The Adobe Photoshop Manual 2021

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Photoshop











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Contents

!3ŏ , 0!/ 11 Auto-commit 32 Photoshop preferences guide
* ŏ ! 01.!/ 12 Select subject 34 The Photoshop home screen
12 Distribution spacing 36 Your first PSD document
08 12 Reference point
12 Scale UI 38 Mega tip #3
8 Remove background 12 Double-click text edit
8 Object selection tool 13 Content-aware fill Precise lens flare placement
8 Properties panels 13 Locking the workspace 40 Open and save your first image
8 Zoom to layer 13 Go home 42 Placing and importing images
8 Type layer properties 13 Symmetry 44 Using layers
9 Lens blur update
9 Pattern presets 14 Mega tip #1 46 Mega tip #4
9 Warp tool
9 Pattern - solid - gradient Hidden Easter Eggs Transparency from blend
10 Brush to eraser
10 The frame tool $+0+/$+, 54
10 Maths in number fields 1% ! ŏ +1.
10 Blend mode preview 48 Your first composition
11 The color wheel 18 What is Photoshop? 50 Your first cut out
11 Default text 20 Main interface 52 Selection tools
11 Updated undo 54 Your first layer mask
11 Transform tool 22 Mega tip #2 56 Your first set of adjustments

4 www.bdmpublications.com One image, two windows 58 Mega tip #5
24 The toolbar
26 Menus Combine adjustment layers
28 Keyboard shortcuts 60 Your first type tool project
30 Keep Photoshop up to date 62 Your first 3D creation

48

+.!ŏ $+0+/$+,ŏ 98 .+ !//%*#
//!*0% (/ 3ŏ %(!/
100 Mega tip #10
66 Brushes, pencil and eraser 126 Processing Raw files
Any colour from anywhere
68 Mega tip #6 102 Adjusting exposure 128 ACR interface
104 Contrast and saturation
Create specular highlights 130 ACR menus 133
70 Making selections 106 Mega tip #11 133 ACR workflow
72 Modifying selections
74 Quick mask mode Black&whitecolour control 136 Introduction to Lightroom CC
76 Non-destructiveenhancement1
0!,ŏ ,ŏ /%*#ŏ $+0+/$+,ŏ
76 +1.ŏ )! %'!ŏ ŏ .+

78 Non-destructiveenhancement2 110 The Pen tool and paths 144 Light beam effects
80 Healing brush tools 112 Adding a graduated filter 152 Collodion portraits
114 Correcting lens distortion 158 Cartoonize your photos
82 Mega tip #7 116 Panorama stitching 164 Create an underwater scene
118 Colour replacement 172 Compositing images
Improve your spot healing 180 Double exposure effect
84 The Clone stamp tool 120 Mega tip #12 188 Dodging and burning
192 Glossary
86 Mega tip #8 Colour matching
122 Soft focus technique 172
Clone stamp control
118

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98 Content-aware fill and scale
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New Updates
and Features

We take a closer look at some of the latest updates
seen in Adobe’s layer-based image editor.

Contents 11 Default text
11 Updated undo
8 Remove background 11 Transform tool
8 Object selection tool 11 Auto-commit
8 Properties panels 12 Select subject
8 Zoom to layer 12 Distribution spacing
8 Type layer properties 12 Reference point
9 Lens blur update 12 Scale UI
9 Pattern presets 12 Double-click text edit
9 Warp tool 13 Content-aware fill
9 Pattern - solid - gradient 13 Locking the workspace
10 Brush to eraser 13 Go home
10 The frame tool 13 Symmetry
10 Maths in number fields 14 Mega tip #1 - Hidden Easter Eggs
10 Blend mode preview
11 The color wheel

6 www.bdmpublications.com

NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

www.bdmpublications.com 7

NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

Check out these useful new features and tools

Photoshop can be considered something of an fairly regular basis. Sometimes the updates are at the time of writing) and explore some of those
ever-expanding and complex beast. Since it subtle containing bug fixes and then there are new features. Some are minor, while others are a
was first created, every, subsequent iteration of the major updates adding new features and tools little more expansive and could be a real benefit
the software has added feature upon feature. If to Photoshop’s arsenal. We thought it was time to your digital editing workflow. We’ll list them for
you have subscribed to Photoshop CC, updates to take a look at the latest version of Photoshop you and give you an idea of what each has to offer
are a common occurrence and happen on a CC 2020 (which was in its 21.0.2 release version you, the end user.

Remove Background Object Selection Tool

This recent additional enhanced feature expands upon the Select The Select Subject tool is a very useful addition that will automatically
Subject tool. If you have an image on a layer and you want to let throw an active selection around what it thinks is the main foreground

Photoshop take a shot at removing the background entirely, image. However, what happens if there is more than one
then you can try this handy feature very easily. Our subject and you only want to select one specific item?
example has two layers. The top layer is an image That is where the Object Selection Tool comes in and
with a boring background that we would like to saves the day. As our example shows, if you choose
remove. Below it, on its own layer, is a replacement Select Subject, all the text items are selected. If you
background for the subject above it to appear on. You want to select just one character, go to the toolbar and
can call up the properties panel of the topmost layer choose the Object Selection tool (W) and from the tool
and select the Remove Background option. Photoshop options menu above, choose the selection Mode. In this

will analyse the image and automatically remove the case, you have either Lasso or Rectangle as your choices.
background. The subject remains, but now the background image We used the Lasso to encompass one numeral roughly and then the
below can show through to make the image more interesting. Object Selection tool did the rest.

Properties Panels Zoom to Layer

The properties of the various layer types This is a very simple but effective tweak to the basic zoom functions
have been upgraded to include many more available. Sometimes, if you have a number of image objects
choices and options as to how you can scattered around your document across a number of layers,
modify the properties of that layer. If you navigating around and filling the screen with that particular item
take the basic background layer properties for close inspection can be a bit of a process. It may require you
as an example, now you have many more to zoom in, then zoom out, locate the next item and then zoom into
options including a series of Quick Actions that. Now, as long as you have your items on separate layers, you can
for altering Image Size, Crop, Trim and simply press the Alt key and click on the layer you want to view and
Rotate. A standard Pixel Layer properties fill the screen. Each layer you Alt-click on will scale to fit the screen
also contains the Remove Background as large as possible whilst showing all pixels on that layer.
and Select Subject Quick Actions as well
as Distribution and Spacing options and
Transform controls too.

Type Layer Properties

Another set of properties to get an overhaul are those of the Type
Layer. When you create a new layer of text in your document,
opening the Properties panel for it will reveal a much more varied
array of options that can make your workflow a little easier and puts
all the main options that you might need right at your fingertips. Apart
from Transform options, the Character and Paragraph properties
can be accessed here as well as more varied Type Options such
as Ligatures and Contextual Alternates. There are additional Quick
Actions included that allow you to convert your text layer. There are
options to Convert to Frame and Convert to Shape.

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NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

Lens Blur Update Warp Tool

This is a useful little option if you like Some new additions to the Warp Tool give it extra creative
working with depth maps to achieve clout and the ability to warp your images in even more
selective focus effects. We have an interesting ways. Our example features a car, which we duplicated onto
aerial image of a bridge and formal a new layer ready to edit. You can press Cmd + T to activate the Free
garden area in the foreground on a Transform Tool and then, when you right-click the image, you can select
layer. We’ve gone to the Channels the Warp option. You can add a 3x3, 4x4, 5x5 or Custom grid if you like,
layer and added a new Alpha 1 channel but if you right-click the image, you can choose Split warp Horizontally
with a black grad fading up to about and add a warp point wherever you like on your image. Control Points
halfway into the frame. With your image let you start the warping process after which more can be added and
active, if you go up to the File Menu and warped to your heart’s content. Then, if you Split Warp Vertically, you
choose Filter > Blur > Lens Blur, it will take can add custom warps in the vertical direction too. And if you choose
you to the Lens Blur tools. Under Depth Map, Split Warp Crosswise, you can warp in both directions at once. Lastly, if
select Alpha 1 as your Source and then click you hold the Shift key, you can also multi-select mesh points and rotate
the Set Focal Point button. Now you can and scale that selected group in one go.
define where the Depth Map appears by just
clicking anywhere on the image. For instance, www.bdmpublications.com 9
if you click over the head of the lions on the
bridge, they become the sharpest part of the
image and the rest fades out to a soft blur
based on your Radius setting. You can use
the Blur Focal Distance slider, but clicking on
the image is much faster.

Pattern Presets

Adding a Pattern adjustment layer now
reveals a few more presets available
to you. We have an image with the
background removed and we wish
to add a pattern behind it. Pattern is
chosen from the Create New Fill Or
Adjustment Layer menu, and the new
Pattern Fill 1 layer is dragged beneath
the subject layer with the background
removed. If you go to Window >
Patterns, you can see there are some
new presets supplied under the
headings of Trees, Grass and water.
If you have the Pattern Fill 1 layer
thumbnail active, each pattern preset
you move your cursor over will be
displayed in real-time.

Pattern - Solid - Gradient

Taking a step on from the Pattern Preset function.
It is now very easy to change a Pattern Adjustment
layer to another kind of layer using a simple
drag and drop. What happens if you added a
Pattern Fill 1 adjustment layer but then decided
you preferred a solid colour instead? You would
normally have to delete the existing layer and add
a new Adjustment layer entirely. Now, if you go to
Window > Swatches and open the Colour Swatch
panel, you can simply drag and drop a solid colour
onto the Pattern Fill 1 layer and it will automatically
change it to a solid Colour Fill 1 layer instead.
Open the Gradients swatches and you can drag
a gradient onto the Colour Fill 1 layer where it will
transform to a Gradient Fill 1 layer instantly.

NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

Brush to Eraser Blend Mode Preview

This is a simple one that lets you switch easily between The Blend Mode preview is a handy new time saving feature that
using a brush of a specific size, colour and properties, has recently been implemented. Up until now, if you wanted to know
to an eraser that uses the same properties but lets what affect a particular blend would have on your images, you had to
you erase with the brush. While working with a chosen select one and apply it. If it wasn’t right, you had to undo that choice
brush, simply press the tilde key (~) and the brush or go back in, choose a new blend mode and apply that to see the
becomes an eraser. difference. Photoshop CC does away with Blend Mode guesswork.
Now, if you click on the Blend Mode button and scroll through the
The Frame Tool available options, each one you roll over will be applied in real time,
so you can instantly see what effect it has. It will not commit the
This tool is great for the quick and easy blend you have chosen until you actually click the preferred blend.
creation of rectangular or elliptical frames. This also works when viewing the Layer Style dialog panel too. A
Simply go to the toolbar and click the small change, but a welcome one nonetheless.
Frame Tool (K) then from the Tool options
menu at the top of the screen, select your
choice of rectangular or elliptical frame.
You can then draw that shape on your

document and make an instant frame
ready for an image. You can easily
drag any image onto a frame
and it will automatically
be sized to fit the
frame you’ve made.
Any images that you
place are converted to

Smart Objects, so you can
edit them non-destructively. You’re
not limited to rectangles and ellipses
either. Any shape or text you make
can be converted into frames and filled
with your images. Right-click on the
layer that contains an item you want to
convert, and choose Convert To Frame
from the menu.

Maths in Number Fields

An interesting one this, basically now you can use simple maths in
any numeric value input box or number field. As an example, if you
have an image on a layer currently at 100% Opacity and want it to be
exactly 1/12th the opacity (we're not sure who might find it useful),
you can type 100/12 in the Opacity input field and the Opacity will
be altered to 8% which is 1/12th the Opacity of 100%. If you have an
image and want the Canvas Size to be precisely 1/3rd the width, you
can call up the Canvas Size dialog box and add /3 to the Width value
of your image. So, if you had a photo that was 4000 pixels wide and
3000 pixels deep and wanted the canvas to only be 1/3rd the width,
adding that /3 will automatically size it 1333 pixels wide.

10 www.bdmpublications.com

The Color Wheel NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

The Color Wheel is a useful new way to Default Text
visualise the colour spectrum and choose
colours for your artworks and design Placing a text layer within your document
projects. It can be accessed via the Colour used to result in an empty box into
panel fly-out menu or by pressing F6 and which you would type your text and
clicking the small Menu icon in the top then format it with the correct font
right of the Colour panel. It operates by and type size. Now if you go
letting you control the Hue, Saturation, and to Edit > Preferences > Type,
Brightness of your colours. The outer wheel you can select the option to
controls the Hue and the triangle within fill your new text layer with
controls the Saturation and Brightness of placeholder text
the Hue chosen in the outer circle.

Updated Undo Transform Tool Auto-Commit

The Undo function has been updated once Photoshop has now swapped the methods This is quite a simple one, but also one
again, after a couple of odd functionality by which you can proportionally transform that does away with a potentially annoying
changes. In older versions of Photoshop your images and other layer types. The trait of older versions of Photoshop, which
you could press Cmd (Ctrl on PC) + Z to previous method was non-proportional was to display a pop-up asking if you
step back and undo multiple steps. Then by default. Meaning if you clicked and wanted to commit the change you just
they decided to change that and you had dragged a control point, it would scale made before you could move on to the
to press Cmd + Z for the initial undo and and stretch without maintaining its original next part of your workflow. Your other
then press Cmd + Alt + Z to keep stepping proportions. Proportional scaling was option was to hit the Enter key on your
backwards. In the 2019 version, if you achieved by holding the Shift key as you keyboard to commit a change you had
press Cmd + Z now, you go back one dragged a control point. Now, in this latest just made, or go up to the top options
step each time you use that command. version, the transformation of most layer menu bar and click the Commit button.
Whereas pressing Cmd + Shift + Z, will types, such as pixel and bitmap layers, text Now, if you crop or transform, Auto-
step you forward each time. Hopefully layers, and Smart Objects is proportional commit will be applied when you
Adobe will finally settle on which version by default. To transform non-proportionally, select a new tool, or select
they prefer, so we can settle down and you now have to press the Shift key. anything outside the currently
memorise a keyboard shortcut that Shapes and paths have recently been active image or text.
remains unchanged from here on. updated to transform proportionally too.
www.bdmpublications.com 11
No Shift key

NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

Select Subject Reference Point

This is a new option available to you when In previous versions of Photoshop, each time
you select the Quick Selection Tool or Magic you clicked on an image, or text item, to move or
Wand Tool. Before making any selections transform it, you would see a small crosshair appear
with those tools, click on the Select Subject in the centre of the image. This was the movable
button in the top options panel and then reference point that would serve as the centre of
wait as Photoshop analyses the image. It will rotation, or scale, for the active item. Now, in Photoshop
then automatically select what it thinks is the CC 2019, Adobe has decided that it is hidden by default. If
main subject. The accuracy of the selection you want the reference point to be visible on every active item, you
may depend on how complex the image is can go to the Tool options menu and click the Toggle Reference
and how prominent your main subjects are. Point button.
You can still refine the selection afterwards,
if necessary. Double-click Text Edit

Distribution Spacing Adding a text layer to your document remains the same as ever, but
originally, if you wanted to edit a text layer, it meant having to select the
Although Photoshop already has the available options to distribute Horizontal Text tool and then edit the text box in question with the Text
objects on layers by spacing their centre points evenly, if objects were tool active. Now you can simply double-click your chosen text with the
different sizes, the gaps between each item would vary. Now, if you have Move tool and you can begin to edit it without the need to switch tools.
a number of different sized items on layers and you want to have them
evenly spaced, you have two new options in the form of the Distribute
Spacing buttons. Choose between Distribute Horizontally and Distribute
Vertically. Select all the layers you want to distribute and then click on
the distribution method of your choice. All the items, despite being
different sizes, will be spaced with the same sized gap between them.

Scale UI

This is a chance to exercise some control over the Photoshop user
interface and scale it independently of your other applications.
If you go to Edit > Preferences > Interface, you will see the
new option to Scale UI To Font. You have several font sizes
from which to choose, these are: Tiny, Small, Medium and
Large. When you choose a preferred font size, in order to see
the changes you’ve made you will have to restart Photoshop.
For example, if you have originally had the Tiny UI font chosen,

when you select Large and restart, you will see how the UI has
scaled to accommodate the larger font size. The toolbar and all the other
panels will also be bigger to allow for the lager text sizes being used.

12 www.bdmpublications.com

NEW UPDATES AND FEATURES

Content-Aware Fill Go Home

Older versions of Photoshop’s Content-Aware fill While you are working in the Photoshop workspace, you will now see
option were originally accessed via the Shift + F5 Fill that there is a small Home icon in the top right of the Tools options
option and had few options for you to tweak. Now menu. If you click this, you will be taken to Photoshop’s Home screen.
there is a brand new, dedicated Content-Aware You can access it at any time while working on a current document,
workspace that you can access with more tools or each time you start Photoshop. Using the Home screen, you
and functions available, as well as a live preview can quickly access current working documents, Click on the Learn
of the fill results before you have to commit to it. options and choose from an array of tutorials on the web or dig
You can access the new fill tool by going to Edit > deeper via Adobe.com. Also, if you are a Lightroom user, you can
Content-Aware Fill. The screen you are presented view any LR photos you may have and import them.
with enables you to choose what areas of your
image can be targeted, and used as sampling www.bdmpublications.com 13
areas, for more accurate fill results. A mask overlay
can be modified, with the tools provided, for the
best seamless results. Each time you change the
parameters, the live view will update so you always
know what your end result will be.

Locking the Workspace

Found under Window > Workspace > Lock Workspace, this feature
simply locks down all workspace panels so they can’t be dragged
and moved by accident while you are working. This appears to be
particularly useful if you are working with Photoshop via a tablet
and stylus and are in danger of dragging items around by leaving
the stylus too close to the tablet surface. One thing to note however,
is that if, for example, you currently have any floating panels, they
can still be dragged and docked with any locked panels and will be
retained there until you turn the Lock Workspace option off.

Symmetry

This feature has been implemented
to work alongside your Paint Brush,
Mixer Brush, Pencil, and Eraser tools.
Click any of these tools and in the
top options menu bar, you will see a
Butterfly icon. If you click and hold it, a
small dropdown menu will appear and you
can choose from a number of symmetry options
including Diagonal, Wavy, Mandala, and Spiral.
Certain options let you choose how many lines
of symmetry are used and then, as you paint, the
strokes are reflected in each line of symmetry,
a bit like a kaleidoscope. Others, such as circle,
create a circular path along which your brush
strokes follow. You can make some very delicate
and intricate patterns with these options.

MEGA This is not going to
TIP #1 revolutionise your
workflow, but with
Hidden a little luck, these
Easter Eggs Easter eggs, hidden in
Photoshop, might
14 www.bdmpublications.com make you and your
work colleagues smile.

MEGA TIP #1 | HIDDEN EASTER EGGS

01 If you go to Photoshop CC > Preferences > Interface, you can change 02 If you hold the Shift + Alt keys and then click on one of the colour

the Color Theme under the Appearance section by clicking on one of the chips, you won’t change the Color Theme effects, but the colour chips
four colour chips, ranging from dark grey to light grey, to alter the workspace themselves are replaced by pieces of toast, ranging from very dark toast up to
appearance. Not terribly exciting, but you can inject a little humour. white toast. Choose your preferred toast to alter your workspace brightness.

03 While the toast is visible, press Shift + Cmd and then click on a piece of 04 Next, on the toolbar are three small dots representing the Edit Toolbar

toast, it will change to cups of coffee of varying strengths to represent function. Click and hold over this icon and the small fly-out menu will
the colour theme choices. You can hold Shift + Alt again and click on the colour appear. Click on it to open the edit panel. Hold the Shift key and click Done and
chips to change it back to the original grey. where the three dots were before, a banana will appear.

05 The banana will stay there until you use Edit Toolbar again, press Shift 06 Click the Menu icon and choose New Layer Comp. Name the new layer

and click Restore Defaults. Now we just need the monkey to go with the ‘Layer Monkey 0’ and click OK to add a new layer comp. It might require
banana. Open or create a Photoshop document with layers in it and then go to a click to activate, but when you do, the icon on the left of the panel will turn
Window > Layer Comps. This opens a small Layer Comps panel. into a cheeky monkey! Rename it anything else to return to normal.

www.bdmpublications.com 15

Photoshop
Guided Tour

The beauty of this program is that it has the power
to let you create the most complex pieces of digital
art, or simply adjust the brightness of a favourite
photo. You can use as few or as many of its vast
range of tools as you want. We begin by looking at
the main features you will encounter.

Contents 42 Placing and importing images
44 Using layers
18 What is Photoshop? 46 Mega tip #4- Transparency from blend
20 Main interface 48 Your first composition
22 Mega tip #2- One image, two windows 50 Your first cut out
24 The toolbar 52 Selection tools
26 Menus 54 Your first layer mask
28 Keyboard shortcuts 56 Your first set of adjustments
30 Keep Photoshop up to date 58 Mega tip #5- Combine adjustment layers
32 Photoshop preferences guide 60 Your first type tool project
34 The Photoshop home screen 62 Your first 3D creation
36 Your first PSD document
38 Mega tip #3- Precise lens flare placement
40 Open and save your first image

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

www.bdmpublications.com 17

PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR WHAT IS PHOTOSHOP?

What is
Photoshop?

Before we begin, here’s a little background information

Thomas and John Knoll created Photoshop the user to edit, assemble and compose Photoshop’s Strengths
in 1988 with the release of Photoshop images using multiple layers and masks. It
1.0 following in February 1990. It is a is this use of layers and masks that are the Photoshop is a pixel-level editor. Where
raster graphics editor and has become the core features of Photoshop’s power. Such Lightroom allows you to adjust pixels
predominant industry standard for digital layer-based editing means you can build very in an image, Photoshop lets you move
image editing. complex images and create incredible works them and manipulate them in a way that’s
of art using this method. nothing short of magical.
At its heart, it has a suite of tools that allow
Photoshop allows multiple layers to be
applied to an image. You can keep images
and edits on separate layers and modify
them accordingly and independently. This
is the basis of non-destructive editing.

It’s huge. Mind-bogglingly huge. The
toolbox alone is the stuff of legend and
contains everything the professional
designer and photographer would ever
need from a piece of software.

You can record specific actions within
Photoshop, allowing you to apply those
actions to other images with a click of
a button.

You’re able to blend many different layers
together, masking areas of an image to
protect it from being edited, even down to
the pixel level.

Almost anything is possible in Photoshop.
If you can imagine a scene, then you’re
able to turn your wedding photos into a
dramatic space battle or have a picture
of the kids playing with a T-Rex. Remove
objects, add objects, touch up skin tones,
the list goes on and on.

18 www.bdmpublications.com

WHAT IS PHOTOSHOP? PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

Photoshop: The Power to Create

The Tools for the Job plug-ins require specific versions of Photoshop to
run, but a few of them can also act as stand-
Photoshop also has a large variety of tools that alone image editing applications.
allow the user to edit their images in numerous
ways. Broadly speaking, the tools cover areas Formats and Versions
such as drawing, painting, navigation, content
selection, text, masking and retouching. Many When a Photoshop document is saved, it creates
of the tools have additional variants that allow a default file that has the .PSD file extension. This
you to perform different tasks and functions. stands for Photoshop Document and it contains
all of the layers, adjustments, masks, transparent
As well as the ability to create pixel-based items and other content that make up the
images and art, it can also create and finished document. There is another Photoshop
manipulate text and handle a number of vector file format known as .PSB, which stands for
graphic formats, including EPS files and Adobe Photoshop Big. This is a large document
Illustrator files. Older styles of Photoshop had format that lets you use vastly increased image
extended versions that allowed the creation and dimensions and file sizes.
handling of 3D graphics, whereas Photoshop
CC, the cloud-based subscription service Throughout its life, the program has undergone
version, has 3D capabilities built in as standard. a large number of updates and version numbers.
It can also, to a limited degree, import and edit In 2003, the version numbers were replaced with
video files. CS plus a number, to reflect its current Creative
Suite branding in use at the time. It wasn’t until
The program’s main functionality can be 2013, when Adobe changed its business model
enhanced with the addition of numerous, small to subscription-based rental and the introduction
add-on effects and programs called plug-ins. of the Creative Cloud brand, that CS was
Although Adobe has a number of plug-ins, such replaced by the suffix CC. At the time of writing,
as Adobe Camera Raw, it is mainly third party Photoshop is in stable release CC 2020 (21.0.2).
companies that develop them. Most of the
www.bdmpublications.com 19

PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR MAIN INTERFACE

Main Interface

This is Photoshop’s
graphic user front end

Photoshop has a great interface, with a
dark slate grey work area, slightly lighter
menu and palette bars and sharp white text.
It looks great and really makes photos stand
out from the background. Let’s see what it
has to offer.

Menu Bar

You’ll find all the options menus here. Read on
for more details.

Tool Palette

Here you’ll find your main editing tools. The
following pages look at the individual tools and
what you can do with them.

Tool Option Bar

For each tool on the palette there are options,
such as brush size or softness. You’ll find them
in this area.

Document Window

Each window you open will have its own tab
to identify it. It includes the document name,
current scaling and colour space being used.

Document Details

Here you’ll find the compressed and real size of
your document.

USEFUL TIP Active Image

@V\ JHU ZL[ \W `V\Y V^U ^VYRZWHJLZ [V YLÅLJ[ The new interface provides a larger area
the way you work and save them so that you to work on your images, with a darker
can quickly switch from one to another. background colour.

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MAIN INTERFACE PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

Rulers Palettes Search and share

Use these to accurately measure positions There are a number of interchangeable Search for content, alter the workspace
on your image and drag guidelines from palettes available, which you can choose arrangement, such as the 3D environment,
here to help line up text and layers. from the Window menu. and share your images on social media.

Fly-out Palettes Layer Palette Layer Options

You can set up your own custom list of Here you’ll find the layers of the image you’re Here you can add effects, layer styles,
frequently used palettes and access them by currently working on. Layers at the top of the adjustments and other options to your
clicking on these buttons. stack will appear above those below. currently active layers.

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AFTER

BEFORE

MEGA Here’s another very
TIP #2 handy hint for you
in the shape of a
One Image, This tutorial two-screen window.
content is Sometimes, it is
available for useful to be able to
view a part of your
Two Windowsdownload photo in extreme
close-up, while still
being able to see the
effect you’re having.

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MEGA TIP #2 | ONE IMAGE, TWO WINDOWS

01 This tip uses a colourful image of hot air balloons taking off en-masse 02 With your main image open, go to Window > Arrange > New Window For

into a beautiful blue sky. We want to be able to edit one of the smaller One Image. A second document tab will appear with the same name as
balloons in close-up detail while still being able to see the entire image and your current document. It is a duplicate of your photo. Now, you need to be able
what effect we’re having on it, as we work. to see both windows side-by-side to get the most out of this handy technique.

03 Go to Window > Arrange > 2-Up Vertical. You can choose from the other 04 The magnification of one window can be different to the other. In this

arrangements depending on the shape and orientation of the photo on example, the left window is at 50% while the other is at 300%. If you
which you are working. This will arrange both documents vertically, so they are hold the spacebar and drag, you can move each image around individually.
side-by-side in the Photoshop workspace. Hold Shift + spacebar, drag one image and the other will move at the same time.

05 We stayed with the 300% window, went to the toolbar and used the 06 Use the Move Tool to drag the copied balloon to another part of the sky.

Quick Selection Tool to select one small balloon in the middle of the As you do, you will see that not only does the balloon in the 300% window
throng. We then duplicated it onto a new layer using the Layer Via Copy move, but the wider view on the left also performs the same move. You can even
command. This new layer was named ‘balloon’. switch between windows if you like. You can close one window when you are done.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR THE TOOLBAR

The Toolbar

Let’s take a look at Photoshop’s main editing tools

The main elements of the Photoshop Toolbar haven’t changed all into a single column to take advantage of today’s larger monitors and
that much since the introduction of Layers and the Move tool with a few more tools have been added, but anyone who’s familiar with any
version 3.0, back in 1994. The shape has changed a bit, elongating previous version of Photoshop will soon feel right at home.

Move Eyedropper

Used to move pixel information on The Eyedropper and its extensive
the active layer or selection. You list of alternatives provide you with
can also create multiple layouts tools that can tell you more about the
using the Artboard feature. image you’re working on, such as
colour values, sizes and object count.
Marquee
Spot Healing
The Marquee is used to select an
area of the active layer. Alternative Another tool that has seen some
options include an elliptical shape changes in the latest version, the
and single row or column selections. Spot Healing tool is for removing
small blemishes such as stray hairs
Lasso or dust spots from your images.

The Lasso is also used to make Brush
area selections from the active
layer by clicking or drawing a line This is a basic but useful tool for all
around the area to be selected. types of image editing, painting and
drawing. Alternatives include the
Magic Wand equally useful Pencil tool, as well as
colour replacement and mixing.
This tool can select an area based
on its colour. The alternative option Clone Stamp
is Quick Selection, which can
be used to paint an area into the Clone Stamp is used to copy one
selection created. area of an image onto another. It
can remove any unwanted element
Crop in your image.

The Crop tool has seen a major History Brush
overhauls in the past, but it still does
the same job. Use it to select one The History Brush can be used to
area of an image and discard the rest. selectively restore certain areas of
an image to a previous state.
Frame Tool
Eraser
The Frame Tool can be used to create
placeholder frames for images. You As the name implies, the Eraser tool
can create any kind of shape and is a special brush that can delete an
drop an image into it. area of an image, layer or selection.

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Gradient THE TOOLBAR PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

The Gradient tool can apply a fill-in Zoom
to an area that fades gradually from
one colour to another. This zooms in to an area of the image.
Again it is most often used via a
Smudge shortcut, in this case CTRL + or CTRL -.

The Smudge tool and its options, Edit Toolbar
can be used to blend and alter
colours and details in the image. This tool enables you to customise
your toolbar to add or remove tools to
Burn your specific requirements.

Burn and its alternatives Dodge and Switch Colour
Sponge, are based on photographic
darkroom techniques and are used Clicking on the first icon sets the
to selectively lighten, darken images. colours to their defaults. The other
swaps the background and
Pen foreground colours over.

The Pen tool is used to draw Set Colour
smooth curves for lines or
selections, using something Clicking here brings up the
called Bezier curves. They can colour chooser palette, which
produce great results. lets you choose the foreground
or background colours.
Type
Quick Mask
The Type tool is another area that
has continued to receive various The Quick Mask mode is a
updates and overhauls and is now great way of making complex
part of a powerful text system. selections using the drawing and
painting tools.
Path Selection
Screen Mode
Paths are used for many purposes
in Photoshop. Use this tool and its Click here to switch between the
alternative to select a path to use. current screen mode and a full-
screen view of your current image.
Line
USEFUL TIP
The Line tool and its alternatives are
used to create shapes and paths Most of the tools in the toolbar
on your images. It is very useful for have alternative options,
graphics work and adding arrows denoted by the small arrow
and custom shapes. below and right of the icon.
Click and hold on the icon to
Hand see the pop-up alternative
menu. This diagram shows
The hand tool is used to navigate the alternative menus for each
around a large image. It is most tool. You can move the Toolbar
often used via the space bar. around by dragging the border
at the top, or switch back to the
old two-column look by clicking
the double arrow.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR MENUS

Menus One look at the menus and you
begin to understand Photoshop’s
complexity and versatility

The main interface of Photoshop has no fewer than eleven menus and a Help option, each with many options and with many additional nested
sub-menus. It’s vital to become familiar with the contents of the most important ones, because once you know where to look for everything
you’ll be able to work more quickly, efficiently and confidently. Let’s take a look at some of the key menu listings.

File Edit Image Layer

File Edit Image Layer

The most important options here are The Edit menu has many features The Image menu is where Layers are a vital feature of
New… to create a new document, you’ll find familiar if you use a you come to make changes Photoshop. The most important
Open… to open an existing word processor, including Copy, to the whole image, including options here though are New,
document, Save to save your current Paste and Cut functions and even Mode (colour type), Image which lets you create and
project in its default file format and a spelling checker, although you’ll Size, Canvas Size and Image name a new layer and New
location and Save As… which gives probably find it quicker to use Rotation, but the most Adjustment Layer, which adds
you the option to save in a different the keyboard shortcuts for these. important thing you’ll find here a non-destructive editing layer
format or location and to change the You’ll also find the useful features is the Adjustments sub-menu, to your image. The Merge and
file name. Also in the File menu are Fill, Stroke, Content-aware Scale, which Adobe could probably Flatten options can also be
the important Automate and Scripts Puppet Warp and Free Transform, have made into a separate found here along with Mask and
sub-menus, which provide advanced as well as the colour profiles and main menu in its own right. Slice options.
batch processing and automated Preferences sub-menu. Under Adjustments you’ll find
editing options. all your main image controls,
such as Brightness/Contrast,
Levels, Curves, Hue/Saturation
and many more. You’ll find
many of these duplicated on
the Adjustment Layer palette.

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MENUS PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

Type Filter View Window

Type Filter View Window

The latest version of Photoshop CS6 and Creative The View menu is home to This isn’t a menu you’ll be using
Photoshop includes many new Cloud saw a major overhaul of the basic viewing controls constantly, but it does hold
text presentation and handling the Filters menu, with many new such as zoom level, but some very useful features, such
options. Most of these can be options, including the amazing again you’ll want to control as the Arrange and Workspace
found in the fly-out Character Adaptive Wide Angle feature. those using shortcuts to sub-menus, which allow you
and Paragraph panels on the There’s the ever-popular Liquify save time. You’ll also find the to control the layout of tabs,
right of the screen or accessed filter, automatic lens distortion very useful controls for the windows and the various tool
from the Panels option at the correction, as well as a huge range Snap functions, including palettes and panels.
top of the menu, but others of other filters and effects. Don’t go guide lines, essential when
can be found here, including too wild though, most of them are you’re laying out a design or
3D text, warping and special best used sparingly! composing text on an image.
foreign language options.

USEFUL TIP

You don’t necessarily have to have every single menu item listed in
each of the drop down lists. You can actually edit your menus to show
only the items that you want to see and use. Items listed that you are
not likely to ever need can be hidden to make your menus much more
streamlined. Go to Edit > Menus and under the Menus tab, click the
Show/hide icon for each item you want to hide.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Keyboard USEFUL TIP
Shortcuts
Learning the keyboard shortcuts
will speed up your editing and you
can also set up your own in the Edit
menu. Just be aware of creating
‘shortcut collisions’ where a custom
shortcut is the same as a current
default one.

There’s always a quicker way of doing
almost everything in Photoshop

One of Photoshop’s best features is its huge list of fully customisable keyboard shortcuts. Almost all of the program’s functions can be
accessed quickly by pressing various combinations of keys and once you learn those shortcuts your workflow will speed up immensely.
You can even make up your own for your most frequently-used operations.

Customising Shortcuts

You’ll find the Keyboard Shortcut preferences already have their own default shortcuts. You combination is already used by another shortcut
menu at the bottom of the Edit menu, although can easily change these, or even add your own you’ll see a notification warning you of this and
naturally it has its own keyboard shortcut, new ones. To apply a shortcut to an operation, asking if you want to proceed with the change. If
Alt+Shift+Ctrl+K. You’ll find an exhaustive list first locate it in the list and then click in the space you click Accept the new shortcut will be applied
of all Photoshop functions, broken down into to the right of the name. You’ll see a small text immediately. Take care when making your own
category headings matching the names of the window appear and the next key or combination shortcuts that you don’t accidentally overwrite
main menus. You’ll find that many operations of keys that you press will appear here. If the some useful defaults.

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KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

Some Useful Default Shortcuts

Here are some of the more commonly-used shortcuts for image editing. There are many more of course, but it’s worth taking the time to
memorise these ones. You’ll work efficiently and they’ll make your life a whole lot easier.

CREATE NEW DOCUMENT REDO LAST STEP INVERT SELECTION PASTE FROM CLIPBOARD

CREATE NEW LAYER LEVELS ZOOM IN VIEW COPY TO CLIPBOARD

CLOSE CURRENT DOCUMENT CURVES ZOOM OUT VIEW CUT TO CLIPBOARD

CLOSE ALL DOCUMENTS INCREASE BRUSH SIZE FIT ON SCREEN FREE TRANSFORM

SAVE CURRENT DOCUMENT DECREASE BRUSH SIZE 100% ZOOM TURN SNAP ON OR OFF

SAVE AS BRING CURRENT LAYER TO TOP SHOW RULERS SELECT ALL ON CURRENT LAYER

UNDO LAST STEP MOVE CURRENT LAYER UP SHOW OR HIDE GRID DESELECT ALL

TOGGLE LAST STATE MOVE CURRENT LAYER DOWN SHOW OR HIDE GUIDES HELP

Important Note On a Mac computer the
Ctrl key is replaced by the
On a PC the Ctrl key for your Cmd key on a standard Mac
shortcuts looks like this on a keyboard. If you use a Mac
standard Windows keyboard. and you see an instruction in
If you use a PC and you see this title to use the Ctrl key,
an instruction in this title to just use your Cmd key instead.
use a Cmd key, then just use
Ctrl instead.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR KEEP PHOTOSHOP UP TO DATE

Keep Photoshop
Up to Date

Reap the benefits of the most
current versions of Photoshop

Now that Photoshop and a host of other Adobe products have
moved to the subscription model, you have an application
that can be continually updated, over time, without needing

to buy a new version. This is in contrast to older versions of
Photoshop where you bought a box containing a disk, installed
it and called it done. If a new version was released, you had to

purchase it or upgrade to the new
version. That has been superseded;
your computer now maintains an online

link with Adobe so each program you
have downloaded and installed can be
incrementally updated. Photoshop is a

good example, since you can have an
update appear that adds new features
and fixes bugs in the current version.

To make sure you are keeping your
versions up to date, there are a
couple of things you can do.

BEFORE

AFTER

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KEEP PHOTOSHOP UP TO DATE PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 When you purchase a particular 02 When you open the Creative Cloud app, 03 In the case of Photoshop, if you click on

subscription plan through Adobe, you down the left side you are now presented its icon, you can view and overview any
download the Creative Cloud app which lets you with a menu containing Apps, Categories and key features page. There is an introductory video
manage your subscription, your apps, resources Resource Links. If you click on All Apps, you you can watch, along with links to courses and
and much more besides. The app itself has been can view everything installed as part of your examples. There is also a hyperlink to more help
updated, but its basic functions remain the same. subscription plan. pages available on the Adobe website.

04 Below All Apps, in the top left of the page, 05 Staying on this page, if you look up to the 06 If you click on the Three dots icon, it

is the Updates button where you can top right corner, you will see an Update All brings up a small window called Check
access any update info. This opens a page where button. This can globally update all apps marked For Updates. If you click this, you can force it
you can view what can be updated, has recently as having an update available. Next to that is a to rescan all applications and advise if there are
been updated and a listing of what’s new with small icon comprised of three dots which contains any new updates currently available. This can be
each updated application. a drop down list. automated and we’ll look at that next.

07 At the top of the page on the right are 08 What interests us is the Apps button. 09 Now your apps will automatically be kept

a series of icons. If you click on the Clicking on this calls up the Auto-Update up to date as and when Adobe release
gear-shaped Preferences button, you’ll see the window. Here, you can, not only turn on Auto- new updates for them. Further down the page,
various preferences that you can alter to suit your Update but also choose which of your installed you will see options for changing the default
requirements. The General pane has a link to your apps will actually be updated. You can also make installation location and what the default language
Adobe account and Cloud Storage status. sure previous settings are applied to the update. will be.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR PHOTOSHOP PREFERENCES GUIDE

Photoshop
Preferences Guide

Here are all the preferences
and what they do

Photoshop is nothing if not customisable. You can
shape and adjust the user interface to suit your own
needs and make it a very personalised, and customised,
workspace. Not only can you choose what appears in
the main toolbar, you can also arrange and group the

BEFORE

AFTER

various windows and features
entirely to your preference.
That accounts for the items
you interact with on the

screen, however there are
also a number of options
you can tweak to adjust
various ‘under the hood’

settings, as it were, too.
Photoshop has a listing of
all its Preferences both
general and specific, so

we thought we’d share
the salient points with
you here.

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PHOTOSHOP PREFERENCES GUIDE PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 Under Photoshop CC > Preferences > 02 The next preference option is Interface. 03 The Workspace presences are fairly simple

General (Cmd + K) you will see the list of This is one you are likely to access more and let you Auto-Show or Auto-Collapse
preferences available. The General preferences than most. This section primarily concerns itself panels as required without the need to manually
provide you with options to use some legacy with the appearance of your workspace. The main open their properties. The Tools section below
features from older versions of Photoshop, Colour Theme and the various colours employed that allows the use of Tooltips and panning and
Clipboard options, Smart Object creation and more. by the screen modes are set here. zooming options can be turned on or off here.

04 History Log lets track your actions in 05 Export contains a few options that govern 06 Performance is a key area in which to

each Photoshop session and then save what format your images are if you choose spend some time as it will greatly speed up
them out as a text file. File Handling offers a set to use the Quick Export function. You can also your work if set up correctly. Here you can control
of options to control the use of Image Previews decide on a Quick Export Location, choose if any how much RAM Photoshop uses and, if your
and File Extensions. You can also adjust the File Metadata is appended to the image format and graphics card is compatible, to allow the use of
Compatibility options such as layered Tiff files. what Colour Space the image will be. advanced Graphics Processor Settings.

07 Scratch Disks lets you use hard drive 08 Units & Rulers is fairly self-explanatory with 09 You can control the use of Plug-Ins and

storage as virtual RAM, whilst Cursors lets options for in which units of measurement Type Options in the next two preference
you specify the precision, size and shape of the your Rulers and Type sizes appear. Grids, Grid & sections. Then there is the 3D section where you
Brush Tip. Transparency and Gamut govern the Slices is a useful set of options when you need can set VRAM usage, 3D Overlays and Interactive
transparent, background grid size and in what precise grids added to your document in terms of Rendering. Enhanced Controls for Touch Bar and
colour a Gamut warning will appear. colour and grid line frequency. Technology Previews round out the list.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR THE PHOTOSHOP HOME SCREEN

The Photoshop
Home Screen

We show you what the Photoshop user front
end has on offer in the latest versions

In the good old days of Photoshop CS, you environments that are more than just a list of basic videos on getting started with layers
had a product that you opened up and recently opened files. Now you can browse and cutting out images, to more advanced
simply started using with nothing else getting and sort those files and display them in topics, you have a library of knowledge at
in the way. These days that is no longer the thumbnail or list form. That’s not all, you also your beck and call. Even creating a new
case. The Adobe Creative Cloud series of have access to Adobe’s online web tutorials document has a huge wealth of choice for
apps now offer user interactive front-end covering every topic you can think of. From every creative need.

USEFUL TIP

Want to learn more about
Photoshop and all its techniques?
The Home Screen has a number of
links to some very useful tutorials,
as shown above, that will walk you
through some of the essential skills
needed to get you up and running.

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THE PHOTOSHOP HOME SCREEN PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 When you open Photoshop, rather than 02 In the top left of the screen you can click on 03 Below the Learn option is LR Photos. When

just going direct to the workspace, you the menu items. Home is active by default, you click on this option, it displays a page
are first presented with the Adobe Photoshop but you can click on the Learn button to display of your Lightroom images that are stored online.
CC Home screen. The main part of the window a page of available tutorials from which you can View them and choose which ones you would like
concerns itself with the display of your Recent files choose. At the bottom, there is the option to go to to select for import. They will then download and
in ascending or descending order. Adobe.com for even more. open in Photoshop.

04 For your reference, in the top left corner is 05 The next option on the left of the Home 06 You can input your own dimensions in the

the PS icon. If you click on that, it will open screen is Create New. When you click on Width and Height fields and choose a unit
the Photoshop workspace, but no images will be this button the New Document screen will appear. of measurement for your new document. You can
opened. You can start your workflow if needs be, The first screen will list Recent items and the select the Orientation, Resolution, Color Mode and
or you can click on the Home button to return to document sizes available will reflect image sizes even Pixel Aspect Ratio. Then click Create to open
the Home screen once more. you’ve used in the past. the document and start working.

07 Across the top of the New Document 08 Below the Presets are a number of masking 09 If you click the See Preview button,

window, you will see a number of Blank Templates, provided free by Adobe, for you you can look at the templates in more
Document Presets from which you can choose. to use. They range from Gallery Frames to Collage detail prior to deciding if you want to download
First is any you have saved yourself, then there are Layouts. When you click on any of the templates, it or not. There are also Presets and making
the Photo presets. These are a range of standard you will see a set of details listed to the right of the Templates for Print, Art & Illustration, Web,
photo print sizes such as 7 x 5 in @ 300ppi. New Document window. Mobile and Film & Video.

www.bdmpublications.com 35

PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR YOUR FIRST PSD DOCUMENT

Your First
PSD Document

Let’s start at the very beginning and walk you through
the process of making your very first document

You might think that opening or creating a
new Photoshop document is a very
simple task to achieve. In the days of older
versions of Photoshop that was certainly true
with its original start up sequence. You either
opened a photo, or you made a new
document and started work. These days, with
the advent of Photoshop CC, it’s a slightly
more involved affair and goes way beyond
anything that has been seen in Photoshop
before. The newest version of the program
has a Home screen and a more interactive
front end, offering a lot more choice from the
very moment you open the program. Let’s
start at the very beginning, dive in and have
a quick look at what the Home Screen has
on offer for the new user, create a couple
of different documents and get to know the
options available to us.

BEFORE AFTER

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YOUR FIRST PSD DOCUMENT PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 If you have never used Photoshop before, 02 If you’ve used Photoshop a few times, your 03 To create a new document, you can either

the first time you open the program you are Home screen will look slightly different. go to the top file menu and choose File >
presented with the Welcome screen giving you the It will display any recent images you have been New (Cmd + N), or simply click on the Create New
option to take a tour, check out the new features working on as a set of thumbnails. You can click button on the left of the Home screen. Either option
or just open an image and get started on your on any thumbnail to open that file and resume will open the New Document screen, ready to start
new project. working on it. your project.

04 We’ve chosen a 2000 x 2000 pixel 05 When you hit the Create button, a new 06 If you look at the Background layer in

document. The default resolution is document is created with your settings your layers palette, you will see the small
300pixels/inch and in RGB Color mode with White applied from the New Document screen. Since we Padlock icon that indicates the layer is locked. If
Background Contents. If you are not familiar with opted for the Background Contents to be white, the you click on the Padlock icon, you can unlock the
Colour Mode and Colour Profile, you can happily new document will be created with the Background layer and turn it onto a standard, editable layer
stick with the defaults for general use. layer appearing as a locked, white layer. called Layer 0.

07 Just for comparison, if we start going 08 This time, when your new document 09 That is your first document created. So

through the new document procedure once appears, it will have a transparent far so good, now, of course, you can start
more, we can also alter the Background Contents background layer, called Layer 1, which will also be populating the document with images and graphics
and, in this case, choose Transparent instead. unlocked and ready to edit. Transparent layers are to create your very own work of art. Don’t worry if
Now, when you hit the Create button, you will have easy to spot since you will see the chequerboard you’ve not tried it before. We can show you how
a different looking document. pattern of white and grey squares. it’s done.

www.bdmpublications.com 37

AFTER

BEFORE

MEGA This is a handy tip
TIP #3 for placing a lens
flare effect exactly
Precise Lens Thistutorial where you want it,
content is on any photograph.
available for The lens flare tool
download can be a bit hit
and miss, but this
Flare Placement lets you work non-
destructively and
38 www.bdmpublications.com with pixel precision.

MEGA TIP #3 | PRECISE LENS FLARE PLACEMENT

01 Normally, to add lens flare you would go up to the File menu and choose 02 Alternatively, create a new layer above your base image. In our example,

Filter > Render > Lens flare. This opens up the Lens Flare panel, from we have named it ‘flare’. Go to Edit > Fill and fill the layer with 100% Black.
where you can choose the Brightness and Lens Type for your flare effect. The Obviously, this will obscure your main image on the layer below. Now set the Blend
preview window allows you to drag the centre of the flare around. Mode for the ‘flare’ layer to Screen and your main image will be visible again.

03 To call up the information panel go to: Window > Info. You will see it 04 With the Info panel visible, you can zoom in to your photo and place the

displays both the X and Y co-ordinates of your cursor. Click the small cursor over the exact point you want your flare to appear. Make a note
Crosshair icon next to the X and Y values and you can choose the units in which of the X and Y co-ordinates (in this example, X: 1849 and Y: 959) and you are
the co-ordinates are displayed. In this example, we used Pixels. ready to add the lens flare to the ‘flare’ layer.

05 Go to Filter > render > Lens Flare, to open the Lens Flare panel. This 06 The flare will be moved to the precise position you placed your cursor

time hold the Alt key and click on the preview image to open a new on originally. Now you can adjust your Brightness and Lens Type as you
panel called Precise Flare Center. There are two boxes, where you can enter the would normally and then press OK to commit the flare to the ‘flare’ layer, on the
X and Y values. Type in the values you made a note of from your Info panel. exact X and Y values you chose. You can add more using this technique.

www.bdmpublications.com 39

PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR OPEN AND SAVE YOUR FIRST IMAGE

Open and Save
Your First Image

A quick guide on how to open new photos and
images in Photoshop, and then save your edits

Atrue Photoshop masterpiece has to start
somewhere right? In order to create that
masterpiece you have to be able to open and
navigate to your various image assets, and
then fire them up in Photoshop in order to
begin working on them. Photoshop is no
different to many other programs in that it
allows you to bring up a browser window in
order to find the files you require. It also has
its own methods for both managing and
locating your images in the form of Adobe
Bridge, which lets you search for images as
well as keyword them making future searches
much easier. This is all useful stuff, so get
ready to try it out.

This tutorial
content is
available for
download

BEFORE AFTER

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OPEN AND SAVE YOUR FIRST IMAGE PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 Since we’ve covered how to create a 02 This calls up a new window where you can 03 Once you have found your image, it is

new document, it seems worthwhile just browse your computer’s folders for any simply a case of either double-clicking the
touching on the other options available. One of stored images. It makes sense to try and keep all image in question, or highlighting it (or several
which is simply to open a base photo. You have the your image files in a centralised repository, rather images at once) and then clicking on the Open
Open option on the Home screen, or, from the top than casting around the darkest corners of your button at the lower right of the browser window.
file menu, you can choose File > Open (Cmd + O). hard drive. They will then open in Photoshop.

04 If we can step back to the Home screen 05 Rather than just using a standard browser 06 You can click single images and add

for a moment. Rather than using the File > window, you can use Adobe Bridge to find keywords or you can select images in bulk,
Open menu command, you can choose instead your images, display them, arrange them in date and, in the Keywords section of Bridge, click the
to use the File > Browse in Bridge (Alt + Cmd order and even add specific keywords making New Keyword button and add keywords specific
+ O). Bridge is Adobe’s image management, them that much easier to search for, and find, if to those you have currently highlighted. They will
cataloguing and key wording application. you need them again. then be displayed alongside the images.

07 In Bridge, you can browse your images 08 When you have found your image, click 09 If you open a Jpeg and do not add any

in much the same way as in a browser on it to highlight it and then right-click it to new layers, when you save it after editing,
window except you have a lot more control over bring up a context menu where you can choose it will be saved in its original Jpeg format. If,
what you can do with them. You also have a lot from a number of options. In this case, we would however, you make edits that involve layers and
more image data available to you, which is found go for the Open With > Adobe Photoshop CC adjustments, then it will need to be saved in PSD
in the Metadata section. 2019 (default) option. format to retain those layers.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR PLACING AND IMPORTING IMAGES

Placing and
Importing Images

Now we will show you how to bring content into your
document and make it look amazing

This tutorial It’s very easy to find and open a photo, work building a basic design with just a couple of
content is with it, and then save it again, without the images. As simple as this guide may appear,
available for need to turn it into a native Photoshop PSD it is a cornerstone to what makes Photoshop
download file that retains all the layers and adjustments so useful as an image editing and digital
information within it. We’ve looked at creating manipulation tool for photographers and
new documents from scratch, so now we can designers alike. We will use this tutorial to get
take our newly created blank document, start used to bringing in images and working with
importing images and begin the process of them on their layers.

BEFORE

AFTER

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PLACING AND IMPORTING IMAGES PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 Opening a single image is a fairly simple 02 To begin, a quick word about the two 03 Secondly, you have the Place Linked option.

process, which Photoshop makes even methods on offer for imported images. This means you have an image that once
easier thanks to the number of ways you can interact You can use the Place Embedded option, which placed in your document retains a link to the original file
with your files before opening them. Now, having embeds images as Smart Objects that can be that you placed. Now, if you edit the original image, the
made a blank document to your requirements, we’ll edited independently of your active document, but next time you look at your document containing that
go a step further and populate it. are still contained within it. image, it will update to the latest saved version.

04 Here, we have used File > Place 05 You can now move, scale and rotate the 06 Go to File > Place Embedded again and

Embedded. Start by navigating to the folder image before you commit to finally placing this time choose a second image. We have
with the first image you’re using, highlight it and it on its layer. Click and drag the cover control a dinosaur character we want to bring in to a new
then click the Place button, or simply double-click it points to scale the image to fully fill the document. layer. Place this new image, and then use the
to open it in the document on its blank layer. Note Then you can hit Enter on your keyboard to control points to scale the image and also drag it
the layer name changes to the image name. commit the changes. to your preferred position.

07 Both images, since they are embedded, 08 Right-Click on your layers to call up the 09 You have created a basic document with

are placed as Smart Objects. If you look Context menu. Look down the list and two layers. It might seem quite simple,
in the lower right corner of their thumbnail, you’ll you will see the Rasterize Layer option. When you but this is what makes Photoshop so versatile
see the small icon that denotes a placed Smart select this, you will convert each of the Smart and offers you the chance to take various image
Object. If you are happy with them, you can Objects into normal pixel-based images that now elements and combine them in amazing new
convert them to standard pixels. behave like standard photos. ways to create stunning artworks.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR USING LAYERS

Using Layers

Understanding layers is fundamental to Photoshop editing

The concept of Layers was first descending order. Since layers can include or off and delete layers without affecting the
introduced with Photoshop 3.0 in transparency, lower layers can be visible others. Some people seem to have a hard
1994 and has become the very core of through higher layers. time getting their head around the concept
Photoshop image editing, as well as being of layers, so the best way to think of them is
imitated by every other image editing Effects, adjustments and operations can as a pile of glass panels with the elements
program on the market. Layers are exactly be applied to individual layers, or to all that make up the image painted onto them,
what they sound like; the elements of the the layers at once. You can move layers with you looking down on them from above
image are stacked up and displayed in around relative to one another, change the to see how they stack up.
order of layers in the stack, turn layers on

BACK

MIDDLE

This tutorial
content is
available for
download

Layers have a number of advantages. For one and work paths and then there FRONT
thing, the ability to change one element on one are Adjustment layers, which
layer without affecting the other layers means contain embedded commands USEFUL TIP
that you can edit your image non-destructively. that affect the layer immediately
For example if you want to perform an operation below. We’ll look at Adjustment Click on a layer, press and hold the Shift key
on a layer but you’re not sure how it’s going layers in more detail on the on your keyboard and click on another layer
to turn out, just make a duplicate layer, set the following pages. to multi-select a number of layers.
original to be invisible, then do your editing on the
copy. If you don’t like the result, you can simply There is a downside to using
delete it and go back to the original. layers and that is the file sizes they
generate. Adding layers and the
There are four main types of layer. There information that goes along with
are Pixel layers, which contain the graphical them massively increases the size of the file, so
elements of the image. There are Text layers, when you’ve finished editing and you want to save
which contain text information which can be the picture you’ve created, it’s usually a good idea
edited and resized. There are Vector layers, to Flatten the image, which merges all the layers
which contain vector information such as shapes together into a single image.

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USING LAYERS PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

The Layer Palette

Knowing your way around the Layer palette is vital if you want to make the best use of this feature.

Blend Mode Opacity Layer Filters

Determines how the layer interacts with the Controls how transparent the layer is and how Choose to display only one type of layer, or all
layer below it. Can be changed for every layer much of the layer below will show through. of them and by selecting from the drop-down
one by one, or for a group. you can choose what order to show them in.

Fill

Similar to Opacity, but only works on pixel
information, ignoring blending options and
layer effects.

Layer Locks

By clicking on these buttons you can lock the
layer from any further activity. Transparency,
image pixels and position can be locked
independently of each other.

Text Layer

There are several different types of layer. Text
layers, not surprisingly, contain text characters.

Background

The Background layer is the default bottom
layer and always starts off locked when you
open a new Photoshop document.

ABC D Link Layers

Highlight a few layers and then click this
button to link the layers. Transform and
Move commands will affect all linked layers.

Visibility Layer Styles Layer Mask

Clicking on the eyeball simply renders the Add effects such as drop shadow, bevelled Add a mask to a pixel-based layer to reveal
layer and all its effects invisible. edges, inner glow and more. or conceal information using a black or
white brush.

A Adjustment Layer B New Group C New Layer D Delete Layer
An alternative to the main layer Creates a new layer group, into Clicking on this button Does exactly what you’d
menu, you can add all the adjustment which you can drag and drop layers, creates a new blank layer expect it to do. Click to delete the
effects such as Levels, Brightness and which helps you to organise layers in a directly above the currently currently active layer, or drag a layer
Contrast and Saturation here too. big complicated composition. active layer. onto the button to delete it.

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AFTER

BEFORE

MEGA Blend modes can
TIP #4 help you achieve a
number of effects
Transparency Thistutorial by controlling how
content is one layer’s colours
available for interact with
download another. Take Blend
Modes even further
From Blend with handy tips on
adding transparency
46 www.bdmpublications.com to the blend.

MEGA TIP #4 | TRANSPARENCY FROM BLEND

01 In this example, we have a grungy, peeling paint texture that we would 02 We’ve added some large bold text, which is currently on a layer above

like to blend into some text. However, we only want to use the darker the background texture. We need to start by clicking on the Background
cracks in the paint and add that to our text so it takes on a more weathered feel. layer’s lock icon to convert it to a layer as well. This allows us to click and drag the
Fortunately, Blend Modes can help us here. Background layer so it is above the text layer.

03 If you make the texture layer invisible for a moment, you can double-click 04 If you look down at the Blend If section, you can use the sliders to hide

the text thumbnail, change its colour to something appropriate and then light pixels or dark pixels. Slide the white tab to the left and you will see
make the texture visible again so it covers your text. If you double-click the texture the lightest parts of the image start to disappear, leaving the dark cracks and the
layer, you can open the Layer Style panel. text layer underneath.

05 Examine the texture thumbnail and you will see the entire image. Right- 06 You can scale the transparent cracks to better fit your text. Now add a

click the layer and select Convert To Smart Object. If you now right-click Clipping Mask, so it only covers the text and then double-click the texture
the thumbnail and choose Select Pixels, you can actually make a selection of the layer again to bring up the Layer Style menu once more and perhaps add some
dark cracks and not the entire peeling paint texture. Bevel And Emboss to really make those cracks stand out on your text.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR YOUR FIRST COMPOSITION

Your First
Composition

This is when you discover the power
of Photoshop

This tutorial Now is the chance to get to the nitty gritty editing program it has become. You can
content is of what Photoshop is all about. Working simply enhance a favourite photo to make
available for with layers in a document and importing its colours look more vibrant and the details
download various images and graphics is a key part of a little sharper, or you can create amazing
how Photoshop functions. Opening a photo compositions by combining various images,
and then adding layers of adjustment or or parts of them, in new and exciting ways
additional elements on top is what makes that will have your viewers wishing they could
Photoshop the incredibly useful image do it too.

BEFORE

AFTER

48 www.bdmpublications.com

YOUR FIRST COMPOSITION PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR

01 This new artwork starts with the opening 02 If you wanted to, you can keep a browser 03 This means our dropped image will open

of a base image. In this case, we chose window open on your computer that on its own layer, which will be named after
File > Open (Cmd + O) and then navigated to contains your images and, rather than going the title of the file. In this example, an image of a
where our background image was stored. We have through the open and find procedure, you can sorceress now sits above our base image on a
chosen a woodland background image for our new simply bring the browser window to the front and new layer. Next, we need a little more background
composition. Now we can add more elements. drag your next image on top on the base image. interest to flesh out the scene.

04 Using the same drag and drop technique, 05 By clicking and holding the mouse over the 06 Since each element is on a separate

we add a sleepy dragon that sits quite layer containing the dragon, we can actually layer, they can be edited and manipulated
nicely in the background. There is one problem drag that layer so that it sits underneath the layer independently of each other. For instance, the
however; the dragon now appears to be covering containing the sorceress. Now, with our figure in dragon would look better if it were the other way
our foreground character. This is when layers the foreground and the dragon behind her, the around, so let’s flip the layer horizontally for a
become so useful. image makes more sense. better-looking composition.

07 If you go to the layer options palette, you 08 Since both the figure and the dragon are 09 One final addition for this example is a

can click on the Create A New Layer button Smart Objects, when we are happy with new layer named ‘mist’, which is placed
and then add a layer between the dragon and the their final placement, orientation and size, we right- between the sorceress and the dragon. This layer
base image called ‘shadows’. Here you can use a click on them, choose Rasterize Layer from the of mist contains white brush marks and then, to
soft black brush to add some shadow to anchor menu and convert them to normal pixel images in complete this dramatic composition, its Opacity is
the creature to the ground more realistically. each of their layers. dropped to about 45%.

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PHOTOSHOP GUIDED TOUR YOUR FIRST CUT OUT

Your First
Cut Out

Learn how to cut out parts of one
image to use on another

This tutorial If we are talking about key skills that fingertips that can help make the process
content is make Photoshop the most popular photo less of a chore. We are going to take two
available for editing program around, then we have to images and then cut out part of one and use
download talk about the ability to cut out parts of it on the other. Yes, it’s a very simple tutorial,
one image and then use it as part of anther but it’s also very useful. This is a skill you will
image entirely. Cut outs are another staple of need to use a lot if you wish to create works
image enhancement and manipulation that of art involving multiple image sources. It’s
are essential skills to have. It is lucky for us not as daunting as you might imagine and we
that Photoshop has a number of tools at its can show you now.

BEFORE

AFTER

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