Photoshop
Teppo Räisänen
LIIKE/OAMK 2011
General Information
Photoshop is an advanced image editing tool Web Graphics Printed material
UI is based on menus/commands floatable tool windows
Tools
Stages of use of tools Choose the appropriate tool Make the necessary adjustments Point the mouse into the image and
perform the operation with the tool
History
Previous commands are shown in the history window
Drag the operation into the recycle bin to cancel the operation
Otherwise undo/redo and step backwards/forward can be used
Opening a Image
File > Open Note: ”All Formats” shows also the
formats not compatible with Photoshop
Several images can be opened at the same time to be edited within Photoshop
Creating a new image
Steps: File > New (use presets) Adjust Height & Width Adjust resolution (72 ppi for Web
graphics) Adjust color model (RGB for Web
graphics)
Saving an Image
Photoshop’s native format is .psd .psd stores all the information
about the image => Use .psd for work copies
Finally for Web use ”Save for Web” and choose between .jpeg/.gif/.png
Colors
The tools window shows the current Foreground color Background color
To change colors use swatches clicking on squares from tools window colors window
Brush/Pencil tool
For freeform drawing Options:
Shape and size Opacity
Paint Bucket
Fills the selected area with color Gradient Tool fills the area with the
selected gradient Note: adjust the scope of the
gradient by dragging the mouse
Crop Tool
For cropping the image into a selected area
The area is adjusted by dragging with mouse
Finally, click on the v-button to perform the cropping
Brightness and Contrast
For adjusting the general look of the image
Also subareas of an image can be modified
Image > Adjust > Brightness/Contrast
Histogamm
For more sophisticated adjustments Image > Adjust > Levels Adjust all the rgb components or
select a single channel Basic adjustment includes removing
the empty areas from the histogamm by dragging the arrowheads
Histogamm
Selections Selections are essential when
editing areas of an image Options:
Marquee Tool Lasso Tool Magic Wand
Selections are performed by dragging with the mouse or clicking
Selections
Selections can be added to existing selections transformed reduced from existing selections
There are several settings connected to the selections
Quick Mask
Tool for sophisticated selections within an image
When Quick Mask Mode is on the eraser and pencil tools can be used for modifying the selections
Note: use zooming to pick up small areas of the image
Clone Stamp Tool
For cloning pixels from one area of the image to another
Alt-key + left click is used for defining the source of pixel copying
The cross symbol on the image will indicate the source area during copying
Layers
Essential feature of Photoshop = Transparent levels of which sum
is the actual image Layers are stored ONLY
into .psd file format Layers can be hidden/unhidden
from the layers window
Layers
Background
Layers are placed on top of the background
For some operations the background needs to be converted into a layer double-click on the background on
the layers window rename the background if necessary
Opacity
Opacity of a layer can be adjusted by dragging a slider in the layers window
100 % = the underneath layers are not visible at all
Layer Effects
Several effects can be easily attached to an individual layer
Steps: Activate the layer by clicking on it Layer > Layer Style > (adjust effects) choose OK
Effects are can later be easily removed
Adjustment Layers
For adjusting e.g. brightness without actually affecting on the layers’ contents
Steps: Layer > New Adjustment Layer Make the adjustments and press OK Adjustment layer will appear in the
layers window
Type Tool For adding text into the image A layer will be automatically
created for the text part For some edits the layer may need
to be rasterized The text contents can be later
modified by activating the text layer from the layers window
Filters
For adding effects into the layers Artistic Blurring / sharpening Lightning effects …
Transform
For Scaling Rotating Free Transform
of the layer contents Use dragging to perform the
operations and finally v-button