Pick Up That Pen Tool! Handy Device to Trace Images and Vectors

June 15th, 2008 by Don

Photoshop is a truly amazing art editing and creating software program that has applications too numerous to count. But it is this sheer scope of what a person can accomplish while using Photoshop that puts many people off. All of the bells and whistle that come with the program can be downright daunting, and many people fall into the habit of performing one or two “safe” tasks and never bothering to learn everything the program can do for them. The pen tool is one such aspect of the Photoshop program. The mere words strike fear into the hearts of many of a Photoshop user, but those who have mastered the tool swear there is no going back. Using the pen tool doesn’t have to be complicated; it simply takes some patience and practice.

For the uninitiated, the pen tool performs many of the same functions as the lasso tool - it can help you select portions of images for editing or help you crop images. But it can really do so much more for you. It can help you create real vector graphics, it makes perfect, sharp edges, and it can even allow to you “draw” freehand. To begin using the pen tool, first you should select it from the tool palette. From there, there will be several flyout options for you to choose from. First, you will find the Freeform Pen Tool, which is used for freeform drawing. Unless you have a steady hand and actually want to draw a picture, the lasso tool is better used than the freeform pen tool for selecting areas of graphics. Next, you will find the Add Anchor Point Tool, which, as the name suggests, allows you to add anchor points to already existing paths. The next tool is the Delete Anchor Point Tool, which is used to delete anchor points. The Convert Point Tool allows you to change the curves on paths by changing the direction of the lines, or remove the curves on a line (which you can do by clicking on an anchor point while using this tool). The Path Selection Tool lets you move entire paths, and the Direction Selection Tool allows you to move line sections and anchor points. To use these last two tools, you must select what you wish to move, and then drag it to the right spot.

To make using all of these applications easier, you should turn on the automatic add/delete function in the main menu. With this function turned on, when you place you curser over a path, it will automatically perform the function of the specific pen tool devise you are using. This allows you access all of the functions of the pen tool much easier.

How you use these tools will depend largely on the tasks you wish to complete. Some applications may be of no use to some users and indispensable to others. The only way to discover which functions of the pen tool will be most useful to you is to experiment with the pen and see what you can do. If you’re new to Photoshop, seek out the opinions of other people in your field about which pen tool utilities are the best. The only thing to do then is practice, practice, practice. Many seasoned Photoshop pros liken learning to use the pen tool to learning to ride a bike or driver - it takes some learning and practice, but once you have it down, it become second nature. Buckle down and give the pen tool a whirl, and soon you’ll be creating vectors and images with the best of them!



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You’ve Got to Glow - How to Create This Effect in Adobe Photoshop

June 8th, 2008 by Don

Among the many effects you can use Adobe Photoshop to create in an image is to make the image glow. You can use this tool to make backgrounds, foregrounds, text, or any part of an image glow, but for beginning purposes, it is easiest to learn this tool by experimenting with making a whole image glow. Once you master that, you can refine your skills to better suit your purposes.

To get started on making your image glow, choose what you want to work with, and open that file in Photoshop. If the image is not saved as an RDF file format, then you will need to convert it in Photoshop. Once you have selected your image, open the filter tool. Click “filter”, then “render,” then “lighting effects.” This will open the lighting effects box. In the box, choose a light type. Omni is a standard one to work with, but you can experiment with different light types to get the lock you want to achieve. Apply the changes; close the dialogue box, and you’re done! Your whole image should now be glowing.

If you don’t want to work with an image, but rather you want to make some kind of glowing graphics, you can do that using the Photoshop polar coordinates filter. A simple way to start is to create a glowing swirl. To do this, first open a new file and then select “create a new layer.” For simplicity’s sake, while you’re learning, set the foreground color to black and the background color to white.

Next, you want to fill your screen with gradient. Open the gradient tool and then using the tool, trace from the bottom left corner of the screen to the top right - your screen should now be filled with gradient. Now, open the wave window by clicking “filter”, then “distort”, and then “wave.” You will need to change a number of settings in the wave window. The number of generators should be set at 9, and the wavelengths should have a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 110. The amplitude should be set at a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 37. Both the vertical scale and horizontal scale should be 100%. Under type, select “square” and under undefined areas, select “repeated edge pixels.” Apply all of these settings and close the wave box.

Now, go back to filters, and this time click “distort” and then “polar coordinates.” In the window that opens, change the settings to “rectangular to polar” and set the value at 100%. It’s time to invert the colors now. Go to “image”, then “adjustments”, and then “invert.” Now adjust the curves and the sliders in the same way, by opening the image file, then adjustments, and the choosing “curves” or “levels.” There’s not right setting for the curves and sliders; simply set them to however you like them.

You should now open the blending tool and set the layers panel to “multiply.” Go back to the filters mode and select “distort” and “twirl.” In the window that opens, change the setting to 100% and the angle to -80%. Now go to “layers”, then “flatten,” and then “image.” Viola! You should now have a glowing swirl.

You can use your swirl however you like, be it in print media or for online computer graphics. You can also apply the principles you used to make the swirl to making other glowing graphics in Photoshop. As any Photoshop user knows, mastering techniques on the program takes plenty of practice, but once you get the hang of it, it is worth it.



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Top Features Practically Every Photoshop User Loves

June 1st, 2008 by Don

Many users have found Photoshop to be one of the best photo editing tools. The program offers an array of creative projects for users to indulge in, as well as editing tools to correct photographs. There are many features of the Photoshop software that is more attractive than others. Most users have the same likes and dislikes of Photoshop’s features, and there are certain features that all users love. The first favorite feature of many consumers is the File Browser. The File Browser gives users quick access to automated tools and metadata editing. The Photomerge feature is also a commonly loved feature. Photomerge was introduced in the Photoshop Elements software, but has since become a popular feature of Photoshop. This feature is enhanced to accommodate larger images. It also automatically arranges multiple images to create a panorama.

Next on the favorite’s list are the custom keyboard shortcuts. Users can create custom keyboard shortcuts, add new keyboard shortcuts, save and share shortcut sets, and print a reference chart of their shortcut keys. The Filter Gallery is also an attractive feature for many consumers. The Filter Gallery is located under the Filter menu, and it gives users a visual way of selecting effects filters. It also allows users to compound multiple filter effects and apply them in one step. Many people also love the History Palette in the Photoshop software. The History Palette can help users remember how to perform a technique, record time-tracking information, and create a legal record.

Text on Path is another beloved feature of Photoshop. The Text on Path tool allows users to put type on a path or into a shape. Another favorite feature of many Photoshop users is the live histogram feature. This feature gives updates in real time as the user edits images. Users also like the feature that allows them to customize picture package layouts. The Photoshop software has a dialog box that allows visual editing and creation of new picture package layouts. So, users can create pictures of different sizes, such as 3X5 and 4X6. Saving files, as a Web Page Gallery and PDF File, are another attractive feature, because saving files in either way allows easy transference to a web page. Saving a file as a PDF also gives users the chance to save their comments on designs and photos.

The last favorite feature of Photoshop users is a feature called “scrubbers.” This feature is a user interface control that allows users to enter numbers without removing their hand off the mouse. Although, often overlooked, many consumers love the Color Replacement Tool of Photoshop. The Color Replacement Tool helps users replace unwanted colors in photos, and is most commonly associated with removing red-eye. Although Photoshop shapes are a simple feature to the software, the shapes tool is one of the most loved features of Photoshop. The shapes tool helps users develop creative designs as well as enhance their pictures. The shapes tool is simple, but it is one of the most needed tools in the Photoshop software. The shapes tool allows users to create fun projects, such as wanted posters, collages, digital scrapbooks, and greeting cards.

All of the features of Photoshop are used to advance the software as well as give users simple photo editing solutions. Users find much pleasure from using the software, but there are certain features that consumers like more than others. Photographs are a major part of many people’s lives, and Photoshop helps them enhance the photographs as well as preserve them. Photoshop was developed to make editing photos simple and fun. Most of the consumers’ favorite features are the features that make editing their photos easier and add excitement to the software.



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Sharpen Your Tools in Photoshop

May 25th, 2008 by Don

Among the many tasks Adobe Photoshop software allows users to complete is sharpening images so they really pop. When working with digital images, the images inevitably lose some of their focus and edge, becoming slightly soft and blurry. Sometimes photographs do not capture the true color of an object, making images look washed out and bland. Using Photoshop sharpening tools, you can take these images and make them crisp, sharp, and bright again.

One Photoshop sharpening tool that is often underused is the Unsharp Mask filter. Many people don’t quite understand how to make this feature work for them, but once you learn it, it can be indispensable in helping you clean up your images. This tool can be used across an entire image, or on specific sections of the image that you select. Leaning a few basic facts about the Unsharp Mask feature will help you make the right choices for your project.

Unsharp Masks works by reading the contrast levels between adjacent pixels. When the tool discerns a high contrast level, it reads that as an edge, and automatically increases the contrast. Of course, not all highly contrasted pixels represent edges, so you will need to create the settings for your tool based on the image you are working with. Close up images that require some amount of soft focus, like a close up shot of someone’s face, requires a much different amount of sharpening than a wide, landscape shot. You also need to consider how the image will be used - will it be printed with a continuous tone printer, like a Durst Lambda, a halftone printer, like an inkjet or printer, or will it be used online? You should make allowances for the quarks of the output method’s reproduction process.

To use Unsharp Mask, first you will need to set the radius. The radius will depend on the image you working with. Keep in mind that the radius does not directly correspond with the sharpening halo. A radius setting of two does not select two pixels, but rather tells Photoshop to look for contrast two pixels outward from a point. Larger radius settings will cover larger sections of the image, however.

Next, set your volume control, or amount. The amount tells Photoshop how much sharpening to use on the image. The smaller your radius setting is, the larger amount of sharpening you will need to use.

The last step is to set your threshold. The threshold tells the program how much contrast to ignore and stops you from over sharpening your image.

Most users start out with a base setting of 200% for the amount, zero for the threshold, and then they experiment with radius settings until the desired result is achieved. But remember, this is only a guide. You will be ruled by the image you are working with.

If you are a new user, and Unsharp Mask is a little complicated for you, you can still sharpen images by sharpening the layers. Simply duplicate the background and set the blending mode to Soft Light, for slight sharpening, or Hard Light, or increased sharpening. Then run the High Pass filter. If you need to adjust your sharpening, add a Hide All layer to make things sharper, or a Run All layer to make things smoother. You can use you paint brush to add local contrast and sharpening to the image.

Whichever tool you choose to use, remember to consider the image and how the image will be used before beginning. If you’re a new user, sharpening layers might be your best bet - Unsharp Mask makes permanent changes to your image, while sharpening layers allows you to un-do the work you have done without harm to your image.



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