Photoshop Elements 13: The Missing Manual

Chapter 19. Beyond the Basics

So far, everything in this book has been about what you can do with Elements right out of the box. But as with many things digital, there’s a thriving cottage industry devoted to souping up Elements. You can add new brushes, shapes, layer styles, actions, and fancy filters. Many of these add-ons are designed to make Elements behave more like Photoshop. Best of all, a lot of what’s out there is free.

This chapter looks at some of these extras, teaches you how to manage the stuff you collect, and explains how to know when you really need the full version of Photoshop instead. You’ll also learn about the many resources available for expanding your knowledge of Elements beyond this book.

Graphics Tablets

Probably the most popular Elements accessory is a graphics tablet, which lets you draw and paint with a pen-like stylus instead of a mouse. This kind of tablet isn’t a computer like an iPad or Galaxy; it’s more like a souped-up substitute for a mouse: You control the onscreen cursor by drawing directly on the tablet’s surface—an action that many artists find offers them greater control. If trying to use the Lasso tool with a mouse makes you feel like you’re trying to write on a mirror with a bar of soap, then a graphics tablet is for you.

Most tablets work like the one shown in Figure 19-1, where you use the stylus on the tablet just as you would a mouse on a mousepad. Any changes you make appear right on your monitor.

Figure 19-1. A Wacom Bamboo tablet in action. ...