Adobe Photoshop CS6 Bible E-Book

Brad Dayley

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Serie: Bible
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1400

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

The comprehensive, soup-to-nuts guide to Photoshop, fully updated Photoshop CS6, used for both print and digital media, is the industry leader in image-editing software. The newest version adds some exciting new features, and this bestselling guide has been revised to cover each of them, along with all the basic information you need to get started. Learn to use all the tools, including the histogram palette, Lens Blur, Match Color, and the color replacement tool, as well as keyboard shortcuts. Then master retouching and color correction, work with Camera Raw images, prepare photos for print or the web, and much more. * Photoshop has the broadest user base of any professional-level graphics application, ranging from photo hobbyists to professionals in graphic design, publishing, video editing, animation, and broadcasting * This comprehensive guide has what beginners need to know as well as intermediate-level information on key tools and procedures * Features a 16-page full-color insert and a companion website with tutorials, including JPEG and PSD files of images from the book * Covers image-editing basics, the File Browser, histogram palette, Lens Blur, Match Color, the color replacement tool, and customizable keyboard shortcuts * Delves into techniques for working with Camera Raw images; how to retouch, color-correct, manipulate, and combine images; and all the new features and enhancements in the latest version Photoshop CS6 Bible is the one reference book every Photoshop user needs.

Leseprobe

Photoshop® CS6 Bible

Table of Contents

Part I: Getting Started with Adobe Photoshop CS6

Chapter 1: Introducing Adobe Photoshop CS6

Discovering the Versatile World of Photoshop

Knowing when to use Photoshop

Understanding the limitations of Photoshop

Looking at What's New in Photoshop CS6

Summary

Chapter 2: Exploring the Photoshop Workspace

Touring the Workspace

Cruising the Photoshop menu bar

Looking at the document workspace

Understanding the Toolbox and tool options bar

Understanding panels

Using workspace presets

Exploring the Photoshop Menu Bar

Using the File menu

Exploring the Edit menu

Using the Image menu

Understanding the Layer menu

Examining the Type menu

Using the Select menu

Exploring the Filter menu

Understanding the 3D menu

Using the View menu

Exploring the Window menu

Using the Help menu

Exploring Panels

Understanding the Tools in the Toolbox

Configuring Presets

Selecting tool presets

Managing presets

Creating presets

Setting Preferences

Updating General preferences

Arranging Interface preferences

Setting File Handling preferences

Adjusting Performance preferences

Configuring Cursors preferences

Setting Transparency and Gamut preferences

Using Units and Rulers preferences

Adjusting Guides, Grid, and Slices preferences

Configuring Plug-ins preferences

Setting Type preferences

Adjusting 3D preferences

Customizing Shortcuts and Menus

Customizing menus

Customizing shortcuts

Summary

Chapter 3: Performing Image Basics

Exploring File Types

Understanding compressed versus uncompressed

Using raster versus vector

Introducing HDR images

Understanding image files

Understanding video files

Supporting 3D file formats

Supporting the DICOM file format

Creating and Opening Images

Creating a new image

Opening an existing image

Opening an existing image as a specific file type

Saving an image

Resizing Files and Adjusting Resolution

Understanding resolution

Changing the image size and resolution

Changing the canvas size

Cropping and Straightening Images

Using general guidelines for cropping a photo

Cropping an image

Straightening an image

Trimming a border

Summary

Chapter 4: Understanding Colors, Histograms, Levels, and Curves

Knowing Color Basics

Understanding color

Looking at color, intensity, and the human eye

Understanding Channels and Levels

Adjusting with Histograms

Understanding histograms

Using the Histogram panel

Adjusting images with the histogram tools

Adjusting levels with the Curves tool

Working in Different Color Modes

Understanding the different color modes

Learning about bits per channel

Choosing Colors

Choosing colors with the Color Picker tool

Using the Color panel

Using the Swatches panel

Selecting color from an image with the Eyedropper tool

Understanding the Color Sampler tool

Using the HUD Color Picker

Summary

Chapter 5: Applying History and Actions

Understanding Photoshop's Non-Destructive Features

Using the History Panel

Understanding the History panel

Painting from history

Creating and Using Automated Actions

Understanding the Actions panel

Loading existing action sets

Creating custom actions

Editing actions

Playing actions

Managing the action list

Summary

Chapter 6: Using Bridge to Organize and Process Files

Working in the Bridge Workspaces

Examining the Bridge utility

Using the Bridge workspaces

Organizing Files in Bridge

Importing images from cameras and card readers

Working with image metadata

Assigning ratings and labels to files

Assigning keywords to files

Renaming files

Finding files

Using collections

Creating stacks

Deleting versus rejecting files

Processing Images Using Bridge and Photoshop

Opening images in Photoshop

Processing Multiple Files Using the Batch Interface

Using the Image Processor Interface

Merging photos

Creating PDFs and Web Galleries

Using the Mini-Bridge Tool in Photoshop

Summary

Part II: Working with Camera Raw Images

Chapter 7: Exploring Camera Raw Basics

Looking at Camera Raw Benefits

Keeping original CMOS information

Editing non-destructively

Saving time

Understanding Camera Raw File Types

Creating an XMP sidebar file

Converting RAW formats to DNG files

Opening Images in Camera Raw

Getting to Know the Camera Raw Workspace

Changing Your Workflow Options

Setting the color space

Choosing a bit depth

Adjusting image size

Setting the resolution

Applying output sharpening

Opening images as Smart Objects

Setting Preferences

Saving images

Changing the default image settings

Modifying the Camera Raw cache

Handling DNG files

Handling JPEG and TIFF file formats

Using the Camera Raw Panel Menu

Creating Snapshots

Saving Presets

Exporting Camera Raw Files

Summary

Chapter 8: Processing Photos with Camera Raw

Getting to Know the Camera Raw Tools

Synchronizing Adjustments in Multiple RAW Images

Adjusting the White Balance

Using the White Balance tool

Changing the lighting settings

Using the Temperature and Tint sliders

Adjusting Lighting

Adjusting Color and Clarity

Tweaking clarity, vibrance, and saturation

Adjusting the Tone Curve

Adjusting hue, saturation, and luminance

Creating a grayscale photo

Using Split Toning

Correcting and Retouching

Cloning and spot removal

Removing red-eye

Using the Adjustment Brush

Creating a Graduated Filter

Creating Artistic Effects

Adding grain to your image

Adding a vignette

Correcting Camera Quirks

Making lens corrections

Setting camera calibration

Reducing Noise and Adjusting Sharpness

Reducing noise

Sharpening

Summary

Part III: Working with Selections, Layers, and Channels

Chapter 9: Creating Selections

Getting Familiar with the Select Menu

Using the Selection Tools

Exploring the Marquee tools

Looking at the Lasso tools

Examining the Quick Selection tools

Refining Your Selection

Adjusting a selection

Refining the edges

Using the Color Range Selector

Summary

Chapter 10: Learning All About Layers

Introducing Layers

Understanding multiple layers

Adding new layers

Using the Layer Menus

Getting to know the Layer menu

Getting to know the Layers panel menu

Looking at the Layers Panel

Filtering layers

Changing the Opacity and Fill settings

Changing the lock settings

Blending modes

Linking layers

Creating layer styles, layer masks, and fill and adjustment layers

Grouping layers

Creating a blank layer

Throwing layers away

Applying Worry-Free Fill and Adjustment Layers

Choosing a fill or adjustment layer

Learning the basics of fill layers

Learning the basics of adjustment layers

Editing the properties of a fill or adjustment layer

Creating Layer Style Special Effects

Choosing a layer style

Adjusting layer style options

Creating a separate layer from a layer style

Creating Smart Objects

Converting a layer to a Smart Object

Adding Smart Filters

Making changes to Smart Filters

Manipulating Layer Masks

Creating masks

Editing masks

Unlinking and moving masks

Creating Layer Comps

Merging Layers

Summary

Chapter 11: Exploring Channels

Understanding Color Channels

Using the Channel Mixer

Mixing colors with the Channel Mixer

Swapping colors

Converting color to grayscale

Using the Channels Panel

Selecting channels

Deleting channels

Duplicating channels

Splitting and merging channels

Sharing channels between images

Making Channel Selections

Understanding the Alpha Channel

Creating alpha channels

Loading selections from alpha channels

Modifying alpha channels

Understanding alpha channels versus layer masks

Changing the channel options for alpha channels

Using Spot Color Channels

Creating a spot color channel

Merging spot color channels

Removing ink overlap using spot color channels

Summary

Part IV: Enhancing, Correcting, and Retouching Images

Chapter 12: Optimizing Adjustment Workflow

Understanding Workflow

Making Auto Adjustments

Creating Adjustment Layers

Making Adjustments Using the Properties Panel

Summary

Chapter 13: Lighting and Color Adjustments

Applying Quick Adjustments to Light and Color

Adjusting brightness and contrast versus exposure

Changing the color balance

Making selective color adjustments

Applying Photo Filter to images

Replacing specific colors

Using the Variations tool

Changing the shadows and highlights in images

Creating customized black-and-white photos

Fine-Tuning Hue and Saturation

Using the Hue/Saturation tool

Adjusting the hue and saturation to make colors pop

Adjusting Levels

Using the Levels adjustment tool

Configuring the Auto Levels adjustment

Adjusting levels to increase detail in images

Making Adjustments with Curves

Using the Curves tool

Configuring the Curves tool

Configuring the Auto Curves tool

Adjusting the curve to correct color and contrast in images

Using the Match Color Tool to Change Colors

Working with HDR Images

Creating HDR images

Converting HDR images to 8 bits per channel

Summary

Chapter 14: Applying Sharpness, Blur, and Noise Adjustments

Using Sharpening Filters to Sharpen Images

Understanding basic sharpening filters

Using the Unsharp Mask filter

Applying Smart Sharpen

Using Blur Filters to Soften Images

Understanding the automatic blur filters

Using the Gaussian, Box, and Shape Blur filters

Creating a direction blur

Adding a Surface Blur

Applying a Smart Blur

Faking Lens Blur

Introducing the Blur Gallery

Reducing Noise in an Image

Using the Despeckle filter

Applying a Median filter

Reducing dust and scratches

Reducing noise

Adding noise

Summary

Chapter 15: Cleaning Up Digital Images with Cloning and Healing Tools

Using the Healing Brush Tools

Using the Spot Healing Brush

Using the Healing Brush

Fixing larger blemishes with the Patch tool

Using the Content-Aware fill

Using the Remix tool

Fixing red-eye

Using the Clone Stamp Tool

Looking over the Clone Stamp options

Learning the basics of cloning

Utilizing the Clone Source panel

Using the Clone and Healing Brushes Together for Optimal Effect

Fixing damaged photos

Swapping faces with multiple images

Summary

Part V: Using Paint, Paths, Shapes, and Text Tools

Chapter 16: Editing with Paintbrush Tools

Painting in Photoshop

Understanding the Painting Tools

Working with painting tools in blending modes

Applying color with painting tools

Painting with editing tools

Painting with mixing tools

Using the Brush Panel

Selecting the brush tip shape

Setting the brush behavior

Using the Brush Presets panel

Painting with Non-Brush Painting Tools

Applying paint to layers

Filling a selection with a color or pattern

Applying a gradient fill

Creating custom gradients

Applying Painting Techniques

Painting from a blank canvas

Tracing edges from an existing image

Using wet paint on an existing image

Summary

Chapter 17: Working with Paths and Vector Shapes

Understanding Paths

Building path components

Defining types of paths

Exploring the Vector Path

Using the Pen tools

Using the Path Selection tools

Understanding the Paths panel

Free transforming paths

Exploring Paths

Creating a path

Creating vector shapes from paths

Creating a clipping mask

Creating vector masks

Using Vector Shape Tools

Working with vector shape tools

Adding vector shape layers

Adding custom vector shapes

Editing a vector shape

Summary

Chapter 18: Working with Text

Learning a Little Bit about Text

Using the Text Tools to Add Text to Images

Setting type preferences

Using the text tools to add text

Editing vector text layers

Using the Character panel

Applying Paragraph panel settings

Using the Character and Paragraph Styles panels

Applying Text to Images

Adding text on a path

Constraining text using a vector shape

Adding text in a Smart Object

Applying text as a mask

Summary

Part VI: Creating Artistic Effects

Chapter 19: Distorting Images

Using Transformations

Understanding the importance of the reference point

Scaling images

Rotating images

Skewing images

Distorting images

Changing the perspective of images

Using the Warp transformation

Using free transform

Using the Content-Aware Scale feature

Using the Puppet Warp tool

Having Fun with the Liquify Filter

Identifying the Liquify tools

Looking at Tool Options

Saving a mesh

Restoring your image with Reconstruct and Restore All

Modifying the Mask Options selections

Using the View Options

Changing Perspective with Vanishing Point

Correcting Wide-Angle Lens Distortions

Summary

Chapter 20: Applying Filters

Looking at Artistic Effects Filters

Exploring Artistic filters

Discovering Brush Stroke filters

Examining Distort filters

Checking out the Pixelate filters

Considering the Render filters

Looking into the Sketch filters

Using the Stylize filters

Delving into Texture filters

Defining the Other menu

Exploring the Filter Gallery

Looking at the preview pane

Checking out the filter thumbnail pane

Looking at the options pane

Using Smart Objects to Make Filter Adjustments

Creating a Custom Filter

Summary

Chapter 21: Combining Images

Creating Seamless Composites

Combining files

Adjusting and transforming new layers

Blending composite files

Using Multiple Images to Create a Photo Collage

Using Photomerge to Create a Panorama

Summary

Part VII: Working with 3D Images

Chapter 22: Creating and Manipulating 3D Objects

Understanding 3D File Formats

Looking at the 3D Workspace

Looking at the 3D panel

Learning about the Properties panel when 3D objects are selected

Looking at 3D objects in the Layers panel

Finding the 3D tools

Using the Picture in Picture window

Opening and Placing 3D Files in Photoshop

Creating 3D Files in Photoshop

Selecting a source for a 3D object

Creating a 3D postcard

Creating a 3D Extrusion

Making a 3D shape from a preset

Creating a 3D mesh from a depth map

Creating a 3D volume

Manipulating 3D Objects

Using the 3D tools

Using the 3D Axis Widget

Typing in coordinates for your 3D object

Summary

Chapter 23: Editing 3D Scenes and Settings

Looking at the 3D Panel

Working with a Whole 3D Scene

Changing the properties of a 3D environment

Setting the properties of a 3D scene

Changing the Current View

Working with Mesh Layers

Editing the Textures and Materials of a 3D Object

Editing textures

Editing materials

Creating and Modifying 3D Lights

Adding new lights

Positioning lights

Changing the properties of a 3D light

Summary

Chapter 24: Using Photoshop Tools with 3D Layers

Using 3D Paint Mode

Hiding areas on a 3D object

Painting on a 3D object

Adjustments, Layer Styles, and Filters

Applying an adjustment to a 3D layer

Adding a layer style to a 3D layer

Applying a filter to a 3D layer

Using 3D layers as Smart Objects

Creating Composites

Flying a carpet over a lake

Giving the moon away

Summary

Part VIII: Working with Video and Animation

Chapter 25: Understanding Video Editing Basics

Working with Video Files

Setting aspect ratios

Using video filters

Understanding the Features of the Timeline Panel

Adjusting time in the Timeline panel

Using the work area of the Timeline panel

Using the icons on the Timeline panel

Exploring the options in the Timeline panel menu

Accessing the Video Layers menu

Setting clip favorites

Creating video groups

Opening and Placing Video Files

Opening a video file

Adding additional video files

Importing image sequences

Trimming Video Clips

Dragging the clip duration bar

Trimming clips using the Timeline menu option

Moving Video Clips

Changing the clip hierarchy

Dragging clips inside the clip duration bar

Moving the clip start and clip end points

Splitting Clips

Lifting and Extracting Unwanted Sections of Video

Lifting a section of a video clip

Extracting a section of a video clip

Adding Still Shots or Other Elements to a Video Project

Adding a blank layer

Adding a text layer

Placing an image file

Adding or placing a 3D model

Summary

Chapter 26: Animating in the Timeline Panel

Creating and Editing Keyframes

Creating keyframes

Editing keyframes

Setting interpolation

Creating comments

Animating the Position of a Layer

Getting keyframe placement right

Animating positions in multiple layers

Using Smart Objects to Animate Transformations

Animating the Opacity Setting

Using Keyframes to Animate Layer Styles

Animating the Global Lighting

Using Keyframes to Animate Text

Animating Masks

Building 3D Animations

Learning the Basics of Rotoscoping

Creating a new video layer

Creating modified frames

Using onion skins

Restoring frames

Animating DICOM Files

Summary

Chapter 27: Correcting Video Files and Adding Artistic Effects

Enhancing Layers with Color Corrections

Unclipping an adjustment layer

Changing the duration of an adjustment layer

Applying Smart Filters to Video Files

Cloning and Healing Over an Entire Video Layer

Modifying Video Clips Frame by Frame

Adding an adjustment to a single frame

Adding a filter to a single frame

Cloning and healing video files

Locking the source frame

Summary

Chapter 28: Animating Using Frames

Using the Timeline Panel's Frame Animation Interface

Using the panel features

Looking at the frame animation Timeline panel menu

Using the animation features in the Layers panel

Creating Tweened Frame Animations

Opening an image to animate

Creating keyframes

Tweening keyframes

Creating a Frame-by-Frame Animation

Creating an animation from a layered image

Building an animation in the animation version of the Timeline panel

Rendering Video

Summary

Part IX: Using Advanced Output Techniques

Chapter 29: Printing and Color Management

Understanding the Importance of Color Accuracy and Consistency

Understanding ICC color profiles

Embedding color profiles in image files

Using device-independent color profiles

Calibrating Color for Monitors and Printers

Using Color Management in Photoshop

Configuring color settings in Photoshop

Assigning color profiles to images

Converting images to other color profiles

Proofing images using color management

Printing Images from Photoshop

Configuring general printing options

Using color management to print accurate colors

Adding crop marks and additional output to printed images

Summary

Chapter 30: Creating Images for the Web

Preparing Images for the Web

Understanding web image formats

Selecting the right color profile

Slicing images for web use

Adding transparency to images

Animating images

Outputting Images to the Web

Using the preview layout and toolbar

Setting File output options

Manipulating the Color Table

Setting the image size

Previewing animation controls

Previewing output in a browser

Adding Zoomable Images to Websites

Summary

Chapter 31: Automating and Scripting Workflow in Photoshop

Automating Workflow in Photoshop

Batching multiple images

Creating droplets to process images

Using Scripting to Speed Up Workflow

Using the Photoshop scripts

Using stack modes to analyze multiple images and reduce noise

Scripting workflow events

Summary

Part X: Appendixes

Appendix A: Timesaving Keyboard Shortcuts

Appendix B: Extending the Capabilities of Photoshop with Plug-Ins

Appendix C: Finding Resources

Photoshop® CS6 Bible

Lisa DaNae Dayley Brad Dayley

Photoshop® CS6 Bible

Published byJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.10475 Crosspoint BoulevardIndianapolis, IN 46256www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

ISBN: 978-1-118-12388-1

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

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Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Photoshop is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some content that appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats. For more information about John Wiley & Sons, Inc. products, visit us atwww.wiley.com.

BradFor D, A, & F!

DaNaeAs always, to Brad, my hero, my biggest fan, my best friend. Always and Forever.

About the Authors

Brad Dayley is a senior software engineer with almost 22 years of experience creating computer software. He has been working with Photoshop for 21 years, enjoying the transition of Photoshop from a simple image editor to the powerhouse it is today. He is the author of several books. He is an avid amateur photographer and spends most of his free time in the remote areas of the western United States with his wife DaNae and four sons (wherever a Jeep can get them).

DaNae Dayley has been working with Photoshop for 18 years and is still constantly amazed at the cool stuff it can do! With a degree in Advertising from Brigham Young University, DaNae has owned and operated a media creation business for 17 years, incorporating writing, graphic design, and video editing over the years. She also enjoys teaching Photoshop classes locally. She has co-authored several books with her husband Brad Dayley and is the author of Photoshop CS3 Extended Video and 3D Bible and Roxio Easy Media Creator 8 in a Snap. DaNae lives in Utah with her husband Brad and their four sons. When she is not at her computer, she can be found in the great outdoors (with a camera), preferably in a Jeep!

Credits

Senior Acquisitions Editor

Stephanie McComb

Project Editor

Jade L. Williams

Technical Editor

Dennis Cohen

Copy Editor

Marylouise Wiack

Editorial Director

Robyn Siesky

Business Manager

Amy Knies

Senior Marketing Manager

Sandy Smith

Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Richard Swadley

Vice President and Executive Publisher

Barry Pruett

Project Coordinator

Patrick Redmond

Graphics and Production Specialist

Andrea Hornberger

Quality Control Technician

Melissa Cossell

Proofreading

Evelyn Wellborn

Indexing

BIM Indexing & Proofreading Services

Vertical Websites Project Manager

Richard Graves

Acknowledgments

Our sincere gratitude goes out to the following persons, without whom this book could not have happened:

Our wonderful boys who once again, sacrificed time with their mom and dad and took on extra chores so that we could have fun with our favorite hobby; playing with Photoshop and teaching others to love it as much as we do.

To our editors who made the book readable and technically accurate and kept us on track, you really rock. Thanks to Stephanie McComb for her positive attitude in keeping us on track and getting the project moving in the right direction. Thanks to Jade Williams whose tireless efforts to create a polished end product are much appreciated. Careful; one of these days we might actually get all the rules down and you might be out of a job! (Don't hurt yourself laughing; we all know it's not going to happen!) Thanks to Marylouise Wiack for keeping us “active” and cleaning up our act. We can honestly say that we loved your edits! And thanks to Dennis Cohen for using your technical expertise to watch our back and improve the quality of the book. We appreciated the fresh perspective and Mac point of view; it helped us out on many occasions. Also, thanks to the entire staff at Wiley who was very professional in helping get this project out the door.

And last, but not least, our thanks go out to the talented photographers who have so generously contributed their fantastic photos to this work: Becky Diamond for her phenomenal wedding photos; and Janece Winder of Orange Works Photography and Design, who contributed wonderful photos of all kinds.

Introduction

Welcome to the Photoshop CS6 Bible, the latest edition of the bestselling reference guide on Photoshop in publishing history. Now in its 18th year, the Photoshop Bible is the longest continuously published title on Adobe Photoshop. With numerous U.S. editions, dozens of localized translations around the globe, and hundreds of thousands of copies in print worldwide, the Photoshop Bible has become a must-have for Photoshop users worldwide.

We have done our very best to accurately and directly address the vast majority of functionality, features, tools, and techniques wrapped up in your Photoshop package. As you may notice throughout the book, we love Photoshop and like to tell you about the great features it has to offer. You may also notice that when something doesn't work well or is awkward, we don't hesitate to let you know. Our intent is to give you the best experience using Photoshop.

Is This Book for You?

Photoshop tends to collect users from a variety of backgrounds. From casual users just playing around to professional graphic designers creating professional materials to digital artists creating fantastic artwork to medical technicians analyzing patient images, Photoshop has something for everyone. In fact, there really isn't one specific group that you could call average Photoshop users.

Therefore, with that in mind, the Photoshop CS6 Bible is designed to provide enough information so experienced Photoshop users can get more out of Photoshop, but also so someone who has little or no experience with Photoshop can quickly pick up on its interface and become an expert in no time. We discuss advanced techniques and add step-by-step examples to the more complex editing concepts. Although the book is large, most sections in the book are self-contained, so experienced users can simply look up tools when they need help.

This book is really designed to be a desktop reference, but it offers more than just a quick description of the tools and features. We have incorporated examples designed to guide you through various techniques, provide our experience in tips and suggestions, and try to give you a jumpstart on how to leverage the features in Photoshop.

The specific purpose of this book is to provide you with the understanding you need to get the very best results. So sit back, load up Photoshop, and enjoy the ride!

How This Book Is Organized

This book is divided into ten parts with an accompanying website.

Part I: Getting Started with Adobe Photoshop CS6

In Part I, we introduce Photoshop and the basic workspace to familiarize you with Photoshop. We introduce you to the basics of file formats as well as opening, saving, and resizing images in Photoshop. We discuss the basics of color as it relates to images, and how to use the Photoshop tools to modify the color composition of an image. Then we show you how to use the History and Actions panels in your workflow as you begin editing images. Finally, we introduce you to Adobe Bridge, a separate application that allows you to organize and process your images.

Part II: Working with Camera Raw Images

In Part II, we discuss the basics of Camera Raw images, and how to use the Adobe Camera Raw interface to edit images before opening them in Photoshop. The purpose of this part is to familiarize you with Camera Raw image editing so you can incorporate it into your editing workflow.

Part III: Working with Selections, Layers, and Channels

In Part III, we discuss the various ways to create selections in Photoshop. We also cover the Layers panel, and how to use it for non-destructive editing. Then we cover using the Channels panel to edit and use individual color channels in an image. Selections, layers, and channels are basic functionality you need in most of your editing workflow.

Part IV: Enhancing, Correcting, and Retouching Images

In Part IV, we discuss the workflow, tools, and techniques that you can use to enhance, correct, and retouch your images. Use this part to get to know the features of Photoshop that you need to make color and lighting adjustments to photos as well as restore damaged images.

Part V: Using Paint, Paths, Shapes, and Text Tools

In Part V, we discuss the tools used to create images. Specifically, we discuss using the Paint tools to use brushstrokes to add color, textures, and adjustments to images. Then we discuss using the path tools to create vector shapes. Finally, we discuss adding textual elements to images.

Part VI: Creating Artistic Effects

In Part VI, we cover using some of tools in Photoshop to apply artistic effects to images. You can use these chapters to learn how to distort and warp parts of an image, apply a variety of filters, and combine elements from multiple images.

Part VII: Working with 3D Images

Part VII covers using the 3D capabilities in Photoshop CS6 Extended to create, modify, and enhance 3D objects.

Part VIII: Working with Video and Animation

In Part VIII, we cover using the Animation panel and several other tools and techniques to make enhancements and corrections to video with Photoshop CS6 Extended. These chapters discuss various editing concepts and techniques that allow you to make use of the Photoshop editing features when editing you videos. You will also learn how to use the Animation panel to animate images.

Part IX: Using Advanced Output Techniques

In Part IX, we cover the tools and techniques you use to output images using Photoshop, from printing and color management to preparing images for the web. We also discuss using the Photoshop batch processing and scripting capabilities to save a lot of time in your editing workflow.

Part X: Appendixes

We provide appendixes for information that doesn't fit elsewhere in the book but that we wanted to share with you. You will find tables with the most commonly used keyboard shortcuts, instructions on how to use plug-ins to add functionality to Photoshop, and a list of web resources that you can use to get more information about Photoshop and download cool stuff.

How to Use This Book

Although this book is designed for a linear, cover-to-cover read, we wanted to make it easy for you to pick and choose what areas of Photoshop you want to learn. For the most part, each chapter is self-contained. If you are new to Photoshop, take some time to look at Chapters 1 through 6 to familiarize yourself with the environment and digital editing concepts. If a chapter relies on information from another chapter, we mention that in the chapter introduction or by using a Cross-Reference note. If you want to know more about a particular workflow in Photoshop, such as color correction or adding text, use the table of contents to find the chapter, and read it thoroughly to learn all about the different tools and features you can use.

Using this book as a reference

The book is organized as a reference that you can use whenever you are having difficulties, or when you are ready to start a new topic. Each chapter covers a topic, making it easy for you to find what you are looking for in the book. We have tried to pack in as much of the Photoshop functionality and features as possible, so you can look up items in the index and read the sections in which we discuss them.

Making the most of the book's website

One of the most important aspects of digital images is color. Unfortunately, the images in this book are in grayscale except for the color insert. We have included several of the figures and projects on the website. The examples on the website enable you to see what the images look like in full color as well as practice the tasks described in the book. You should download the example projects from the book's website and use them when available.

Some of the items on the website are JPEG images, some are PSD projects, some are AVI files, and many of them have layers and objects available for you to modify. You can access this book's website at www.wiley.com/go/photoshopcs6bible.

Throughout the book, you will see the “On the Web” icon noting which figures are available on the website at www.wiley.com/go/photoshopcs6bible. Each note includes a filename that you can use to download the item and try the concepts out for yourself.

Icons Used in This Book

This book uses icons to indicate noteworthy points. While each icon is self-explanatory, here is what each of these icons indicates:

Caution

The Caution icon means that you should pay special attention to the information or instructions because you could cause a problem otherwise.

The Cross-References icon refers you to a related topic elsewhere in the book. Because you may not read this book straight through from cover to cover, you can use cross-references to quickly find just the information you need.

New Feature

The New Feature icon means that a feature is new to Photoshop CS6 or has been significantly changed.

Note

A Note icon alerts you to some important point that requires special attention, or additional information that may be helpful.

On the Web

The On the Web icon highlights references to related material on the website at www.wiley.com/go/photoshopcs6bible.

Tip

A Tip icon shows you a way to accomplish a task more efficiently or quickly.

Contacting the Authors

We would love to hear from you! Contact us at www.DayleyCreations.com.

Part I: Getting Started with Adobe Photoshop CS6

In This Part

Chapter 1: Introducing Adobe Photoshop CS6

Chapter 2: Exploring the Photoshop Workspace

Chapter 3: Performing Image Basics

Chapter 4: Understanding Colors, Histograms, Levels, and Curves

Chapter 5: Applying History and Actions

Chapter 6: Using Bridge to Organize and Process Files