new file.
The New file dialog box
appears.
9 Type your specific
dimensions in the
Width and Height
! fields.
0 Type 300, or your
9 desired resolution, in
0 the Resolution field.
! Click OK.
l A new untitled document appears.
@ After you perform the last step of your
action, click the Stop Recording button.
l Your custom action is now recorded and is
listed in the Actions panel.
You can test your action by pressing the
keyboard shortcut that you assigned.
@
More Options! Try This! Did You Know?
You can apply an action to a folder You can make the actions easier to You can load other prerecorded
of files by clicking File, Automate, find by selecting Button Mode in actions included with Photoshop
and Batch and selecting the action the Actions panel’s pop-up menu. CS4 such as Frames or Image
and a source folder. Or you can Your actions change to color- Effects by clicking the Actions
apply an action to a group of coded buttons. panel’s pop-up menu and clicking
images from Bridge by clicking a set in the bottom section of the
Tools, Photoshop, and Batch. menu.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 15
28. DESIGN A CUSTOMIZED BRUSH
with your settings
Whether you retouch photographs, design brochures, A number of other tools also have modifiable brush
or paint from scratch, you will use many different options, including the Pencil tool, the Eraser tool, the
variations of the Brush tool. Clone Stamp tool, the Pattern Stamp tool, the History
The pop-up menu on the Options bar includes a Brush, the Art History Brush, the Blur tool, the
variety of brushes, and you can modify the attributes Sharpen tool, the Smudge tool, the Dodge tool, the
of any of the existing brushes to suit your drawing Burn tool, and the Sponge tool.
style or your image. You can then save the modified Customizing Brush tools for your projects is a
brush as your own custom brush so that it is ready timesaving technique, and it is fun.
to use for your next design.
2 1 Click the Brush tool.
2 Click the Brushes panel toggle
4 button.
l You can also click the Brushes
panel button if it is visible.
1
3 The Brushes panel opens.
3 Click the preset brush that you
want to modify into a custom
brush.
4 Click Brush Tip Shape.
The controls for the brush shape
are now visible.
5 Click and drag any of the sliders
to change the size and look.
7 6 Drag the black handles and gray
5 arrow to alter the roundness and
6 brush angle.
l The Preview window displays the
5 changed brushstroke.
7 Click another attribute that you
want to change, such as Dual
Brush ( changes to ).
16
29. The window changes to
display new settings.
8 Click and drag any of
9 the sliders to change
the size and look.
9 Click another selection
in the window.
8 l The Preview window
displays the changed
brushstroke.
0 Click the New Brush
0 button at the bottom of
the panel.
The Brush Name dialog box appears.
#
$ ! Type a name for your brush.
@ Click OK.
l Your customized brush is now available in
the Brushes panel and stored with your
Photoshop CS4 Preferences.
# Click here to open the brush picker.
%
$ Click here to open the menu.
@ % Click Save Brushes.
When the Save dialog box appears, type a
! name for this brush set and click Save.
Your brushes, including your new custom
brush, are now saved in Photoshop CS4
Brushes folder in the Presets folder.
Important! More Options! Did You Know?
You can save your brushes folder Photoshop CS4 includes many You can view the brushes by name
to another location on your hard different brush files listed both at or as a list rather than by the
drive, such as the Documents the bottom of the submenus on stroke thumbnails. Click the pop-
folder, rather than the Photoshop the Brushes panel and the Brush up menu on the Brushes Preset
folder. Your custom brush set can options menu in the Options bar. Picker or the Brushes panel. Click
then be transferred to another You can load any set by clicking its Text Only or click a list view or
computer or reloaded if you have name and then clicking Append in even a different-sized thumbnail.
to reinstall Photoshop. the dialog box to add this set to
the existing brushes.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 17
30. MAKE A SPECIAL GRADIENT
to suit your design
You can use the Gradient tool to blend colors to fill You can even design gradients that fade from any
text with soft gradations of color, to fill backgrounds color to transparent.
with a colored gradient, to work with layers and You can also choose a style for the gradient, such as
masks, and for making composite images. You can linear, radial, angled, reflected, or diamond. You
find more gradient color sets in the pop-up menu in customize the gradients from the Gradient Editor.
the Options bar. You can also create your own Start with an existing gradient and modify the colors,
gradient by sampling colors from areas in your image the color stops, and other variations in the dialog
or choosing different colors altogether. box. The possibilities are almost endless!
You can add intermediate colors and design a blend
among multiple colors in any order that you want.
1 Click the Gradient tool.
2 Click a gradient type in the
Options bar, a linear gradient in
3 2 this example.
3 Click inside the gradient
thumbnail in the Options bar.
1
The Gradient Editor dialog box
appears.
4 Click the left color stop under the
gradient bar to select it.
5 Click the Color thumbnail to
choose a new color.
4
5
18
31. The Color Picker dialog
box appears.
6 Select a color from the
dialog box.
6 7
Note: If you have an
image open, you can
move the cursor over the
image to select a color.
7 Click OK.
l The selected color fills the left color stop
in the Gradient Editor.
@ 8 Click the right color stop under the
gradient bar to select it.
9 Repeat steps 5 to 7 to select the colors for
the right color stop.
0 !
0 Type a name for your new gradient in the
Name field.
8 ! Click New.
l The custom gradient appears in the
presets.
@ Click OK.
Your custom gradient remains in the
gradient presets so you can apply it again
to other projects.
Caution! More Options!
You must save your custom gradients in a preset Vary your custom gradient by adding color stops.
library to avoid losing them when you reset Press Option (Alt) and drag the first color stop to
Photoshop’s preferences. Click Save in the Gradient another location or drag a new color stop over other
Editor dialog box or choose Save Gradients from the color stops. To remove a color stop, click the color
pop-up menu in the Gradient picker. Type a name for stop and drag straight down.
your gradient library with the suffix .grd. Click Save,
and your gradients are saved in Photoshop’s presets.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 19
32. CALIBRATE AND PROFILE
your monitor for better editing
You adjust colors in Photoshop based on what you see You need to use a hardware calibration device called a
on the screen. Because each monitor displays color colorimeter or spectrophotometer to accurately adjust
differently and because a monitor’s characteristics your monitor. The software-only methods included
change over time, you should calibrate and profile with the operating system are too subjective. Both X-
your monitor regularly to make sure that you are Rite and DataColor make affordable devices. A
viewing the colors that are actually in your files. colorimeter can only correct the colors on your
Calibration is the process of setting your monitor to screen. A spectrophotometer can also measure and
an established color standard. Profiling is the process adjust color for your printer.
of creating a data file describing how your monitor Please note that the following steps are those used
reproduces color or an International Color with an X-Rite i1 Display LT. You can follow similar
Consortium (ICC) profile. steps for an X-Rite Pantone Huey, ColorMunki, or
other device.
1 Install and launch the software
included with the device, and
plug the device into a USB port.
Note: Macintosh users should be
2 logged in as an Admin account.
2 Click the monitor image.
3 Click Easy.
4 Click the Forward button.
4
3
The Monitor Type screen
appears.
5 Click to select your monitor type.
6 Click the Forward button.
7 Place your i1 Display on a black
surface or place the i1 Pro in its
cradle and click Calibrate.
8 Click the Forward button to
continue.
6
5
20
33. The Place Your Eye-One
on the Monitor screen
appears.
9 Place the unit on the
monitor as the image
shows.
9 0 Click the Forward button.
The screen goes black, and
then a box appears under
the colorimeter on the
screen.
The box fills with white,
0 then black, and then colors
as the device automatically
measures the color
presentation capabilities of
your monitor.
l A new screen appears, showing the name
of the monitor profile created by the
device.
! Click here to select a reminder for the
next calibration.
@ Click the Forward button.
A dialog box appears, telling you where
the profile was saved on your computer’s
hard drive.
#
# Click OK.
! $ Quit the i1 Match software application
@ and disconnect the i1 Colorimeter or
Spectrophotometer.
Did You Know? Important! More Options!
As monitors age, they lose their The brightness level of LCD X-Rite’s i1 Match software keeps a
color accuracy more quickly. monitors is often set to the Help file open in a column along
Calibrate and profile regularly — maximum at the factory. When you the right side of the screen
monthly if your monitor is new or first calibrate and profile an LCD, it explaining each step as you
weekly if your monitor is over two may appear dark by comparison. proceed. You can increase your
years old. CRT monitors need to However, after calibrating and understanding of color calibration
warm up for 30 minutes before profiling, the monitor displays a by reading the explanations as you
you calibrate and create a profile. more accurate representation of proceed.
the colors in your images.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 21
34. Turn on the full power of Photoshop with a
PEN TABLET
Using a mouse as an input device may work for the computer. You can then change brush size,
placing insertion points in text or dragging a roundness, flow, or opacity by applying more or less
rectangular selection in Photoshop, but using a Brush pressure with the pen.
tool or selecting specific areas with a mouse is Instead of scooting the mouse around, you use the
similar to writing your name with a bar of soap — pen to place the cursor exactly where you want, and
clunky and inaccurate. You can edit images with make precise selections or paint digitally as with a
greater comfort and control using a pressure- traditional paintbrush on paper.
sensitive tablet and pen, such as the Wacom Intuos
The key to using a tablet and pen and turning on the
or Cintiq. More than 20 Photoshop tools, such as the
full power of Photoshop is to start by setting the
Brushes, the Eraser, the Quick Selection tool, the
Tablet Preferences located in the System Preferences
Clone Stamp, the Dodge and Burn tools, and others
or Control Panel.
can be customized only when a tablet is connected to
1 With a Wacom tablet plugged into
a USB port and the Wacom driver
installed, open the Tablet
preferences.
The Tablet preferences open to the
Pen tab.
2 Click and drag the Tilt Sensitivity
2 slider to the right for greater tilt
5 response.
3 3 Click and drag the Tip Feel slider
for a softer or firmer touch.
l You can click Details instead of
using the slider.
4 When a window drops down, test
your settings by drawing in the Try
Here box. Click and drag the
Sensitivity slider toward Firm or
Soft, and then draw in the Try Here
box again. You can also click the
Try Here box and then move the
Click Threshold slider toward Low
8 6 or High and test again.
5 Click different rocker switch
settings.
6 Click the Eraser tab.
7
The Eraser preferences appear.
7 Click and drag the Eraser Feel slider
for softer or firmer eraser pressure.
8 Click the Functions tool to
customize the tablet keys.
22
35. The ExpressKeys
preferences appear.
9 Click any of the options
to change the settings
0 for this ExpressKey.
!
@ 0 Type the keystrokes in
the window that drops
$ down and click OK.
! Type a name for the
Keystroke in the next
window that drops
down.
@ Click OK to apply the keystroke and name to
the ExpressKey.
9 9 # Repeat steps 8 to 12 for any other ExpressKey
you want to change.
l The ExpressKeys display the names you typed.
q $ Click the Touch Strip tab.
The Touch Strip preferences appear.
% Click here to change the scrolling speed.
* ^ Click here and select Keystrokes.
& Click in the first Click to Set box.
* Type your keystroke preferences in the dialog
^ box that appears and click OK.
& ( Type a name for the Keystroke in the next
) window that drops down and click OK.
) Repeat steps 16 to 18 for the other Click to
% Set box.
q Click the Close button.
Your custom settings are saved in the
Preferences.
Try This! Important! Did You Know?
You can save different settings for There are three basic types of More than 20 Photoshop tools are
each option depending on the Wacom pen tablets: the Bamboo, specifically designed for use with a
application. Click the plus sign the Intuos, and the Cintiq, and pressure-sensitive tablet and pen.
( ) to the right of the Application each comes in multiple sizes. The For example, using a mouse, you
section and select an application. Preferences dialog box varies can only select Off or Fade for
Then set the Pen, Eraser, slightly depending on the type of Brush opacity. With a tablet
ExpressKeys, and Touch Strip Wacom tablet you have connected. attached to the computer, you can
options for the tools you use most also select Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt
in that particular application and and Stylus Wheel, giving you more
close the Tablet Preferences. Your natural and responsive control
pen tablet will respond differently when painting or editing photos.
depending on the application.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 23
36. Change your
WINDOW VIEWS
Photoshop CS4 enables you to open and view your all the others as tabs in the group or view all the
images in various configurations on the screen. You images as cascading individual windows. You can also
can open multiple similar photographs at the same tile multiple windows so they all fit on the screen at
time to see which one is the best of the group. You once. You can open a second window of one image
can also have two windows of the same image open. and view an enlarged version in one window and the
Photoshop automatically opens multiple images as full photo in the other, so you can edit a particular
separate tabs in one window. You can quickly change area while still viewing the overall effect on the entire
from one image to the next by clicking the tabs, and image. Comparing specific areas on similar photos is
you can close any images you do not need by easy because you can match the areas displayed in
clicking X on the image tab. You can select one each of the images and even match a zoomed-in
image and open it in a separate window while leaving location.
1 1 Click File.
2
2 Click Open.
The Open dialog box appears.
3 Shift+click multiple images to
select them.
4 Click Open.
3
4
6
7 l The images open in the default
tabbed mode.
8
5 Click any tab to view a different
image.
5 6 Click Window.
7 Click Arrange.
8 Click Float All in Windows.
24
37. 9 l The images open in
0 separate windows
!
cascading down the
screen.
9 Click Window.
0 Click Arrange.
! Click Tile.
$
% l The images tile across the screen.
@ Click the Hand tool.
^ # Click and drag in one image to move it to
the bottom right corner.
$ Click Window.
% Click Arrange.
#
^ Click Match Location.
All the windows move their contents to
display the bottom right corner of each
@ image.
Did You Know? More Options! Try This!
If you zoom in on one image and You can drag one or more Click the Arrange Documents
then tile the windows, you can windows to a second monitor. You button ( ) in the Photoshop bar
click Window, Arrange, and Match can then have all your tools and and click any of the buttons to
Zoom to zoom the same amount panels on one monitor and all select a different tiling
on all the windows. your images on the other, or one arrangement, or click Match Zoom,
version of an image on one Match Location, or Match Zoom
monitor and an edited version on and Location to quickly change
the other. your window views.
Chapter 1: Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects 25
38. Working with Layers,
Selections, and Masks
Unless you use Photoshop only to resize and Selections enable you to isolate areas in your
print photographs, you will use layers, image and apply different effects or filters
selections, and masks for most projects. You without affecting the rest of the image. You
may simply duplicate a layer as a safety step can even select areas on one layer and create
or build a complex multilayered image a new layer with that selection. You can make
combining layers and layer effects with selections with many Photoshop tools
selections and masks. depending on the type of area that you need
to isolate or remove. You can copy, move,
A layer is a similar to a transparency sheet paste, and save selections.
with an image on it. You can edit, transform,
or add filters to a layer independently from A mask is a selection shown as a grayscale
other layers. You can make one layer alter the image: The white areas are selected; the black
look of a layer above or below it. You can areas are not. You can use masks to block out
flatten all the layers to finalize an image or areas of an image or to prevent edits. You can
save a file with the layers for future editing. create bitmap layer masks with painting tools
You can also drag a layer from one document or resolution-independent vector masks with a
to another. shape tool.
39. Name and Color-Code Layers to Organize
the Layers Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Duplicate and Change the Background
Layer for More Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Adjust a Photo with an Adjustment Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Blend Two Photos Together with a Layer Mask . . . . . . . . 34
Add a Design with a Custom Shape Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Accentuate a Sky with a Gradient Fill Layer . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Make a Selection with the Quick Selection Tool . . . . . . . . 40
Use Refine Edge to Make All Selections Better . . . . . . . . . 42
Paint a Quick Mask to Make a Detailed Selection . . . . . . 44
Add Layers as Smart Objects for Flexible Changes. . . . . . 46
Apply Filters as Smart Filters for Dynamic Adjustments . . . 48
40. NAME AND COLOR–CODE LAYERS
to organize the Layers panel
Layers are one of Photoshop’s most powerful features tab groups you are not using so the Layers panel
and the key to editing any image. You can name expands automatically to fill the space.
individual layers to help you remember which one Although the tasks in this chapter add only a few
applied a specific adjustment to an image. You can layers to each image, you will accumulate many more
also color-code your layers to help you visually layers in the Layers panel as you work, depending on
organize the Layers panel. You can view all the layers the complexity of the project. Whether you work
by scrolling or you can expand the Layers panel to alone or with a group of designers and share projects,
view all the layers at once by clicking and dragging naming layers and color-coding them helps you
the Layers panel tab to separate it from the other maintain an organized Layers panel and streamlines
panels on the screen. You can also close any panel your workflow and the entire editing process.
CLOSE LAYER TABS
1 1 Click here on any unused tab
group.
2 Click Close Tab Group.
The tabbed group disappears
and the other tabbed groups
expand to fill the space.
2 Note: Optionally, repeat steps 1
and 2 for other unused groups.
Note: You can also click and drag
a panel out of a group to
maintain it on the screen before
closing the other tabs in the
tabbed group.
RENAME LAYERS
1 Double-click the name of a layer.
1 2 Type a new name in the box.
3 Repeat for any other layers to
give each layer a distinctive
name.
2
28
41. COLOR-CODE LAYERS
2 1 Start by clicking one
layer, such as the Photo
Layer, to select it.
2 Click here on the Layers
tab.
5 3 3 Click Layer Properties.
4 The Layer Properties
dialog box appears.
4 Click here and select a
different color.
5 Click OK to apply the
color to the layer.
l The layer’s visibility button box changes
color.
6 Repeat steps 1 to 4 to color other layers.
6
Try This! More Options!
You can group multiple layers into one layer group by You can merge any layers that do not need to remain
selecting the layers and then clicking the New Group separately editable. Make sure the two layers are one
button ( ) on the bottom of the Layers panel, or by above the other in the Layers panel by clicking and
clicking Layer and selecting Group Layers from the dragging them if necessary. Click the top layer to
main menu. Layer groups can be opened for editing select it. Click the pop-up panel menu button ( )
purposes and then collapsed to display a single folder. on the Layers panel and select Merge Down, or press
You can also move layers in a group all at once. Ô+E (Ctrl+E). You can also merge layers by
Ô+clicking (Ctrl+clicking) two or more layers and
then click Layers and Merge Selected.
Chapter 2: Working with Layers, Selections, and Masks 29
