The Photoshop Toolbox

The Photoshop Toolbox

by Glyn Dewis
Released August 2018
Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
ISBN: 9781681983974

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Book description

In The Photoshop Toolbox, photographer and bestselling author Glyn Dewis breaks down Photoshop into just three main features: layer masks, brushes, and blend modes. Written specifically for photographers with little knowledge of Photoshop, this book breaks down the how, what, and why of Photoshop basics. 

Adobe Photoshop is one of the most powerful image-editing applications ever created, but it is also widely thought to be difficult to learn, infinite in scope, and nearly impossible to master. For these reasons, many photographers choose to stay exclusively with Lightroom for all their photography needs. But for those photographers who subscribe to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan—which includes both Lightroom and Photoshop—to leave Photoshop unopened and unexplored is to deny yourself the ability to take your creativity and expression to a whole new level.

In The Photoshop Toolbox, photographer and bestselling author Glyn Dewis breaks down Photoshop into just three main features: layer masks, brushes, and blend modes. Glyn has taught thousands online, in person, and through his bestselling books The Photoshop Workbook and Photograph Like a Thief. Over and over, he has recognized that once a user truly understands these three tools, there is nothing holding them back from achieving whatever they want to accomplish in Photoshop. With Glyn explaining not only the “what” but also the “why” behind layer masks, brushes, and blend modes, you’re empowered to think beyond each specific example and to ask that all-powerful question, “What would happen if I used that technique on this other image?”

Written expressly for photographers with little knowledge of Photoshop, in The Photoshop Toolbox you’ll learn:

        •

Photoshop basics:

      Explore Photoshop’s Workspace, Tool Bar, Options Bar, Properties, and Layers
        •

Layer masks:

      Learn the basics of layer masks, as well as specific techniques that incorporate cutouts, removing halos, Content Aware Fill, Look Up Tables (LUTs), and more
        •

Brushes:

      Brushes are useful for everything from cutouts to creating special effects like snow, debris, grass, and even your own signature
        •

Blend modes:

      Use blend modes for tricky selections, brightening and darkening an image, and tidying up a layer mask
        •

Additional tips, tricks, and techniques:

      Glyn devotes an entire chapter to “extra” techniques such as removing reddening skin, creating smoke, matching color, and building depth in your image with contrast, light, and sharpness

Finally, in the last chapter of the book, Glyn brings it all together with a start-to-finish project concentrating on photo retouching skills.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Contents
  7. Foreword
  8. Introduction
  9. Chapter 1 The Basics
    1. Layer Basics
    2. Layer Groups
    3. Workspace
      1. The Start Screen Workspace
    4. The Photoshop Workspace
      1. Customizing the Photoshop Workspace
  10. Chapter 2 Layer Masks
    1. What Are Layer Masks?
    2. Magazine Text Effect
    3. Layer Masks with Selections
    4. Replacing Sky
      1. What’s that chain icon all about?
    5. Clipping Masks
      1. How else could we use this technique?
    6. Adjustment Layers
      1. So what about that layer mask?
    7. Adjustment Layers, Masks, and Selections
    8. Layer Masks and Groups
    9. Layer Masks and Gradients
    10. Selections and Cutouts
      1. Quick Mask
      2. Selections and Layer Masks – Removing Halos
  11. Chapter 3 Brushes
    1. Brush Basics
      1. Tool Preset Picker
      2. Brush Preset Picker
      3. Brush Settings
      4. Mode
      5. Opacity
      6. Opacity – Pressure Sensitivity
      7. Flow
      8. Airbrush
      9. Smoothing
      10. Brush Size – Pressure Sensitivity
    2. Brush Settings
    3. Brushes with Selections and Cutouts
    4. Your Signature as a Brush
    5. Creating a Smoke Brush
    6. Creating a Dirt, Debris, and Snow Brush
    7. Creating Fur / Hair with Aaron Blaise
    8. Adding and Exporting Brushes
      1. How to Import Brushes
      2. How to Export Selected Brushes
      3. Get More Brushes
      4. Restore Default Brushes and Legacy Brushes
  12. Chapter 4 Blend Modes
    1. Putting Blend Modes to Use
      1. Normal Blend Modes
      2. Darken Blend Modes
      3. Lighten Blend Modes
      4. Contrast Blend Modes
      5. Comparative Blend Modes
      6. Color Blend Modes
    2. Putting Theory into Practice
      1. Adding Fire
      2. Adding a Logo
      3. Lining Up Layers with the Difference Blend Mode
      4. Using Difference for Color Correction
      5. Textures
      6. Removing Skin Shine
      7. Dodging and Burning
      8. The Never-Ending Lighting Rig
      9. More Overlay Magic – Perfect Layer Masks
  13. Chapter 5 Bonus Content
    1. Content-Aware Fill Trick
    2. How to Match Color
    3. Fake Catch Lights
    4. Replacing Sky Super Fast
    5. Realistic Skin Smoothing
    6. Skin Glow
    7. Compositing Technique
      1. Blending with Opacity
    8. Whiten Teeth—Fast!
    9. Perfect Lighting Cheat (Kind Of)
    10. Skin Texture
    11. Reducing Redness in Skin
    12. Colorizing Like the Movies (Creative Cloud Only)
  14. Chapter 6 Portrait Retouching Workflow
    1. Camera RAW
    2. Photoshop

Product information

  • Title: The Photoshop Toolbox
  • Author(s): Glyn Dewis
  • Release date: August 2018
  • Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
  • ISBN: 9781681983974