Photoshop CS6: Visual QuickStart Guide

Photoshop CS6: Visual QuickStart Guide

by Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas
Released June 2012
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780132983037

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

This best-selling guide from authors Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas has been the go-to tutorial and reference book for photography/design professionals and the textbook of choice in college classrooms for decades. This edition includes their trademark features of clear, concise, step-by-step instructions; hundreds of full-color images; screen captures of program features; and supplemental tips and sidebars in every chapter.  

Among the new CS6 features covered in this extensively updated guide are: Field Blur, Iris Blur and Tilt-Shift filters; Properties panel; Exporting and Importing presets; Content-Aware Move tool and Content-Aware option for the Patch tool; Timeline panel for video editing; Photographic Toning libraries for Gradient Map adjustments; and Open Type options. Improved CS6 features covered: Crop tool options and features, Adjustment Brush tool in Camera Raw, and Vector masks.   

New and updated Photoshop CS6 features are clearly marked with bright red stars in both the table of contents and main text.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Contents
  5. Bonus Materials
  6. 1. Color Management
    1. Launching Photoshop
    2. Photoshop color
    3. Introduction to color management
    4. Calibrating your display
    5. Choosing a color space for Photoshop
    6. Synchronizing color settings among Creative Suite applications
    7. Customizing the color policies for Photoshop
    8. Installing and saving custom color settings
    9. Acquiring printer profiles
    10. Changing a document’s color profile
  7. 2. Creating Files
    1. Calculating the correct file resolution
    2. Creating a new, blank document
    3. Creating document presets
    4. Editing 16-bit files in Photoshop
    5. Saving your document
    6. Using the Status bar
    7. Ending a work session
  8. 3. Bridge
    1. Launching Adobe Bridge
    2. Downloading photos from a camera
    3. Features of the Bridge window
    4. Choosing a workspace for Bridge
    5. Previewing images in Bridge
    6. Opening files from Bridge into Photoshop
    7. Customizing the Bridge window
    8. Saving custom workspaces
    9. Resetting the Bridge workspaces
    10. Assigning keywords to files
    11. Rating and labeling thumbnails
    12. Rearranging and sorting thumbnails
    13. Filtering thumbnails
    14. Using thumbnail stacks
    15. Managing files using Bridge
    16. Searching for files
    17. Creating and using collections
    18. Using Mini Bridge
    19. Exporting the Bridge cache
  9. 4. Camera Raw
    1. Why use Camera Raw?
    2. Opening photos into Camera Raw
    3. The Camera Raw tools A
    4. Cropping and straightening photos
    5. Choosing default workflow settings
    6. Using the Camera Raw tabs
    7. Using the Basic tab
    8. Using the Tone Curve tab
    9. Using the Detail tab
    10. Using the HSL/Grayscale tab
    11. Using the Adjustment Brush tool
    12. Using the Split Toning tab
    13. Using the Effects tab
    14. Using the Graduated Filter tool
    15. Using the Spot Removal tool
    16. Saving and applying Camera Raw settings
    17. Synchronizing Camera Raw settings
    18. Converting, opening, and saving Camera Raw files
  10. 5. Workspaces
    1. Using the Application frame
    2. Tiling multiple documents
    3. Changing the zoom level
    4. Rotating the canvas view
    5. Changing the screen mode
    6. Choosing a workspace
    7. Configuring the panels
    8. Saving custom workspaces
    9. Resetting workspaces
    10. Using the Options bar
  11. 6. Panels
    1. The Photoshop panel icons
    2. The Photoshop panels that are used in this book
    3. Managing presets via the pickers and panels
    4. Exporting and importing presets
    5. Using the Preset Manager
    6. Creating tool presets
  12. 7. Pixel Basics
    1. Changing the document resolution and/or dimensions
    2. Changing the canvas size
    3. Cropping an image
    4. Cropping multiple images
    5. Straightening a crooked image
    6. Flipping or rotating an image
  13. 8. Layer Essentials
    1. Creating layers
    2. Selecting layers
    3. Restacking layers
    4. Creating layer groups
    5. Deleting layers and groups
    6. Hiding and showing layers
    7. Repositioning layer content
    8. Changing the layer opacity
    9. Using the lock options
    10. Choosing Layers panel options
    11. Filtering listings on the Layers panel
    12. Merging layers
    13. Flattening layers
  14. 9. Selections & Masks
    1. Creating layer-based selections
    2. Using the Rectangular and Elliptical Marquee tools
    3. Using two of the lasso tools
    4. Deselecting and reselecting selections
    5. Deleting or filling a selection
    6. Moving a selection border
    7. Moving selection contents
    8. Using the Quick Selection tool
    9. Using the Magic Wand tool
    10. Inverting a selection
    11. Using the Color Range command
    12. Hiding and showing the selection border
    13. Creating a frame-shaped selection
    14. Saving and loading selections
    15. Refining selection edges
    16. Using Quick Masks
    17. Creating layer masks
    18. Editing layer masks
    19. Working with layer masks
  15. 10. History
    1. Choosing History panel options
    2. Changing history states
    3. Deleting, purging, and clearing history states
    4. Using snapshots
    5. Creating documents from history states
  16. 11. Using Color
    1. Choosing colors in Photoshop
    2. Using the Color Picker
    3. Choosing colors from a library
    4. Using the Color panel
    5. Using the Swatches panel
    6. Using the Eyedropper tool
    7. Copying colors as hexadecimals
    8. Choosing a blending mode
    9. Creating a Solid Color fill layer
    10. Creating a Gradient fill layer
    11. Creating and editing a gradient preset
    12. Using the Gradient tool
    13. Creating custom and scripted patterns
  17. 12. Adjustments
    1. Creating adjustment layers
    2. Editing adjustment layer settings
    3. Saving adjustment presets
    4. Merging and deleting adjustment layers
    5. Editing an adjustment layer mask
    6. Using the Histogram panel
    7. Applying a Levels adjustment
    8. Applying a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
    9. Applying a Photo Filter adjustment
    10. Applying an auto correction
    11. Applying a Color Balance adjustment
    12. Applying a Hue/Saturation adjustment
    13. Applying a Vibrance adjustment
    14. Applying a Curves adjustment
    15. Applying a Black & White adjustment
    16. Tinting an image via a Gradient Map adjustment
    17. Applying the Shadows/Highlights command
    18. Dodging and burning with paint
    19. Applying the Merge to HDR Pro command
    20. Screening back a layer using Levels
  18. 13. Combining Images
    1. Using the Clipboard
    2. Drag-copying a selection on the same layer
    3. Drag-copying a selection or layer between files with the Move tool
    4. Drag-copying layers between files via the Layers panel
    5. Creating a layered document from file thumbnails
    6. Creating Smart Objects
    7. Duplicating Smart Objects
    8. Editing Smart Objects
    9. Replacing Smart Objects
    10. Combining multiple “exposures”
    11. Fading the edge of a layer via a gradient in a layer mask
    12. Aligning and distributing layers
    13. Using the Clone Stamp tool and the Clone Source panel
    14. Using the Photomerge command
    15. Using the Auto-Align Layers command
    16. Using Smart Guides, ruler guides, and the grid
  19. 14. Brushes
    1. Using the Brush tool
    2. Choosing temporary brush settings
    3. Customizing a brush
    4. Managing brush presets
    5. Using the Mixer Brush tool
    6. Using the Eraser tool
    7. Using the History Brush tool
  20. 15. Retouching
    1. Using the Match Color command
    2. Using the Replace Color command
    3. Using the Color Replacement tool
    4. Whitening teeth or eyes
    5. Using the Red Eye tool
    6. Using the Healing Brush tool
    7. Using the Spot Healing Brush tool
    8. Healing areas with the Patch tool
    9. Smoothing skin and other surfaces
    10. Retouching by cloning
    11. Applying a Content-Aware fill
    12. Using the Content-Aware Move tool
    13. Removing an image element with the Patch tool
  21. 16. Refocusing
    1. Applying the Lens Blur filter
    2. Applying the Field Blur, Iris Blur, and Tilt-Shift filters
    3. Applying the Lens Correction filter
    4. Applying the Motion Blur filter
    5. Using the Sharpen tool
    6. Applying the Smart Sharpen filter
    7. Applying the Unsharp Mask filter
  22. 17. Fun with Layers
    1. Using clipping masks
    2. Blending layers
    3. Applying transformations
    4. Applying Content-Aware scaling
    5. Applying the Puppet Warp command
    6. Using the Liquify filter
    7. Applying the Warp command
  23. 18. Filters
    1. Applying filters
    2. Creating and editing Smart Filters
    3. Hiding, copying, and deleting Smart Filters
    4. Working with the Smart Filter mask
    5. More filter techniques
    6. Turning a photo into a painting or a drawing
  24. 19. Type
    1. Creating editable type
    2. Selecting type
    3. Recoloring type
    4. Changing the font family and font style
    5. Converting type
    6. Changing the font size
    7. Applying kerning and tracking
    8. Adjusting the leading
    9. Shifting type from the baseline
    10. Inserting special characters
    11. Applying paragraph settings
    12. Formatting type with paragraph and character styles
    13. Transforming the bounding box for paragraph type
    14. Screening back type
    15. Rasterizing a type layer
    16. Putting type in a spot color channel
  25. 20. Layer Styles
    1. Layer effect essentials
    2. Applying a bevel or emboss effect
    3. Applying a shadow effect
    4. Applying the Stroke effect
    5. Applying the Gradient and Pattern Overlay effects
    6. Copying, moving, and removing layer effects
    7. Changing the layer fill percentage
    8. Applying layer styles
    9. Creating layer styles
    10. Making type look like rusted metal
    11. Embossing leather
  26. 21. Vector Shapes & Masks
    1. Creating vector shapes
    2. Changing the fill and stroke on a vector shape
    3. Combining multiple vector shapes
    4. Creating vector masks
    5. Working with vector masks
  27. 22. Actions
    1. Recording an action
    2. Playing an action
    3. Editing an action
    4. Deleting commands and actions
    5. Saving and loading action sets
  28. 23. Presentation
    1. Creating a vignette
    2. Adding an artistic border
    3. Adding a watermark to an image
    4. Creating a Web gallery
    5. Creating a contact sheet
    6. Creating a PDF presentation of images
    7. Creating and using layer comps
    8. Creating a PDF presentation of layer comps
    9. Importing video clips into Photoshop
    10. Adding video tracks to a timeline
    11. Changing the length, order, or speed of a clip
    12. Splitting a clip
    13. Adding transitions to video clips
    14. Adding still images to a video
    15. Adding title clips to a video
    16. Applying adjustment layers and filters to a video
    17. Keyframing
    18. Adding audio clips
    19. Rendering clips into a movie
  29. 24. Preferences
    1. Opening the Preferences dialogs
    2. General Preferences (A, next page)
    3. Interface Preferences (A, next page)
    4. File Handling Preferences (A, next page)
    5. Performance Preferences A
    6. Cursors Preferences A
    7. Transparency & Gamut Preferences B
    8. Units & Rulers Preferences A
    9. Guides, Grid & Slices Preferences A
    10. Plug-ins Preferences (A, next page)
    11. Type Preferences B
    12. Preferences for Adobe Bridge
  30. 25. Print & Export
    1. Proofing document colors onscreen
    2. Outputting a file to an inkjet printer
    3. Preparing a file for commercial printing
    4. Getting Photoshop files into Adobe InDesign and Illustrator
    5. Saving a file in the PDF format
    6. Saving a file in the TIFF format
    7. Saving multiple files in the JPEG, PSD, or TIFF format
    8. Saving files for the Web
    9. Previewing an optimized file
    10. Optimizing a file in the GIF format
    11. Optimizing a file in the JPEG format
  31. Index
  32. Photography credits

Product information

  • Title: Photoshop CS6: Visual QuickStart Guide
  • Author(s): Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas
  • Release date: June 2012
  • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
  • ISBN: 9780132983037