Photoshop CS4 in easy steps

Photoshop CS4, with its updated interface and new features designed to streamline your workflow and integrate seamlessly with other products in Creative Suite 4, is now more powerful than ever before. But, with such a rich, powerful and varied set of tools and commands, where do you begin? Facing such a steep learning curve, many users achieve only the first few levels of proficiency. Photoshop CS4 in easy steps is designed to activate the full potential in the extensive Photoshop feature set. It achieves this by breaking down the application into a logical sequence of learning events. The book begins with a detailed tutorial on essential concepts and terms, introducing you to the revamped Photoshop screen environment and its vocabulary. Then with easy step-by-step instructions and fact-filled sidebars, the primer walks you through the fundamental aspects of this image-editing application.

Photoshop CS4 in easy steps builds on its established reputation to guide you through the essentials of image file formats; making and refining selections; painting and editing; working with layers, paths and the pen tool, channels and masks; and color correction techniques. It doesn't stop there. As well as introducing new and enhanced features such as the powerful and accessible Adjustment Layers and Masks panels, the amazing simplicity of Context Aware Scaling, and a host of user friendly improvements to existing features, the book's final chapters cover applications in the ever-growing field of web and multimedia images. These chapters teach even relative novices the ABCs of slicing, image optimization and animations.

Adobe Photoshop CS4 sets the standard for professional image-editing. Photoshop CS4 in easy steps, with its clear instructions and plentiful screenshots, brings the full potential of this exciting creative tool to your fingertips.

Robert Shufflebotham is a software training consultant with over 16 years experience of delivering software training. He trains on a regular basis for some of the largest and most prestigious magazine, book and newspaper publishers in the world. He also has a MA in Electronic Media.

1. Basic Theory
   • Bitmaps and Vectors
   • Pixels and Resolution
   • RGB and CMYK Color Models
   • Color Management
2. The Working Environment
   • The Working Environment
   • Using the Tool Panel
   • Document and Scratch Sizes
   • Ruler Guides and Grids
   • Moving Around
   • The Info Panel
   • Panel Techniques
   • Controlling the Workspace
   • Save and Load Custom Settings
   • Printing
   • The History Panel
3. Open and Save Files
   • Opening Images in Photoshop
   • Scanning into Photoshop
   • Opening and Placing EPS files
   • Bridge
   • Adobe Camera Raw
   • Graduated Filter Tool
   • Saving Files
   • TIFF Format
   • Photoshop EPS
   • Save As JPEG
   • Creating a New File
   • Photomerge
   • Zoomify
4. Image and Color Basics
   • Rotating an Image
   • Resizing without Resampling
   • Resampling Up
   • Sampling Down
   • Cropping an Image
   • Adding a Border
   • Image Modes
   • Duotone Mode
   • Foreground & Background Colors
   • Eyedropper and Color Sampler
   • The Color Picker
   • The Color Panel
   • The Swatches Panel
5. The Painting Tools
   • The Brush Preset Picker
   • The Brushes Panel
   • Custom Brush Settings
   • Brush Tip Shape Settings
   • The Pencil Tool
   • Brush Tool Presets
   • The Gradient Tool
   • The Paint Bucket Tool
   • Blending Modes
   • Creating Rasterized Shapes
6. The Editing Tools
   • Blur, Sharpen and Smudge
   • The Clone Stamp Tool
   • Dodge, Burn and Sponge
   • The Eraser Tool
   • The Magic Eraser
   • The Background Eraser
   • The Healing Brush Tool
   • The Spot Healing Brush Tool
   • The Patch Tool
   • Color Replacement Tool
   • Clone Source Panel
7. Selections
   • Marquee Selection Tools
   • Marquee Options
   • Moving Selected Pixels
   • The Lasso Tools
   • The Magic Wand Tool
   • The Quick Selection Tool
   • Refine Edge
   • Feathering Selections
   • Modifying Selections
   • Grow and Similar Commands
   • Pasting Into Selections
   • Filling a Selection
   • Copying and Pasting Selections
   • Transforming Selections
8. Layers
   • Working with Layers
   • Merge and Flatten Layers
   • Moving Layers Between Images
   • Selecting and Linking Layers
   • Locking Layers
   • Layer Groups
   • Layer Styles
   • Transforming Layers
   • New Layer Commands
   • Layer Comps
   • Managing Layer Comps
   • Smart Objects
   • Warping
   • Auto-Align/Blend Layers
   • The Styles Panel
   • Content Aware Scaling
9. Working with Type
   • Creating Point Type
   • Creating Paragraph Type
   • Editing and Selecting Type
   • Character Settings
   • Paragraph Settings
   • Masked Type
   • Type and Layer Styles
   • Type Effects
10. Paths
    • Converting Selections to Paths
    • Using the Pen Tool
    • Selecting Paths and Points
    • Managing Points
    • Manipulating Points
    • Exporting Paths
    • Creating Shape Layers
11. Channels and Masks
    • Quick Mask Mode
    • The Channels Panel
    • Save and Load Selections
    • Editing Alpha Channel Masks
    • Channel and Quick Mask Options
    • Layer Masks
    • Masks Panel
    • Masks Panel Controls
12. Color Adjustments
    • Brightness/Contrast
    • Auto Tone and Auto Color
    • The Levels Dialog Box
    • The Curves Dialog Box
    • The Histogram Panel
    • The Adjustments Panel
    • Vibrance Adjustment
    • Color Balance
    • Black & White Command
    • Shadow/Highlight Command
    • Match Color Command
13. Filters
    • Filter Controls
    • Unsharp Mask and Sharpen Filters
    • Smart Sharpen
    • Blur Filters
    • Noise Filters
    • Reduce Noise Filter
    • The Liquify Dialog Box
    • Liquify Distortion Tools
    • Filter Gallery
    • Vanishing Point
    • Editing Perspective Planes
    • Smart Filters
14. Web and Multimedia
    • Save for Web & Devices
    • Saving Optimized Images
    • GIF Optimization Settings
    • JPEG Optimization Settings
    • PNG File Format
    • Indexed Color Mode
    • Color Palettes
    • Dithering
    • Device Central
15. Animations and Slices
    • Creating a Simple Animation
    • Playing and Managing Frames
    • Optimize and Save Animations
    • Tweening
    • The Slice Tool
    • Slices from Guides
    • User- and Auto-slices
    • Working with Slices
    • Slice Options
    • Optimizing and Saving Slices