TEN Ways To Use Adobe Photoshop

Most people don't use Photoshop 7/CS or CS2 to its fullest potential. Well...who does?

After 12 years using this killer image editing application, I have yet to talk to someone who knows everything there is to know about how to use adobe photoshop. In fact, unless your enitials happen to be "TK" (Thomas Knoll), you are NOT an "expert".

This February 2006 is Photoshop's 16th birthday. Yes, the party hats will be on, and there will, more than likely, be a big chocolate cake with the "PS" logo on top.

Photoshop v1.0, formally known as "Image Pro" for which it's subroutines were compiled on a Mac Plus in 1987, shipped for the first time almost 16 years ago. During those 16 years, the application that was the brain-child of Thomas Knoll quickly became the ultimate image editing solution for Photographers, web designers, hobbyists, and practically anyone who dabbled or worked with computer generated graphics.

If you're new to Adobe Photoshop™, looking to dabble, or you require Photoshop as a full-time solution for your creative workflow, here are ten ways you can use Photoshop.

1. Restoring Old Photos. On a Sunday when you don't have much to do, look through your photo albums and check the condition of your photos. If they are starting to turn yellow or starting to tear or crack, perhaps its time to digitize them.

If you have a scanner, use Photoshop and scan your photos before it's too late. Tears and even missing segments of the photo can be retouched or even totally replaced using Photoshops' Clone Stamp, Healing Brush, Airbrush, and Patch tools. There are rare times, however, where even a great photo doctor like Photoshop cant save the life of your photograph.

If you do reach this point, get a second opinion from a specialist first before you throw that damaged photograph in the trash can forever.

2. Color Cast Correction. When you scan your photos, you may need to correct color casting, adjust contrast, color saturation, or add color to a black and white photo. All these things can be done in Photoshop to get the results you want, to a certain extent. There are some times where the photo is too dark or over exposed, and really isn't worth the time to correct.

3. Adding Graphics For Video Projects. Final Cut Pro™, Avid™, Quicktime™ and other video editing programs allow you to import images to your projects. Save your image as a layered PSD file, TIFF, or JPG, and import this image into your video application. Images you want to use as a watermarked logo are best saved as a Photoshop PSD file because the transparency is preserved, and allows you to see the background of the video frame you are working with.

10. Making a landscape Photo Into A Painting. Photoshop's Artist Filters can simulate textures, picture grains, and even pallet knife strokes to make a landscape photograph into a digital image that looks like an oil painting, or a chalk drawing.

Learn From The Pros. I don't belive there is a person who is a Photoshop Expert...except perhaps Mr. Knoll himself. There is just too much that this killer app can do for getting graphic design work done quickly and effeciently.

Do a google search on some of the topics I've mentioned here. There are hundreds if not thousands of Photoshop support websites, websites that offer custom made Photoshop plugins and actions available online, and lots of how to use Photoshop tutorial sites like my own.

You will quickly learn that the more you know about Photoshop, the more you don't know. Have fun with it!

Grant Freeman has been an "Old School" Freelance Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Photographer, Video Editor, and Creative Director for over 13 years. His most noted clients include Sony, Bertolucci, Land Rover, and various International Recording Artist in the U.S.

TEN Ways To Use Photoshop

by Grant Freeman

Most people don't use Photoshop 7/CS or CS2 to its fullest potential. Well...who does?

1. Restoring Old Photos. On a Sunday when you don't have much to do, look through your photo albums and check the condition of your photos. If they are starting to turn yellow or starting to tear or crack, perhaps its time to digitize them.

4. Creating Text Effects for Print and Web. There's an almost unlimited amount of things you can do with text in Photoshop. The application ships with many pre-loaded STYLES that are one-click effects. Make your own styles and save them so you can apply them to your projects in the future.

10. Making a landscape Photo Into A Painting. Photoshop's Artist Filters can simulate textures, picture grains, and even pallet knife strokes to make a landscape photograph into a digital image that looks like an oil painting, or a chalk drawing.