The Photoshop Elements Book

PhTohe toshop®
Elements®

EtlueitmnNosreEiidanWletssf1o1r

TM

The ultimate guide to getting the most out of Photoshop Elements

Getting started •Amazing techniques •Creative projects

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

Welcome to

PhTohe toshop®
Elements®

TM

We’re very excited to have an entire book dedicated to this fantastic image-editing
software aimed at consumers, particularly as it’s often overshadowed by its CC sibling.
Sharing many of the features the professional version boasts, the revised edition of The
Photoshop Elements Book explores updates to Elements 11. Discover how to edit your
images, create digital art and share your projects with the wider world. Providing you
with an in-depth guide and step-by-step tutorials to fine-tune your techniques, this book
also comes with a free disc so you can follow along and experiment with free resources.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

PhTohe toshop®
Elements®

TM

Imagine Publishing Ltd
Richmond House
33 Richmond Hill
Bournemouth
Dorset BH2 6EZ

% +44 (0) 1202 586200
Website: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk

Head of Publishing
Aaron Asadi

Head of Design
Ross Andrews
Production Editor
Sarah Harrison
Senior Art Editor
Greg Whitaker

Design
Perry Wardell-Wicks

Printed by
William Gibbons, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT

Distributed in the UK & Eire by
Imagine Publishing Ltd, www.imagineshop.co.uk. Tel 01202 586200

Distributed in Australia by
Gordon & Gotch, Equinox Centre, 18 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest,

NSW 2086. Tel + 61 2 9972 8800
Distributed in the Rest of the World by
Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU

Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the
post. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this bookazine may
be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are
recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the bookazine has
endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change.
This bookazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated
in the United States and/or other countries and is used with express permission.

The Photoshop Elements Book Volume 1 Revised Edition © 2013 Imagine Publishing Ltd
ISBN 978-1909372726

Part of the

®

bookazine series

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

PAGE 76

Contents

08 Ultimate guide

Explore all Photoshop Elements has
to ofer, from editing images, creating
projects and sharing masterpieces

PAGE 154

Techniques 46 Sharpen your images 72 Master HDR toning
Remove subtle blurring Fake the HDR look
26 Clone objects
Duplicate people in your photos 48 Improve exposure 74 Fix images with curves
Bring life back into images Push contrast as far as you can
28 Get started
52 Make creative 76 Convert images to
with selections black and white
panoramas
Manipulate your images From colour to monochrome
Use the Photomerge function
30 Master selections 78 Get the Lomo effect
Photo editing Push colour limits
and masking
58 Make one-click fixes 80 Edit colours with
Create the out-of-bounds efect Discover auto options
Photo Filter
32 Retouch photos
Touch up your portraits Fix white-balance problems

34 Control colour 62 Top guided edits 84 Perfect macro
Improve the colour of photos Make your editing easier Add layered macro efects

36 Get to know Gradients 64 Make essential 88 Fix heavy shadows
Master this essential tool Bring back some light
adjustments
40 Rescue old photos 90 Create exposure
Restore faded family photos Use blend modes for this efect
effects
44 Use brushes effectively 66 Edit portraits
Discover how to use the Brush Improve your portrait shots Make a layered composition
palette to its full potential
70 Add drama with 94 Light up your
Dodge and Burn
seascapes
Adjust lighting
Create some atmosphere

6 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

PAGE 26 PAGE 30 PAGE 36 PAGE 58

PAGE 166 PAGE 90 PAGE 140

98 Improve your 134 Create a family portrait Photo project
Fake a painted-portrait efect
landscapes with your family snaps 184 Create underwater

Adjust colour and exposure 140 Create an art-deco style scenes
Master the Mezzotint filter
100 Create the Use filters and blend modes to
144 Design an abstract create a photomontage
Dragan effect Control the Custom Shape tool
for abstract artwork 188 Play with Perspective
Get creative with this efect Create a miniature efect
148 Paint portraits
104 Retouch for Mix tradition with digital 192 Design your own

classic effects 154 Create instant pop art holiday postcard
Re-create Andy Warhol's work
Create a vintage portrait efect Send a modern-day postcard
156 Make your own the digital way
110 Use the Lighting
watercolour 194 Build a photo album
Effects filter Create your own virtual album
Merge traditional art efects
Add stunning lighting efects 196 Compose a
160 Turn photos to sketches
114 Add emphasis to eyes Get creative with your images mixed-media piece
Apply a rainbow efect
162 Customise brushes Create a musical composition
116 Selective colour creations Create eye-catching art with a variety of media
Bring out the tones
166 Create splatter effects 200 Create a
Digital art Combine brushes and assets
panoramic planet
122 Create a comic- 170 Apply textures
Add some texture to your shots Make a 360-degree planet
book effect
174 Make water effects 202 Compose
Use the Color Halftone filter Use filters and blend modes
surreal artwork
126 Use Elements for 180 Design ancient patterns
Create some ancient designs Create a bizarre composite
stunning effects for use in a variety of projects
206 Achieve a retro
Make the most of Elements
photo effect
130 Smudge your way to
Send your photos back in time
an oil painting with a retro efect

Create an oil portrait with the
Smudge tool

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 7

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

The ultimate guide to

Photoshop
Elements
Explore Photoshop Elements and find

out how it can transform your photos

The CS6 version make its big brother
of Photoshop is a such an impressive
wonderful program, piece of software, but
packed with tools, filters strips away some of the
and advanced facilities more complex aspects,
for performing an resulting in a program
enormously wide range that is both sleek and
of adjustments on easy to use.
your images.
It’s still an extremely
However, though its powerful program
breadth and depth is that can enable you to
its biggest strength, it produce some incredible
can be rather too much effects, so you’ll need to
when you just want to spend some time getting
do some simple image to grips with everything
editing and create some that it has to offer.
straightforward effects.
Sometimes, Photoshop Over the next few
CS6 is a bit more than pages, we’ve prepared an
you need. easy-to-follow guide to
help you uncover some of
This is where the many ways in which
Photoshop Elements 11 Photoshop Elements 11
comes to the rescue. It can help you to make the
contains a large number very best of your favourite
of the features that images in no time at all.

8 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 9

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

Toolbar Edit mode

Access a range Within the Photo Editor interface, choose between Quick, Guided and
of very powerful Expert editing modes, depending on your skill level and how in-depth the
editing tools via the editing will be. Each mode functions very differently.
Toolbar thatÕs on
the left-hand side
of the screen. How
many tools you have
access to will vary,
depending on which
editing mode you are
using in Elements 11.

“Select between Full
edit, Quick edit or

Guided edit depending
on skill level and intent”

Layers palette

When editing an image, you can use
the Layers palette to build up the
enhancements non-destructively. You
need to be working in Expert mode
in order to access the range of Layers
options available in Elements 11.

Photo Bin Main menu

When working in the Photo Editor, The top bar of the Photo Editor interface has the main menu options you
the images youÕve opened to edit might need to access during editing. Advanced features include image
will appear in the Photo Bin along and canvas size adjustments, image adjustments, filters and view options.
the bottom. This means you have
quick access to images and can WorldMags.net
view a sequence of images easily.

10 The Photoshop Elements Book

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

Tool adjustment panel Layout

Whenever you select a tool from the Toolbar, Click on the Layout button at the
adjust its settings by clicking on Tool Options bottom of the interface in order
at the bottom of the interface. If youÕre using to change the way the images are
the paintbrush, for example, this panel will arranged within the Photo Editor.
allow you to change brush-size settings and This is great if youÕre looking to
strength to suit your needs. replicate a specific effect across
several images.

Share mode

Click on the Share tab to explore the
many ways of sharing your shots with
family members and friends. You need
to be in the Organizer interface to
access this in Elements 11.

Create tab

Click on the Create tab to output
images into personalised keepsakes and
products. YouÕll be able to construct
and customise photo books, greeting
cards, calendars and collages. There
are extra Create options when you are
working in the Organizer interface.

The Organizer The Photoshop Elements Book 11

At the bottom left of the Photo Editor, you can access the Organizer. The Photo
Editor wonÕt close down; instead the Organizer will open in a separate window.

WorldMags.net

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

Edit Discover how you can transform your images using
filters, frames, text and more, right in the Photo Editor
in Elements 11

W hen you load up Elements 11, To make things as straightforward and The Guided tab, meanwhile, works very
you’ll see a splash screen that user-friendly as possible, the Photo Editor differently. In this tab, the Tools palette
enables you to choose between provides you with three separate tabs disappears from the left-hand side of the
the Organizer and Photo Editor. to choose from at the top centre of the interface, but there’s actually a much wider
interface; the choice you make will be range of options available for retouching
These two main choices offer completely informed by the complexity of editing and your images than found in the Quick tab.
different functions, but retouching your retouching that you wish to carry out.
images and adding effects is one of the first The image-editing tools in the Guided
things that you’ll want to do so we’re going For very basic image touch-ups, the tab are divided into three subsections at
to take a look at the incredible range of Quick tab is definitely the best option. the right-hand side of the interface. As the
editing possibilities on offer in Elements 11. Here, you are restricted to six quick editing name implies, when you click on each of
Simply click on the Photo Editor tab to start tools at the left-hand side of the interface, these, Elements 11 provides a clear set of
working on your images. Elements 11 will with just the Quick Selection Tool, Red instructions to ensure you know what each
load up and you can begin to edit, enhance Eye Removal Tool, Whiten Teeth Tool, slider and control will do, allowing you to
and add effects to your photographs. Horizontal Type Tool, Spot Healing Brush create some quite advanced effects with a
If you want to access the Organizer Tool and Crop Tool at your disposal. If you minimum level of difficulty.
simultaneously, click on the relevant button just want to remove a few blemishes from
at the bottom of the Photo Editor interface a family snap or make some very simple The Touchups menu allows you to
and you can have the two windows open up improvements to an image, the Quick tab perform a dozen different basic image
at once. will be all that you need. corrections, some of which, like the Crop
Photo facility and the Sharpen feature,

12 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

The Perfect Portrait feature allows Guided edits
you to easily make the most of your
people photos, taking you through If you’re a complete beginner to
the retouching process. Photoshop Elements 11, use the Guided
edits section to ensure you get the
image results you want. Easy to access
via the main Photo Editor interface,
you can explore a whole range of semi-
automated editing options. Elements 11
will guide you through the entire editing
process, even showing you how to
customise each effect’s result. Guided
edits are a great way to get familiar with
image editing and ensure professional-
looking results.

Use features such as Enhance Colors in Elements’ Photo Editor to Add impact and get creative with
improve the appearance of colours in your images. your presentation by adding a frame
around the edges of your images
within the Expert editing tab.

are fairly basic, but others are much more choose from two different, Warhol-esque Quick
in-depth and powerful, like the Perfect Pop Art effects, while the Reflection option
Portrait feature and the Recompose option. allows you to create a reflection effect The Quick edit tab restricts you to a
completely from scratch. very limited range of Tools, allowing you
If you want to get creative with your to make minor, simple adjustments with
images, the Photo Effects subsection has If you want to take things further, visit a minimum of fuss.
plenty of fun on offer. There are ten effects the Expert tab. This is similar to the main
to choose from, including a feature to help Photoshop interface, and offers significant Guided
create an Old Fashioned Photo, a Line levels of creative control once your image-
Drawing effect and the ability to add Depth editing confidence grows. Guided editing allows you to produce
of Field, Tilt-Shift and Vignette effects. some really great effects without even
There is an extensive Tools palette at the needing to be particularly experienced
Photo Play is the third and final left-hand side of the interface, with four with Photoshop or even with
subsection, featuring four fairly advanced different selection tools, six enhancing tools, Photoshop Elements.
effects that would otherwise be difficult to eight drawing tools and four modifying
reproduce. Out Of Bounds allows you to tools. Over on the right-hand side of the
create the illusion of a part of your image, interface, there’s a Layers palette. When
such as someone’s leg kicking a ball, coming combined with blending modes, this allows
out of the bounds of the image. Picture you to take very extensive control over
Stack allows you to present your image as your image adjustments, and it’s not too
four, eight, or twelve individual tiles, similar difficult to get to grips with after a little bit
to a jigsaw puzzle. Pop Art allows you to of experimentation.

Create incredible artistic effects using the Guided Not just for beginners, you can use Guided edits to Expert
editing tab, including professional-looking treatments learn how to apply specific styles to a shot such as
such as this Pop Art look. Lomo or Orton. Use this mode when you want to take
full creative control of your images. You
have access to the full range of Tools
and you can also make use of Layers.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 13

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

Create Outputyourimagestoarangeoffun
creative projects using the Create
section of Elements 11
T he Create tab can be found in both design, text and image layouts without the and thereÕs even an option to include
the Photo Editor section and the need to be an experienced user. You begin customisable text. Drag and drop is all
Organizer section in Elements 11, by first selecting a design theme or basic thatÕs required to position images within
although the Organizer version features template, which you can then customise the project that you are creating.
two additional options: Instant Movie and and develop as the project progresses.
DVD With Menu. In both cases though, Traditional photo prints can also be
the Create tab is designed to make it easy Once youÕve selected a project, you can prepared for home printing Ð and for extra
for you to take your images beyond the then start to work on it to build it up until convenience ordered via online services Ð
editing stage and incorporate them into fun, you have produced the desired result. You using the Create tab. As with everything
creative and practical projects that you can can select the Page tab to work with the in Photoshop Elements 11, the Create tab
enjoy with friends and family. individual pages in your project or use offers plenty of guidance along the way so
the Layouts tab to select from an array whether you are making a detailed photo
As you start to explore the Create tab, of ready-made page template designs. book or a one-page collage, youÕll be able
youÕll find that there are plenty of user- The Graphics tab provides options for to do so with absolute ease. In fact, itÕs
friendly and powerful options for each backgrounds and frames, allowing you to incredible how much you can actually
project, enabling you to make all of the add artwork onto the design for creative achieve with the Create tab in a relatively
creative decisions when it comes to page background effects or photo framing, short space of time.

14 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

Creating a
photo book

A photo book is a fantastic
keepsake that can take far
less time to put together
than a photo album, full of
prints. Easy to design and
customisable in the Create
tab of Elements 11, you can
decide on page layouts, design
and text as you go. There
are plenty of starter themes
and optional book sizes you
can select from before you
begin too. To get started on
your own photo-book project,
select the Photo Book option
from the available projects in
the Create tab. You can now
follow along with us as we take
you through the basic steps
of putting together your own
personalised photo book in
Elements 11.

Create a photo book Design your cover Add in text

Click on the Create button and locate the You can now begin designing your cover. Click on the text space to activate and
Photo Book option from the drop-down Drag an image from the Project Bin up or adjust the text font, size, style and
menu. In the dialog box select a Photo Book double-click on the space to open one from alignment within the Create tab. You can
style that you would like, add in the page a separate file. Drag to the space allocated. also adjust colour here and warp text for
amount and then un-check ÔAutofill with more creative results. Now type in your
Selected imagesÕ. photo book title.

Inside page Design layout Add in pages

Using the arrows along the bottom, scroll You can scroll through the Create tab You may need more pages than you
through to the inside pages. If text is not options and add in additional artwork to originally intended. To add more into your
available on the layout but you would like your photo book design or alternatively photo book, go to Pages in the Create tab
to add some, go to the Create tab and change the page layouts by selecting a and select the + sign to add more in.
text then click Add Text Block and apply new page template from the Layouts tab.
anywhere on the page.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 15

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

Share Discover how to really enjoy your
favourite images with friends and
relatives using the Share tab in
Elements 11

One of the joys of photography, and frequently. To fulfil the need for this, and onto a CD or DVD. The Organizer allows
indeed one of the chief reasons for to make the shoot-edit-share process a you to add in keywords and tags to your
fully integrated one, Elements 11 features images, which is an ideal way to keep
actually taking photos, is to share a dedicated Share tab in its interface. track of your shots as you can specify
who’s in them, where they were taken
the images you’ve captured with other Once you’ve finished making all of and at what event. Portrait and group-
your final editing tweaks, head to the shot images can even be tagged using
people, particularly family and friends to Organizer interface where you can then your Facebook friends’ names to save you
simply click on the share tab to upload the trouble of having to do it separately
whom the images may have a meaning. your images straight to the likes of on the online social networking site.
Facebook, Flickr or Adobe Revel, Adobe’s
Where once upon a time this was own cloud-based storage, editing and Depending on how you’ve opted to
largely restricted to leafing through a browsing service. share your images, the Organizer will
family album, thanks to the development take you step-by-step through the entire
of the internet and social networking You can also opt to share them via upload process. To share your images
sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr, an online album, separately as an email via the likes of Flickr and Facebook, you
there’s no longer a need to have our attachment or alternatively, burn them
photos printed before we share them.

This instant process means all of
us are sharing more images, more

16 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

will have to have already registered with Organizer also enables you to set up a created a profile on the site, you can send
either site and set up a viable account. contacts book, which will allow you to family members and friends a link to
You can then begin editing and adding input and then search for contacts so that your online gallery and share your latest
images directly onto your online profile you can send shots more efficiently. The Elements creations. Keen videographers
through the software. Sharing images by online album-sharing option will enable will also appreciate the video sharing
email is also easy, as Elements 11 gives you to export images onto a Hard Disk options within the OrganizerÕs Share
you the option to either email shots or alternatively share them via Showcase tab. Here, youÕll be able to upload and
directly or embed them within an existing online. Photoshop Showcase is a media- share video files on YouTube, burn them
email. You can adjust image sizes within hosting gallery site that lets users upload onto a DVD or BluRay disc, and even
the email preferences and even opt to and share their images and videos directly upload them onto mobile phones or other
create and send shots as a PDF. The through Photoshop software. Once youÕve portable video playing devices.

The big share “Share precious
moments and
memories with your
friends and family”

Share to Flickr Email images

Keep your online portfolio up-to-date by sharing and uploading edited images ItÕs easy to attach or embed images into an email

instantly onto your Flickr profile. You are able to add relevant image tags directly through Elements 11; simply follow the

within the Organizer. on-screen instructions for correct image sizes.

Share to Facebook Online album

You can share your images via your own Facebook account through the Create an album that you can share online via
the Create tab. Once completed, you can upload
software. Go to the Share tab, choose Facebook and then tag people/places it to Photoshop Showcase. Alternatively, you can
export the album onto a Hard Disk, CD or DVD.
within the Organizer before uploading.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 17

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

Manage

You can sort, rate, tag and keyword your images in Elements 11

After shooting hundreds or thousands
of images, it can be all too easy to
upload images onto your computer
or portable hard drive and then just leave
them there, disorganised in various folders
without being edited or even correctly
named. To help you get into the habit of
managing your workflow, the Organizer
interface in Elements 11 has been designed
to make it easy to sort, rate, tag and
keyword your shots before filing them
away. You can use the Organizer to import
images, edit down a shoot size, create an
album, create personalised photo or video
keepsakes and instantly share shots. To
save you the bother of loading up the Photo
Editor interface, the Photo Fix Options tab
allows you to make minor corrections to
photos. In fact, thereÕs so much on hand,
thereÕs now no excuse for not keeping on
top of managing your photo masterpieces.

Importing images

If you have a batch of images to edit and enhance from a
shoot, avoid opening them all in Elements 11 in one go. Unless
you have a really powerful computer, this will cause a crash.
First use the Organizer to help narrow down which shots are
worth working with. This is also a time-saving way to import
images into the software, as you wonÕt have to load them
individually. YouÕll also be able to see them all clearly in one
place; great if creating a series and you want to determine
what images work together. If youÕre only looking to edit one
or two specific shots, use the quicker File>Open process.

You can use the Elements 11 Organizer to import media
from multiple sources, whether itÕs image or video files from a
digital camera, USB, mobile phone device, CD/DVD, scanner
or even a separate hard drive and so on. By importing a batch
of images from a portable device, youÕll be asked to create
a catalogue, which you can opt to save in an existing file
location on your computer desktop or documents folder. This
will ensure your shots stay together and that the selected few
can go through to editing in Elements 11 software. If however,
you have already uploaded images onto your computer, you
can simply select to open them all with this interface to edit
without having to create a catalogue.

18 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

Keyword Tags Find images

Keywording is an essential part of managing Select the green + symbol to create a tag. In the dialogue Once youÕve built up a good image-
your workflow and organising your images. box, you can select a category and add in a keyword and management system with the use
notes. Once you’ve created the tag you can drag the tag of keywords and tags, youÕll be able
Once youÕve imported shots through icon onto any other image that the keyword applies to. to search for and find specific shots
the Elements 11 Organizer, you can insert quite easily. Photoshop Elements
relevant keywords using the Keyword Tag Once Elements 11 is familiar with a face it will attempt 11 features a simple search-and-
menu. This will help you to file and later find to use people recognition in order to tag that person in find function for efficiency. To find
specific images on your computer. You can multiple images. Simply click to confirm if it’s correct, as it tagged images, you can simply
keyword tag people, places, events and other saves extra tagging time. enter a keyword into the search bar
important things about the image, such as or alternatively, select one of the
lighting style, effects or colours. Provided all active key words from the lists of
of your keyword tags are relevant and useful Keywords and Smart Tags to bring
they will help you to stay organised and up the right results.
make finding specific shots more efficient.
To keyword your images correctly you need Search bar
to focus on highlighting the most important
elements within the shot. If youÕve got a When searching using keywords
portrait image for example, you can keyword in the search bar, you can enter
tag the name and the word ÔportraitÕ. This will multiple tags for more specific
ensure the image appears in multiple portrait results. If youÕve tagged an image
searches, including those that are not name with a personÕs name and a place
related. The best thing about the Elements that the image was captured,
Keyword Tag system is that it then organises you can search for both of these
the rest for you. Searching for shots is much elements to get more accurate
easier and results can be more specific, search results.
which makes the possibility of sharing
images instantly more of a reality. People recognition

ItÕs worth noting that the keyword tag Once youÕve tagged a person
system is not only great for images, but you within a portrait using a specific
can also use it to manage and tag video files, name, Elements 11 will attempt
audio clips, PDFs and projects. to recognise this person in other
images. Once you open a shot it will
You can opt to edit images through the Photo Bin by Photo Bin ask you to confirm if itÕs correct.
using the drop-down menu. Click Create to construct a
project, Share to upload images online, Print to print all Once youÕve imported images into the Keyword Tags panel
of the images within the bin, and Save to group all of the Organizer and selected the ones to edit,
shots together in an album. transfer them over to the Photo Editor Another way to find specific
in Elements 11. Your shots will appear photos is to click on the box next
To activate an image in the Photo Bin to edit, you’ll need automatically as thumbnails in the Photo to the relevant tag in the Keyword
to scroll through the options and double-click on a shot Bin along the bottom of the interface. Just Tag panel. Elements 11 will then
to expand in the main screen. click the Photo Bin icon at the bottom left automatically bring up all of the
of the interface if the panel isnÕt visible. images that carry this tag.

This is a fantastic tool if editing a series
of images as you can see how well they
work as a collection. To change the order
of your shots for a different view, simply
click and drag them into a new position.
To change your editing screen view and
activate a shot to edit, double-click on
a thumbnail in the Photo Bin, it should
then appear large on screen. You can also
action some adjustments in the Photo Bin
via the drop-down menu in the right-hand
corner. Here, you can get a view of any
images currently active in the Organizer,
print all of the Photo Bin files or save
them as an album. This is a great way to
process multiple files quickly, rather than
having to trawl through loads of images
and save them individually.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 19

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

Gallery

Elements can help you achieve a wealth of different effects
Ð here is a roundup of some of the possibilites open to you

Filter and auto effects

Just because something is easy doesn’t mean
to say that it can’t be beautiful. The range of
automatic efects in Elements is staggering
and each one can be used to create
something to be proud of. The obvious place
to go for the auto options is the Filters menu.
In here you can access filters to get a certain
style efect or apply a set edit. You can enjoy
a wealth of options here, from inky sketch
efects through to getting creative with blur.
The Artistic range of filters are a good place to
start, as are the Render and Pixellate.

For complete beginners, pay a trip to the
Guided edits. These will let you edit photos
and apply styles with just a few clicks of the
mouse. Simply run through the steps and
enjoy results such as sepia photos or pop-
art-inspired prints. And once you’ve made
your images, use the Share workspace to
create a presentation package or to ready
the images for print.

20 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

Paint effects

Digital painting is a fantastic way to turn your photos into something
truly special, and with Elements you can paint even if you have no natural
artistic talent. We’ve spoken about the filters, but the Smudge tool is
also worth investigating. As you brush over a photo, it pulls up the colour
information and uses it to make realistic brush strokes.

Creative layers

The Layers palette is your best friend when it comes to larger
edits, as it enables you to control elements and separate
them from others. Layer masks were introduced in Elements
10, which enables users to enjoy even more control. The layer
blend modes are great for building up collages such as the
one above.

Photo edits Traditional photo effects

Being able to transform your ordinary photos into something If you are a fan of traditional photography and want to bring some of the
to be proud of is at the heart of Elements. Each version comes style to your own images, Elements can help. There are various options
equipped with a range of powerful editing tools, allowing you for bringing traditional efects such as depth of field or high contrast, in
to perfect aspects such as colour, lighting and sharpness. If you addition to colour and tone edits such as monochrome. These can be
don’t feel confident, most editing tools come with Auto options. achieved through dedicated tools or through filters.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 21

Photoshop EWlemeontrs ldMags.net

10 improvements to
Photoshop Elements 11

Ten reasons why Photoshop Elements is better than ever

GRAPHIC NOVEL

The Graphic Novel
filter, new to version
11, gives images a
sketched effect.
There are options to
alter the mood of the
effect, depending on
the scene, by using
the Painted Gray,
Fine Detail, Hard
Edges and Twisted
Plot presets.

Photoshop Elements 11 has been altered; not just in the way LOW KEY EFFECT
that it looks, but also in the effects and tools it has on offer.
Here are ten improvements to the latest version of the New Guided Edits, such as this
beginner’s choice in photo-editing software. Low Key effect, provide quick
ways of putting a creative spin on
QUICK, GUIDED AND EXPERT MODES ordinary images. Low Key darkens
the background and increases
01 The three modes in Photoshop Elements 11 have taken the overall mood of the image.
centre stage. Edit images in either Quick, Guided or Expert
mode. Quick contains a few of the basic tools for enhancing
images, Guided guides you through some great creative effects,
and Expert features the entire program.

A NEW LOOK

02 The new version has been given a grey interface, which
is different to their traditional black interface. The whole
program has been refined to make it easier to follow, and effects
can now be applied to images faster and more effectively. Icons
and text are bigger and bolder, and the on-screen options and
menus are much tidier too.

22 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neUlttimate guide

ACCURATE
SELECTIONS

The improved Refine
Edge is a blessing when
it comes to selecting
and cutting out tricky
subjects. Plus, the Smart
Radius comes with a
brush that can be used to
paint out unwanted areas
around hair and other
intricate subjects.

MAPS COMIC FILTERS

It’s easy to remember where 06 For more cartoon-like image effects, there are three new
photos were shot by using Sketch filters that can give images a range of fun
Organizer’s new Places
feature. It uses Google Maps finishes, including Comic, Graphic Novel and Pen and Ink. These
and is perfect for travellers.
are useful for imitating drawn effects, with colour, line thickness

and shading all forming part of their adjustments.

PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS ONLINE ALBUM

03 The Organizer is where images are collated and shared. 07 There’s a new set of templates for printing and creating
You can categorize and tag them depending on the Online Albums. This feature, specific to the Organizer,
people involved, where they were photographed and when they lets you store images using a variety of layouts and creative
were created. People can be grouped quickly using the simple, designs, categorised under Family, Occasions and Interactive.
icon-based approach and faces can be tagged ready for uploading
straight to social networking sites. ACTIONS

LOCATION SPECIFIC 08 Actions are one-click solutions to creative effects. These
are new to Elements in version 11, and include borders,
04 If you’re a keen traveller and aim to capture moments as resizing and cropping commands. They also include effects such
you go, then the Places section of the Organizer will as sepia toning, faded ink and instant Polaroid.
prove invaluable. Photos and videos can be placed inside a world
map with details of their exact location. This is great for keeping SHARE VIDEOS
snapshots together and locating them at a later date.
09 Photoshop Elements 11 lets you upload videos to online
BETTER REFINE EDGE portals Vimeo and YouTube. Since every digital camera
and mobile device has video capture available, there should be no
05 Reflecting Photoshop CS6, the Refine Edge command reason why sharing these is left out of the frame.
now has more options. Selections can be controlled
using the full range of adjustments and sliders, including GUIDED EDITS
Decontaminate Colors, which is useful for sorting out those stray
pixels between cutouts. Smart Radius makes selecting difficult 10 Unique to Photoshop Elements 11 is its range of Guided
outlines such as hair a breeze, along with the feathering, Edits. They now include four new effects: Miniature,
smoothing and contrast sliders for perfecting the overall area. Vignette, Low Key and High Key. Following step-by-steps, they
only take minutes to apply, and this is one reason why Elements 11
has proved popular with artists looking for quick, fun effects.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 23

WorldMags.net

PAGE 28 PAGE 30 PAGE 52

Techniques
Enhance yourskillsandimproveyourprojectswiththesetechniques

26 Clone objects
Duplicate people in your photos

28 Get started with selections
Manipulate your images

30 Master selections and masking
Create the out-of-bounds efect

32 Retouch photos
Touch up your portraits

34 Control colour
Improve the colour of photos

36 Get to know Gradients
Master this essential tool

40 Rescue old photos
Restore faded family photos

44 Use brushes effectively
Tips for using the Brush palette

46 Sharpen your images
Remove subtle blurring

48 PBImrAinGpgrEloif1ev5eb0aeckxipnotosiumraeges
52 Make creative panoramas

Get to grips with the Photomerge function

PAGE 26

24 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

PAGE 40

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 25

Techniques WorldMags.net

Clone objects

Duplicate the people in your photos
using the Clone Stamp tool

Cloning is a feature that has been around since the
early versions of Elements. It is a feature that is
mainly used in retouching to remove blemishes,
freckles and wrinkles, but can be adapted for creative
purposes too. In fact, you can clone absolutely anything
onto anything, so long as the tool has the right settings in
the Tool Options bar.

Using a soft-edged brush is fundamental when you are
painting with the Clone Stamp tool, because this helps to
blend the two areas together. There are other essential
options to tick as well, such as Align, and we will cover
how you can use masks in order to create a successful
cloned subject.

“You can clone absolutely
anything onto anything,

so long as the tool has the
right settings in the
Tool Options bar”

Understand the effect

Cloning subjects across your image

Set up the tool Add a new layer Use Clone Stamp

01 Select the Clone Stamp tool from the 02 Keep Opacity set to 100% and tick 03 To use the tool to create a clone of
Toolbar, or press the S key for a Aligned. This enables you to paint the the subject, press Alt/Opt and click
shortcut to take you straight there. Go to cloned subject to any area of the image. Make on the part of the subject you want to clone.
the Tool Options bar and click on the Brush sure Sample All Layers is ticked to account for Release Alt/Opt and then paint the subject
preview thumbnail. Pick a soft-edged brush, any new layers. With this set, add a new layer back in to a different part of the scene.
with a diameter that is just larger than the above the Background image.
subject you want to clone.

26 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neCtlone objects

Clone options Alter the settings and combine with other Elements features

Blur distant subjects Perspective Aligned No selection

The smaller cloned subject in the Create a new layer each time before the Tick the Aligned box in the Tool Subjects can be cloned and
distance has been given a slight brush is applied, so the cloned area can Options bar so that the Clone flipped around as many times
Gaussian blur (Filter>Blur). This is to be resized. We can use Image>Transform> Stamp tool continues to work from as you like. The best thing of all
match the rest of the background Free Transform to shrink down the where you left off. Otherwise, the is that no selection is needed
elements, which are a little blurry. duplicate and stay in perspective. tool will reset its position. to create duplicates.

Flip subject Retouch clone What
doesitmean?
04 Once your subject has been 05 To smarten up the edges of the
completely cloned to the new subject, add a layer mask MODE When cloning objects,
position, go to Image>Rotate>Flip Layer (Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal All). Now use the change the Mode setting (found in
Horizontal to mirror it. Rotate it for variation Brush tool set to black to remove the rough the Tool Options bar) to alter the way
using Image>Rotate>Free Rotate Layer and edges and reveal the background around they appear and interact with your
dragging the corner points. the subject. image. Overlay, for example, creates

WorldMags.net a high-contrast effect, whereas
using Screen mode will reduce

the contrast and turns
objects into ghost-
like figures.

The Photoshop Elements Book 27

Techniques WorldMags.net

Get started ToolOptions Each
with selections selection tool comes
with its own settings.
Streamline your selections with our overview of These include the
tools and tricks to control and manipulate the Add to Selection
elements of your images command that
enables multiple
S elections form one of the cornerstones of selections to be
Photoshop editing, and mastering the skills to neatly made on the same
isolate areas of your image opens up a host of image. Subtract from
possibilities for creative editing. Photoshop Elements has Selection excludes
a number of built-in selection options ranging from the very the new area from
basic to the more complex. We’ll be looking at the more the current selection
simple options to get your selection skills up to scratch in and Intersect with
this tutorial. Selection will let
only areas in your
Selection options are laid out in the Select menu new selection
with Photoshop ofering some additional choices that intersect with
to Elements that perform more complex functions. previous ones be
However, Elements has some fantastic options on ofer. highlighted.
The annotations walk you through the basic, need-to-
know features in this menu to give you control over your Refine Edge and
selections from modifying, inverting and saving them. Feather Thissetof
The selection tools are purpose-built and each is suited commandsisavailable
to a particular type of selection, from the Marquee tool whenusinganyselection
that makes selections based on shapes to the Magic toolandgivesyouoptions
Wand tool which makes automatic selections based tochangetheedges
on colour. The software realises that freehand drawing ofyourselection.The
is inaccurate but sometimes necessary, so a host of Smoothsliderremoves
magnetic and smart tools assist you in tracing outlines bumpsalongthe
and selecting only the part of an image that you need. selectionline,Feather
softenstheedgesin
Learning the option menus that go with each tool will auniformblurand
help you better control it and get the most out of its Contract/Expandeither
functionality. Above all, knowing what a particular tool increasesordecreases
was built for will enable you to select the correct one for theselectionedge.
the correct purpose and be able to make seamless and
accurate selections, time and time again. Marquee tool

Quick mode Shape-based selections

Options for speedy edits Make selections based on shapes in
your image with the Marquee tool. You
Photoshop Elements 11 has three edit can choose either the Rectangular
modes: Quick, Guided and Expert. If or Elliptical tool to make a selection
youÕre new to editing and choose the within your image. Begin at a point on
Quick mode, selection options are limited the image and drag the tool across
to the Quick Selection and Selection your target as you hold the mouse
Brush tools. With one click the Quick down. Hold down the Shift key to
Selection tool will read pixels and guess create a perfect square or circle with
selection parameters depending on how each tool respectively. Make the
similar the pixels are to each other. The selection carefully, as you canÕt change
Brush Selection tool offers more accurate dimensions once the selection is
results as you control the selection complete. This tool works best with
yourself. Change the brush size to suit simple elements in an image or to
your selection. If you require more intuitive make precise and even selections.
tools, switch between the Guided and
Expert modes while working on an image.

28 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMaGegt ssta.rtnedewitth Selections

Anti-aliasandTolerance Anti-aliasedisused Enhance selected colour
with the Marquee tool and automatically smooths
out the edges of circular or elliptical shapes. Keep Use Elements to balance an image
the box ticked to have the function on. Tolerance
controls the degree to which the automatic Isolating elements within an image enables you
selections recognise similar or different pixels and to inject enhancements where needed without
gives a greater degree of control when using the affecting the whole of your shot. In this image the
automatic selection functions. greens, yellows and browns are dynamic but the
blues seem washed out against them. By selecting
Inverseanddeselect TheInverseoption the sky and the water, the colour can be adjusted to
enables you to choose the opposite part marry perfectly with the rest of the image.
of the image from the selection you’ve
made. This is useful when working with the Magic Wand
Marquee tool to select borders. Deselecting
is to come out of any area, and is the only 01 Select the Magic
command that can do this (Ctrl/Cmd+D). Wand tool and make
a selection of the water by
Save selection Save selections for later clicking in a dark blue area.
use by choosing Select>Save Selection, Zoom in to ensure you select
naming your file appropriately and then the right shade rather than
clicking OK to save. Access the saved the surrounding pigments
data via Select>Load Selection and such as the boat or riverbank.
choosing it from the list. Your selection
will then appear on your image. Add to Selection

Lasso selections 02 In the Magic Wand’s
Tool Options, select
Freehand and magnetic options Add to Selection (two
squares). With this selected,
The Lasso tools include the click in the sky area to make a
basic Lasso, Magnetic Lasso and second selection of those
Polygonal Lasso. The basic tools same-coloured pixels to be
enable rough freehand selections, added to the first.
good for situations where precision
isn’t required. The Polygonal Enhance colour
tool lets you add reference
points as you draw by clicking 03 Go to Enhance>
the mouse, which is especially Adjust Color>Adjust
handy for drawing straight lines. Color Curves and increase
The Magnetic Lasso traces along the edges of objects with the Midtone curve by half
strong colour contrast and, as with the Polygonal, you can create the available value. The
reference points as you draw, pressing the Backspace key to adjustment will only be
return to the last reference point. Finish back at your start point applied to the two blue
or double-click to complete a selection. selected areas.

Magic Wand

Automatic selections by colour

A single click and the Magic Wand
makes an automatic selection
within your image based on the
colour that you clicked on. This
tool gives fairly accurate results in
images with strong, similar colours
and varying accuracy in more
complex images. To get better
results with the tool, pay attention
to the Tolerance level that appears
in the Tool Options bar when the
tool is selected. This determines
how closely the selection will match
the clicked colour. The higher the
value, the wider the colour range.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 29

Techniques WorldMags.net

Before

Source files available

Use the files on the
site to re-create
this: http://blog.
photoshopcreative.
co.uk/tutorial-files

Master selections and masking

Explore the potential of masking and selections by creating this out of bounds effect in
Photoshop Elements

The ‘out of bounds’ effect in Elements 11 is actually a Guided this. We can even expand this out of the image, to make it look as
Edit. This only goes so far, however, and restricts the level of though it’s coming right at us!
control that you have over the effect. To create our own version
of the effect, we need to look at layers more closely in Expert Mode. Selections can be made quickly using a number of different tools.
The first one that we use is the Polygonal Lasso tool, which draws
With masking techniques, the water in our seascape can be made straight selection lines – perfect for selecting the frame. Also, since
to look like it’s spilling out of the frame, and by making a selection, a the colour in the seascape is so vivid, we’ll remove colour from the
part of the image can be made to emerge from the frame beneath background to improve the composition and give it more impact.

30 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMMastaergsesle.ctniones atnd masking

Createtheeffect

Nine steps to out of bounds magic!

Polygonal Lasso tool Create selection New layer mask

01 Open ‘Digital frame.jpg’ from blog. 02 Zoom into the image a couple of 03 Click on the Create a New Layer
photoshop creative.co.uk/tutorial- times. Click on each corner of the button in the Layers panel, then on

files. Enter Expert Mode. Grab the Polygonal digital frame using the Polygonal Lasso tool. the Add Layer Mask button. The selection

Lasso tool (L) then tick Anti-aliasing in the Once all four lines are connected, a area will disappear once you’ve done this,

Options panel. Set Feather to 0px. selection area will appear. but will be stored as the layer mask.

Place image Quickly select Combine masks

04 Go to File>Place and upload 05 Use the Quick Selection tool (A), set 06 Click Add Layer Mask to apply this
‘Seascape.jpg’ from the resources. to Size: 40px and Auto-Enhance in selection as a new mask to the

Move the placed image up so in line with the the Options panel, to select the part of the seascape. Add the other mask by Cmd/

top of the digital frame image. Holding Shift, groyne on the beach. Turn its layer on and Ctrl+clicking on its thumbnail to reactivate it,

drag the bottom-right box to enlarge it so it off to make sure the selection covers the then pressing Cmd/Ctrl+Backspace.

fits over the image. Press Enter to apply. digital frame. Foreground colour must be black to do this.

Water spillage! Control opacity Desaturate

07 Go Select>Deselect. Locate Eraser 08 Lower Opacity of the Eraser tool to 09 Click Background layer and add
tool (E) and set Size to 600px, 20% and reveal the water over the Hue/Saturation adjustment.

Opacity to 100%, choose a soft tip, and table the further out it goes. Drag Layer 1 Reduce Saturation to -100 to remove colour

make Foreground colour black. Paint over (between the Seascape and Digital Frame from the Digital Frame. You should be left

the seascape layer mask to reveal spillage. layers) onto the trash icon to remove it. with just the colour groyne exiting the frame.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 31

Techniques WorldMags.net

The camera was set Wehaveapplieda
incorrectly here, colourcorrection
causing the image aswellasusingthe
to be overexposed. CloneStampand
This harsh light has SpotHealingBrush
accentuated the totamethelines
woman’s lines. andwrinkles.

BEFORE AFTER

Retouchphotos

Don’t be intimidated by the thought of retouching portraits – Elements has
a host of beginner-friendly tools that do most of the work for you

E lements is the tool of choice for starting out with retouching. You diference. The most important thing to remember, though, is to keep
are given the same tools as the pros to give your own portrait shots your edits subtle. Like it or not, wrinkles and wobbly bits give us character
a desirable veneer. Before you flick past in horror, we aren’t going to and if you wade in with a virtual plastic surgeon’s knife, you won’t improve
suggest you spend your life airbrushing through your family photos. Even an image. A light touch here and there is all you need for the best results.
five-minute edits can suddenly bring a portrait to life and Elements users
will find a lot of automated options for retouching tasks. However, we We’re also going to be covering another Elements skill within the
are going to look at the manual tools here and show you how easy it is to ‘retouching’ monicker, and that is restoring old photos. Similar skills
create the maximum impact. and tools can be transferred from something like removing wrinkles
to removing creases and tears in scanned images, so the two really go
Common retouching tasks will focus on the face, whether it’s hand in hand.
smoothing out skin or doing a touch of spot or blemish removal.
Whitening the eyes or teeth is another easy edit that can really make a It’s also worth pointing out that some of the other tools we’ve looked
at can be called upon here. For example, if you want to whiten eyes
“Evenfive-minuteeditscansuddenly or teeth, use one of the selection methods we suggested and then
bringaportraitbacktolife” use the Color Curves command to target the highlights and brighten
things up. As you use Elements more and more, you’ll see these
repetitions pop up time and again.

32 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.nReettouch photos

Usefulfilters SpotHealingBrush

Final touches for better images Remove blemishes easily

In addition to the tools mentioned below, there are Clone Stamp is the king of
some filters than can help you make the perfect ‘patching’ up unwanted areas
edit. For example, old photos tend to be blighted by but an easier option is the Spot
noise, so a blast of the Despeckle filter (Filter>Noise) Healing Brush.
can work wonders. If you want to soften areas to
draw attention to others, apply a very low Gaussian
blur to a selected area, or use the Blur tool from
the toolbar to paint blur on. Finally, Unsharp Mask
(Enhance>Unsharp Mask) is good for adding clarity
to important areas such as eyes.

Themajorretouchingtools Pick a brush size

The toolbar delivers pretty much all you need 01 Pick a brush size that’s
slightly larger than the
Red Eye tool Evenwithfancycameras, Clone Stamp tool Themother area to be edited. This lets you
red eye is a really common problem of all retouching tools, this allows perform a one-click fix, and gives
that is thankfully very easy to fx. Simply you to sample parts of an image you the most accurate results.
pick the tool, place it over the ofending and transfer it to another part. This
area and click. If it refuses to budge, go is achieved using a brush. Use the Set the tool
to Edit>Undo and use the Pupil Size largest, softest brush you can and
and Darken Pupil settings to make transfer the sampled area using 02 There are various
adjustments and try again. small dabs. options available.
Proximity Match uses pixels from
Spot Healing Brush the edge as a Patch. Create
Good for smaller areas Texture uses all pixels in the
that need fxing. Again, selection, while Content-Aware
you use a brush to dab will create magic replacements!
over the area that needs
fxing. Edits made with Healing Brush tool LiketheCloneStamp,this
this tool should be allows you to replace areas with information from
made with one click. other parts of an image. However, the Healing
Brush also matches the texture, transparency,
lightingandshading. Thismakesiteasytofx
complicated areas.

Use the lot

03 Achieve best results by
selecting Sample All
Layers from the Tool Options bar.
This uses information from the
whole image. To make the edit,
click on the area and Elements
will work its magic.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 33

Techniques WorldMags.net

Controlcolour
Beingabletocontrolcolourisanessential
skillforimprovingimages

C olour is a vital part of any have to go any further than clicking on a
image. If you have a photo with colour to select it.
weak colour, it doesn’t matter
how impressive the composition or Editing colour in an image is also
how sharp the detail – all anyone will easy. Elements has Auto Color options
see is the flat colour. (Enhance>Auto Color Correction).
This is pretty much the easiest edit
As you should come to expect by you can make and both flavours do a
now, Elements has many diferent good job of fixing problem images. But
options when it comes to adding and there are plenty of alternatives if you
editing colour and most of them are want to have a bit more control over
really simple to use. For adding colour, proceedings. Hue/Saturation is an
you will spend most of your time in excellent choice, allowing you to alter
the Color Picker. This is activated by not only the colour of things, but also
clicking the two little colour squares the intensity of the colour. In a similar
at the bottom of the toolbar. The top vein is the Color Variations command.
square is for the foreground colour This is suited to beginners in particular
(or the main colour) and the bottom because you click on preview images
square is the background. to make the changes, so you always
know what the outcome will be.
The Color Picker gives you access
to all the diferent colours you could The Replace Color alters a chosen
possibly want and selecting them is colour in your image, which can either be
really easy. Just click on the bar to pick a simple case of improving one colour, or
a colour and then position the little something more creative. Read on and
circle over the particular hue that you discover how these tools work, how you
want. There are loads of other libraries can use them and how you can take your
and settings you can use, but you don’t first steps to conquering colour!

The Variations command Hue/Saturation

See how your edit will look Go wild with your colour

The Color Variations command Have fun with the Hue/Saturation
isn’t high on a lot of users’ lists when command. It works using sliders,
it comes to altering the colour and enables you to alter the
properties of an image, which colour of an entire image or
is a shame because it’s a very just target a specific colour to
intuitive way of editing, especially change. You can also use the
for beginners. It allows you to Saturation slider to increase
target the shadows, highlights and or decrease the intensity of
midtones and set what colour you a colour, proving particularly
want them to be. You need to go useful in photo edits and also
to Enhance>Adjust Color>Color converting to black and white.
Variations. Once open, you see a It is very easy to overdo the
range of small thumbnails showing Saturation slider, though, so
the image with a certain colour always keep the Preview box
applied. The intensity can be ticked to keep on top of things.
adjusted to suit and you just click You’ll find Adjust Hue/Saturation
to apply. under Enhance>Adjust Color.

34 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.neCtontrol colour

Chosen colour Inbalance
Thisisthecolour
you’vepicked. A useful tool for adjusting hues

HSB values HSB (or The Balance command lets you easily fix colour
HSL)valuesdescribe casts by adding complementary colour to an image.
thecolourintermsof You will need to take a trip to the Quick mode to use
itshue(wavelength), the Balance slider.
saturation(vividness)
andlightness. The edits

Pick the shade # hex value 01 The Balance
Clickheretoselect Thesame command
theexactshadethat RGBcode adjusts the temperature
youwant.Thecolour expressedin and tint of a photo, with a
getsmoresaturated hexadecimal, slider for each. It’s just a
towardstherightand usedfor case of moving the slider left or right to increase
lightertowardsthetop. websitedesign. or decrease the effect.

Spectrum bar Choose a RGB values Warm up
huefromthespectrumhere. Thesedescribe
Ratherthantherealspectrum, thecolouras 02 The plan is to
itrepresentsacolourwheel, quantitiesof warm this image
flattenedout–that’showred red,greenand up. We pushed the
getstobeatboththeendand bluelight,ona Temperature slider to the
thebeginning. scaleof0-255. right, towards the red part
of the slider. The colours underneath each
slider will let you know what the effect is
going to look like, so pay attention!

Balance out

03 Warm images
look good if the
shadows are contrasted
and therefore cool in
colour. We can do this by
moving the Tint slider to the left, which represents
the green end of the colour spectrum. This will
inject green into the image.

Replace Color Edit skin tone

Don’t like a colour? No problem! Retouch with Adjust Color for Skin Tone

Elements offers a quick way of Elements makes it
replacing one colour with another really easy to adjust skin
and that is the aptly-named tone to ensure the best
Replace Color command. Found portraits. Open the
in Enhance>Adjust Color, it works Enahnce>Adjust Color
in a similar way to the Color menu and pick Adjust
Range command, in that you use Color for Skin Tone.
an eyedropper to click on your Click on the person’s
image to select the colour to skin and Elements will
edit. There is a Fuzziness slider adjust the whole photo
to control the selection and then to improve the colour.
it’s just a case of using the Hue, If you need more
Saturation or Lightness sliders to correction, you can use
make the new colour that the Tan slider to boost/
you want to use. Thankfully the reduce warm tones
sliders make simple work of the or the Blush slider to
whole process. boost/reduce redness.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 35

Techniques WorldMags.net

AFTER

36 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMagsGe.tnto kentow gradients

Get toknow BEFORE
gradients

The Gradient tool can be extremely useful in all types
of Photoshop scenarios so take a closer look

The Gradient tool can be a very dynamic backgrounds and textures, and it www.photoshopcreative.co.uk, but any
exciting and underestimated can also be used to create masks and image you want to jazz up with a beautiful
feature. You shouldn’t be shy to feathered edges. You can even fake depth rainbow will work. You’ll also learn how to
use them, but if you are just use these of field through gradient masks for a use the Gradient tool to mask the cloudy
tips and tricks to get to know them a bit photographic touch. sky, so let’s jump right in and explore
better. They can be used in numerous some of the options.
ways to achieve several effects within Here we’ll show off the tool in full
your work, and when used cleverly they colour, as we teach you how to create a
can help you soften transitions from one rainbow using the Radial Gradient preset.
image or colour to another. The Gradient We’ve chosen a holiday snap from
tool can be used on its own to build Thailand for this example and you can
download that from the website,

The Gradient Editor

Use a gradient preset or load a new one

GRADIENT TYPE GRADIENT PRESETS

Choose your gradient type Choose one of the
here, or double-click to gradient presets or load
open the Gradient Editor. more via the toggle. They
all create different levels
and shading effects, so
try them all out and get
used to the many looks.

PLAY WITH VARIANTS

Adjust the colour stops to
alter your gradient precisely.
ThereÕs a lot of trial and error
here, and playing with the
variants can create different
effects and outcomes.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 37

Techniques WorldMags.net

Make a rainbow

Use the Gradient tool to create a simple rainbow

Make a new layer Select the Gradient tool

01 To explore the Gradient tool, creating a rainbow is ideal practice. 02 Select the Gradient tool from the Toolbar, click the
Download ‘Thailand.jpg’ from our site or use your own photo. Add drop-down arrow in the Options bar, then click the right

a new blank layer by clicking the New Layer icon at the bottom of the pointing arrow to see another menu. Pick Special Effects to see

palette and call it Rainbow. This will appear above the Background. new patterns appear.

Russell’s Rainbow Radial Gradient option Create a rainbow

03 Click on the Russell’s Rainbow 04 Click the Radial Gradient option. This 05 Click from outside the canvas on the
gradient. Hover your cursor over the works from the starting point to the left and drag to the right while

gradient thumbnail to find the correct one. ending point in a circular pattern and makes holding down Shift to keep the angle straight.

the rainbow appear as an arc. It is very Let go when you are happy – this will be trial

important that Transparency is switched on. and error. Now position the rainbow where

you want it on the image.

Gradient mask Final touches Experttip

06 Select the Gradient tool again, but 07 To go further and make the rainbow more Remember
this time use the first gradient in the realistic, adjust two simple settings. Set the shortcuts
menu as shown. With the Rainbow layer
selected, click the mask icon at the bottom Rainbow layer to Screen in the Blend Modes menu, In the fast-paced world of
of the palette. Click down and let go when creative design, it’s a good
you are happy with the angle. Have a play then set the Opacity to about 45%. Play with these idea to get to know all the
and if you make a mistake or are unhappy keyboard shortcuts. When
with the result, just press Ctrl/Cmd+Z. options until you are happy with the result. the Gradient tool is selected
(G), you can press the full
stop or period key (.) to
navigate through the gradient
styles. To Help menu contains
lists of shortcuts, or you can
find them out by looking
in menus or hovering over
tools with your cursor. You
obviously don’t have to use
shortcuts, but they do speed
things up with the tools and
techniques you use the most.

38 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMagsGe.tnto kentow gradients

Custom gradients Gradients explained

Making a gradient from scratch is often the best way to The Gradient tool works by gradually blending
achieve an effect – and it’s easier than you might think different colours. To do that you begin by deciding
what kind of blending effect you want – moving
from the middle or the outer edges, for example.
Choose an effect from the preset gradient fills
or create your own. These are the presets most
regularly used. Explore the options and be creative!

Gradient editor Linear Gradient

01 Creating a gradient is often an essential trick for Photoshop users whether Blends from the starting point to the ending
it’s for graphic design or photo editing. Select the tool and tick Radial
point in a straight line. Great for faking depth
Gradient. Click the Gradient Picker in the top menu to open the Gradient Editor.
of field in a photo or adding in a blue sky.

Radial Gradient

Works outwards from a centre point to make a
circle. Try a few different colours and see what
happens with this popular effect.

Change the colour Colours fading together Angle Gradient

02Alter the first colour of the 03 Double-click the bottom-right colour Works in a counterclockwise sweep from a
gradient by double-clicking stop and change it to red or a colour starting point. Good for creating fake metal.
Add some noise to grade and texture.
the bottom-left colour stop and you like. You should now see your two

changing it to blue. chosen colours fading together. Click OK.

Reflected Gradient

Mirrors a gradient from the start point.
Use it to Create metal bars/general metal
effects and fake reflected surfaces.

Alter the angle Finished radial gradient Diamond Gradient

04 Now click from the centre 05 You now have a radial gradient ready Creates a diamond-shape gradient from the
of the canvas and drag to to use! Play with more colours by start point. As the name might suggest, this one’s
perfect for diamond shapes and patterns.
the right holding Shift. Let go when selecting a default gradient with more colour

you are happy with the angle. options or play with the final effect by

adjusting the line and/or the angle.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 39

Techniques WorldMags.net

Spot healing

The Spot Healing Brush tool
is a fast way to get rid of
specks – just stamp and
watch the mark leave the
image’s surface.

BEFORE AFTER

Clone Stamp tool Dust & Scratches Chop it up

The Clone Stamp tool enables you to directly Any spots or small marks will disappear instantly Where the image has been permanently
place good pixels over bad ones. This is an using the Dust & Scratches filter. It’s found in the damaged in the corners, it’s time to cut and

effective feature for those slightly larger areas. Filter menu under the Noise options. paste surrounding areas over the top.

Rescue old photos
How to edit and reduce image defects in your archived collection

I mages of the past are not only filled with call upon, removing marks and blemishes should fractures, fading and damaged corners, and
memories but can also give an interesting be a breeze. Signs of aging come in the form of much more. When you think an image is
insight into what life was like back then. specks; both black and also white ones. These are beyond help, however, there is always a
From the poses they made and the clothes commonly seen on images or negatives that have technique that you can use in order to
people wore to the activities they got up to, been scanned in. Here we show you quick ways to rescue it. By using just a handful of the very
these images deserve our care and attention. remove these artefacts and defects. best tools that Elements has to offer, we
are able to reveal their original and
Retouching and rescuing damaged photos is But image degradation can take the shape flawless states.
quite simple. As long as you know which tool to of other kinds of marks, such as hairline

40 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.nResecute old photos

Dust & Scratches Removedustandscratches

ElementÕs Dust & Make light work of getting rid of unsightly marks
Scratches filter works
like magic on most old Use the Dust & Scratches filter if your image is speckled all over
images in order to clear with spots and scratches. What would otherwise be an arduous task
using a tool such as the Spot Healing Brush becomes a two-minute
up marks. job, and it’s all done for you!

Radius Your best bet

For this image the Radius For removing lots of tiny
amount was set to 2px. Look specks of dust in one go,
there really is no substitute
to remove the majority
(ideally all) of the spots by option in Elements.
increasing this slider. You may

only need a 1px Radius.

Threshold

Threshold will bring back
image details that were lost

after setting the Radius
amount. A Threshold of
20px worked here. Start
at 0 and work your way

up gradually.

BEFORE AFTER

SpotHealingBrushtool Takecontrolofimageswithadedicatedtool

Why this tool? Tool setup Paint away marks

01 If you want to be more accurate 02 Select the tool from the Toolbar 03 Adjust the size of the brush using
when removing marks than a blanket and go to the Options bar at the top. the [ and ] keys so that it’s just larger
filter effect can be, use the Spot Healing If your image has a paper texture to it, tick than the size of the mark being removed.
Brush tool. This is especially helpful for the Create Texture option. Otherwise, tick Now it’s just a matter of clicking once over
retouching damaged pixels around people, Proximity Match. Zoom in by holding Ctrl/ each speck to remove it. For longer marks,
as details in other areas go unaffected. Cmd and then tapping the + key. Open the click and drag to paint over them and they
Navigator palette from the Window menu to should disappear.
see how close you are.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 41

Techniques WorldMags.net

Clone,copy,paste

Restore damaged corners

Sometimes the corners and edges of an old
image can end up faded or even completely
destroyed, whether that’s because of the way
they were stored or just general wear and tear
over the years. We can restore these areas,
though, and to do so we need to combine the
Clone Stamp tool with the copy and paste
commands, which will cover these with
existing parts of the image.

BEFORE AFTER What
doesitmean?

DUPLICATE LAYERS ThereÕs no
limit to how times a layer can be
duplicated. We can continually select,
copy and paste parts of the image and
transform it until the damaged area
has been covered. When using the

Polygonal Lasso, select
different areas
for variation.

Pick the Clone Stamp Set opacity and hardness Stamp with the tool

01 Click on the Clone Stamp Tool in the 02 Keepthetool’sOpacityinthe 03 To use the Clone Stamp tool, hold
toolbar. Drag the Background onto Options bar set to 100% to create a Alt/Opt and then click on a part of
solid stamp of pixels on your image. Click the your image that’s next to the damaged area.
the Create a New Layer button to duplicate brush mark icon in the Options bar and then Release Alt/Opt and click once over the
select a soft-edged brush. This keeps the damaged pixels to replace them with your
it. This preserves the original. results nice and smooth. Set the brush size to sample. Repeat this process until the entire
slightly bigger than the area you want to clone. area has been covered up.

Polygonal Marquee tool Copy and paste Transform to fit

04 For the corners of an image that 05 Make a selection with this tool by 06 This new layer contains the pasted
are completely destroyed, select clicking and drawing lines over an pixels. Use the Move tool to drag
the Polygonal Marquee tool from the area of good pixels. Join the ends together this new patch over the damaged area.
Toolbar. This enables us to make a selection to complete the selection and then press Press Ctrl/Cmd+T to activate the Transform
of an area in the image to copy and paste Ctrl/Cmd+C. Now press Ctrl/Cmd+V and command. Hold Shift and click and drag on
over the corners. you should notice a new layer appear. a corner of the area to enlarge it.

42 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.nResecute old photos

Blend new area Duplicate patch Merge layers

07 After resizing and placing the new 08 Drag the layer of this patched area 09 Each time you copy and paste a
area, select the Eraser tool. Pick a onto the Create a New Layer icon in selected area, it will be given its own
nice, soft brush and then paint away the the Layers palette to duplicate it. Move the layer. Once this has been positioned and
hard sides of the new section to blend it into area to a new position and erase any blended in using the Eraser tool, you can
the image for a seamless appearance. obviously repeating pixels. By duplicating press Ctrl/Cmd+E to merge the layer with
layers and resizing them, you should end up the one below. By repeatedly merging these
with a good section over the damaged area. areas, they’ll be included in the next
selection with the Polygonal Marquee tool.

New layer UnsharpMask

When you’ve selected Reduce blurriness in an old image
the subject for
Sharpening images is also an important part
sharpening, place the of the retouching process and should be
area onto a new layer done as the last few steps after cloning and
patching up areas. This is because if you
by pressing Ctrl/ sharpen before you have completely cleaned
Cmd+J. up the picture, you will end up sharpening
and enhancing the defects. With the help of
a selection over the main subject, you can
selectively apply sharpening to the image
and bring out what’s important.

Quick Selection Sharpening “With the help of a selection…
selectively apply sharpening to
We used the Quick Selection You access the Unsharp
tool to apply a selection to Mask feature by going to bring out what’s important”
Enhance>Unsharp Mask.
the boy in this old image. The
Magic Wand tool is also handy

for quickly laying
down a selection.

Unsharp Mask The Photoshop Elements Book 43

By setting the Amount to 114
in the filter and Radius to 1.8,
more edges are sharpened.
Depending on the size of the
subject, you’ll need to adjust

these two carefully.

WorldMags.net

Techniques WorldMags.net

Click this arrow to see more options and to What
load or replace the current brush set. doesitmean?

APPEND If you’ve
selected a brush set beyond
the basics, Elements will ask

if you want to append or
replace. Appending keeps

the basic set visible,
adding the new tips

to it.

Use the slider to alter
the size of the brush.

Click on the
brush preview
to access the
different brush

tips.

Use brushes effectively
Brushes crop up everywhere in Elements so it is
important to understand how they work

Brushes are obviously linked with The Elements brush tips vary are using and the Brush options enables
digital painting, but they are also dramatically. You have the choice of you to control what they look like. You
vital to a lot of other Elements simple round or square ones, all the way can even make your own.
tools. They are incredibly powerful and up to ones that mimic the kind of
thankfully enable you to create a lot of paintbrushes you’d find in an art shop. Here, we will show you how to select,
different effects. It’s really easy to change which tip you load and edit a brush to do whatever you
wish it to do.

44 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMagUsse.bnrueshtes effectively

Select and control brushes Showthebrushwhoisboss

Pick a brush Make a change More options

01 Thefirststepinpickingabrushis 02 YoucanalsousetheToolOptionsbar 03 You have other choices for
selecting the Brush tool from the to control how a brush looks. The controlling brushes in the Tool
Toolbar. It is easy to spot – it looks like a brush! setting you will use most is Size, which uses a Options bar as well. For example, you can
Click the brush preview in the Tool Options slider. Simply drag left to make smaller and pick a blend mode for the brush to work in,
bar to select the brush you want. right to make bigger. set the Opacity and also pick controls for
working with a graphics tablet.

Change a brush set Pickandchoose

Get to the sets Your new brushes Go back to before

01 WiththeBrushtoolselected,gotothe 02 Thenewbrusheswillappearinyour 03 Ifyouevergetswampedinthe
Tool Options bar and click on the Brush Brush Picker. Simply click on one to different brushes you have picked,
Picker. Once it opens, click the Brushes pick it. If you hover over the brushes, a click the right-pointing arrows in the Brush
drop-down arrow and scroll down the brush descriptive name will pop up helping you to Picker and then select the Reset Brushes
choices. Click one to pick it. decide exactly which to use. option. This takes you back to the default.

Load brushes Addtothe collection

Load and go Pick it Permanent fixture

01 WithyourBrushtoolactive,clickthe 02 Navigatetothebrushfile,clickitand 03 Thebrush(orbrushes)willappearin
right arrow in the Brush Picker and then press the Load button. You are the Brush Picker. To make it a
permanent resident, add it to the Brush
select Load Brushes. looking for an .abr file. Support Files folder, found within the
Elements Applications folder.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 45

Techniques WorldMags.net

Sharpen your images

Use two simple techniques in Photoshop Elements to remove subtle blurring

BEFORE Blurred shot

✗Without sharpening,
the bird’s feathers
lack definition and the
overall image is softer
than it should be.

AFTER

After sharpening up the
image, the highlights have
much more detail and the

outline of the bird is far
more defined.

46 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMagsSh.anrpeentyour images

Not every image you take will come out pixel appears when printed out. When taking 3 of the best
the camera pin-sharp. The chances are your photos, be aware of over-blurring images
that they may still come out slightly soft, because sometimes the blurring is too severe Waystoavoidblurryshots
or even with blurred subjects in some cases. and can’t be rescued.
This is where sharpening comes in, bringing Keep steady
back essential crispness to the shot. The techniques shown here use two
diferent filters and approaches. The High Pass Avoid camera shake and keep
Photoshop Elements 10 has some of the filter uses an extra grey layer on top of the your camera still by resting it on a
best tools to counteract blurring. The two photo. This layer is given a blend mode and a hard surface or by using a tripod
methods described here require little to no touch of filter to bring details into your images. if you have one.
knowledge of the software, learned skill, or The Unsharp Mask filter is a similar method,
artistic aptitude. but instead, the filter is applied directly on to Use autofocus
the image, where you can see the results
The best way to see how sharp your image straight away. So open an image and get Half press your shutter before you
looks is by zooming in. Zoom until you reach cracking with these quick steps. take the shot to ensure your
100% magnification, as this shows how each camera’s autofocus has time to
lock onto the subject.
“Some images might come out soft, but
sharpening brings back crispness to the shot”

Sharpening methods Easywaystosharpenshots

Duplicate the layer Apply filter Select the focus

01 The first and most important step 02 To apply the High Pass filter, go to If your camera has them, use your
when using this method is to make a the Filter menu at the top. Select autofocus selection points to more
copy of the image’s layer. In Elements 10, High Pass, which is found inside Other. The accurately select what the camera
find the Layers panel and simply drag and High Pass dialog pops up, and you need to focuses on.
drop the Background layer on to the Create adjust the Radius slider until you see strong
A New Layer button at the base of the panel. definition in the edges of subjects.

Change blend mode Unsharp method Set variables

03 When you’re happy with the amount 04 Another way to sharpen a photo is 05 In the Unsharp Mask dialog, tick
of Radius in the High Pass dialog, hit using the Unsharp Mask option. Preview. Set Amount to 100%,
OK. The photograph will be completely grey With a blurry image open, in Photoshop Radius to 2.0 pixels, and Threshold to 0
at this point. To apply this sharpening, go to Elements 10 go to the top of the interface levels. This gives an average amount of
the Layers panel and change the Mode from into the Enhance menu. The Unsharp Mask sharpening for slightly-blurred images. For
Normal to Hard Light. is found at the bottom of this menu. extreme blurring, push the amounts further.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 47

Techniques WorldMags.net

Levels adjustment

The Levels adjustment
shows the balance of
exposure through your
image. Shadows are dealt
with on the left and the
highlights on the right.

Brightness/Contrast Shadows/
Highlights
The Brightness/Contrast
adjustment is split into two. Use Shadows/Highlights
Brightness first, then Contrast to target specific areas
second. This gives a quick boost and alter exposure. The
results are more instant
to the overall exposure. than the others, but it’s

harder to work with.

Shadow areas

Adjustments can help
lighten up areas steeped in
dark shadow, such as the

grass in this image.

Improve exposure

Adjustments and masks can produce stunning changes to images

E xposure is not easy to get right, and Problems can quickly arise when images more difficult method using multiple masks
even with your camera set to autopilot have either too much light (overexposed) or We suggest giving all three a try and
it can still produce mixed results for the too little light (underexposed). There are even experimenting in order to find out exactly
final image. The term exposure is a way of images that can have both, which prove which one has the desired effect.
describing how much light has been captured. difficult to adjust and turn into a normal-
For an image to looks its best, correct looking shot. Whether you want to make the subject of a
exposure is key and there are a number of portrait brighter or lighten up a landscape,
ways to ensure this and create a better The techniques we take you through in this we’re sure there’s a technique here for you
balance of lighting throughout compositions. tutorial range from using a basic adjustment, that will put your exposure right. Take a closer
such as the Brightness/Contrast, to a slightly look and decide for yourself.

48 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net

WorldMags.nImeprotve exposure

Brightness Getofftheground

The Brightness slider Start with the Brightness/Contrast adjustment
determines how much light is
Your first port of call for improving exposure should be
added into the image. the Brightness/Contrast adjustment. Using only two
sliders, the adjustment provides the essential edits for
Contrast altering the strength of light and contrast of highlights
and shadows. It’s the easiest adjustment out of them
The Contrast slider changes all, and results can be seen very quickly.
the intensity of the light
that’s in the image.

Shadows

The Contrast slider will darken
shadows. Look for the darkest part of
your image and decide on how much

detail needs to be there.

Highlights

Look to bring the highlights

in your image to a bright

white, but not bleached out.

Bringlifebackintoimages

Brightness and contrast improved in no time

Load adjustment Adjust brightness Boost contrast

01 Find the Brightness/Contrast 02 The first thing to do is boost the 03 With the Brightness set, you’re now
adjustment from inside the Enhance Brightness slider. This affects the ready to increase the Contrast slider.
menu under Adjust Lighitng. Usually, if an entire image in terms of exposure. Take this Start by moving this to the same value. This
image needs brightening up then it needs an slider up to a point where the highlights start to gives an even balance, but it won’t do it any
increase in contrast too. lose detail, but not entirely. harm pushing it up more for extra impact.

WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 49

Techniques WorldMags.net

Improve exposure with Levels and masks BEFORE

The Levels adjustment is ideal for balancing lighting in your image

There is absolutely nothing stopping you from foreground, so its exposure needed to be
using two or more adjustments in one image to balanced. By using a mask we were able to
alter lighting. In this portrait, the background darken the background and lighten the person
was considerably lighter than the person in the in separate stages.

Masksandmore AFTER

Have extra control over exposure

The Quick Selection tool

01 The Quick Selection tool is available in
Elements 6 and above. Select the tool

and tick Auto-Enhance in the Options bar.

Diameter can be set to 50px to begin with.

Select the person Load Levels Adjust Levels

02 Draw over the main person or object in 03 From inside the Layers palette, open up 04 The main subject should be singled out
your image to form a selected area. The the adjustment options. Pick on the and the Levels adjustment can be
tool will find the edges of your subject and edited. Move the far-right marker under the
wherever you draw with the tool. Lower the Levels adjustment and you should see the graph to brighten the subject. Move the middle
Diameter value for smaller parts. of the three to boost brightness.
selection added to the adjustment mask.

Load and flip selection Levels number two Darken background

05 To reload the selection around the 06 With the background now highlighted 07 Darken or lighten the background parts
main subject, Ctrl/Cmd-click on the as a selection, add another Levels of your image using the Levels
layer mask of the Levels adjustment. Go to adjustment. You’ll see a new adjustment layer adjustment layer. If it needs darkening, slide the
Select>Inverse to flip the area over to the with a mask but this time the white areas are far-left marker over to the right, and the middle
background, ready for the next adjustment. black and vice versa. marker to the right too.

50 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net