1. Press Tab to hide the toolbar and palettes, Shift+Tab will hide only palettes.
2. Double click on the gray background will open a dialog box to open the file.
3. To select all layers press Alt+Ctrl+A.
4. Caps Lock will change your cursor to a clearer cross.
5. Press the F key and you can choose from three different screen modes to make the work area larger.
6. To draw a straight line with a brush or pencil, make one click at the start point, then hold Shift+click at the end point.
7. Pressing Ctrl will turn any tool into Move Tool (Move) while holding it.
8. Pressing Space (Space) will turn any tool into Hand Tool (Hand) while you hold it.
9. Pressing Ctrl and "+" or "-" zooms in and out of the image.
10. If you use Eyedropper Tool (Pipette) with pressed Alt - this will allow you to take a color sample for the background color.
11. Use Ctrl+Alt+Z and Ctrl+Shift+Z to undo and redo a series of actions.
12. The size of the canvas can easily be increased using the Crop Tool, stretch it out of the canvas and click OK.
13. Ctrl+J will create a copy of the current layer.
14. Ctrl+Shift+E will merge all visible layers into one, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E will merge a copy of visible layers into one new layer.
15. Ctrl+D to deselect, Ctrl+Shift+D to reselect.
16. Shift and "+" or Shift and "-" will change the layer's blend mode to: Normal, Dissolve, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, etc.
17. If the Brush tool is selected, the transparency of the tool can be changed by pressing the corresponding number on the keyboard.
18. Hold Alt and click on the eye icon next to the layer icon in the layers palette to hide all other layers except the current one.
19. Select the layer, hold down Alt and click on the border between the top and current layer to create a Clipping Mask
20. Alt-click on the Create a new layer button in the Layers panel to bring up a dialog box with the settings for the new layer.
21. Hold Alt and click on the Create a new channel button in the Channels panel to create an alpha channel.
22. The Move Tool in the settings has an option to automatically select the layer "Auto Select Layer" depending on the click location.
23. While working with the Grid, drag the upper left corner where the scales for the Grid are located, and the reference point for them will be in the place where you release the mouse button. Double clicking in the upper corner will reset the reference point to its original position.
24. Having created a path with the Pen Tool, you can hide / show it again using the Ctrl + Shift + H combination.
25. Ctrl+Tab will switch you between different image windows.
26. Holding Shift+Alt transforms the object proportionally, from the center.
27. If you have the Move Tool selected and want to copy something, just hold Alt and drag the image. By holding Shift+Alt the object can be easily moved along the Grid guides.
28. If you want to align the horizon or jagged edges after scanning, then take the Ruler Tool (Ruler), draw a line along your curve, then go to Image> Image Rotation> Arbitrary, Photoshop will substitute the rotation angle values itself, it remains to click OK and the image turned.
29. To display the Rules panel, press Ctrl+R.
30. Ctrl+E will merge the current layer with the underlying one.
31. If the Brush Tool is selected, you can control the diameter of the brush using the "[" and "]" buttons.
32. Double clicking on the Zoom Tool will return the image scale to 100%, and on the Hand Tool it will stretch the image to the screen area.
33. Change the active layer with Alt+[ or ].
34. Move the active layer up or down with Ctrl+[ or ].
35. To hide the Grid guides, press Ctrl+H.
36. Press X to swap the foreground and background colors.
37. Press D to reset the foreground and background color settings to the default black and white.
38. Press F5 to display the Brushes palette.
39. Ctrl+click on the layer icon in the layers panel to create a selection of the layer's content.
40. If you want to see the contents of the layer mask, then hold Alt and click on the layer mask.
41. Alt+clicking on the layer mask icon will create a black mask.
42. For better organization of layers, group the selected ones by pressing Ctrl + G.
43. Ctrl+Shift+N will create a new file, with a dialog box displayed; Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N will create a new layer in the working file.
44. When the Brush Tool is active, the [ and ] keys will decrease and increase the diameter of the brush, and Shift + [ or ] will change the hardness of the brush.
45. Press Alt to make the Burning Tool become the Dodge Tool, and vice versa.
46. When writing text, pressing Enter creates a new line, to finish writing press Ctrl+Enter or Enter on the numeric keypad.
47. You can move the layer to any other open image in Photoshop, thus. a copy of the layer will be created. Hold down Shift while dragging and the contents of the layer will be pasted exactly in the center.
48. After applying the filter, its effect can be softened using the Fade function by pressing Shift+Ctrl+F.
49. You can copy the layer mask by dragging it with Alt pressed to another layer.
50. From the vertical guide of the Grid, you can easily get a horizontal guide by selecting the Move Tool, holding Alt and clicking on the guide itself. And vice versa.
1. You can delete the current layer by holding Alt and pressing L 3 times.
2. Working with the Move Tool you can select any layer by clicking on a part of the object with Ctrl pressed.
3. Double clicking on the top blue bar, in any palette window, will collapse it.
4. Double click on the gray background will open the file open dialog box, Shift+double click will open the Adobe Bridge browser.
5. Tired of the gray background around the image? Take the Paint Bucket Tool (Bucket), hold down Shift + click on the gray background and it will change to whatever color you have chosen as the foreground color.
6. To select all layers press Alt+Ctrl+A.
7. Caps Lock will change your cursor to a clearer cross.
8. Press the F key and you can choose from 3 different screen modes to make your workspace look bigger.
9. To draw a straight line with a brush or pencil, make one click at the start point, then hold Shift+click at the end point.
10. Pressing Ctrl will turn any tool into Move Tool (Move) while holding it.
11. Ctrl+Alt+click will create a copy of the image and move it in the direction of the mouse movement.
12. Pressing Space (Space) will turn any tool into Hand Tool (Hand) while you hold it.
13. Ctrl+Space+click will zoom in, Alt+Space+click will zoom out.
14. Pressing Ctrl and "+" or "-" will change the scale of the image in percent.
15. If you use Eyedropper Tool (Pipette) with pressed Alt - this will allow you to take a color sample for the background color.
16. Tool Measure Tool (Ruler) - make a line, and then hold down Alt and create another line from the end of the first - this will help you determine the angle between them.
17. Use Ctrl+Alt+Z and Ctrl+Shift+Z to undo and redo a series of actions.
18. Alt+Backspace and Ctrl+Backspace will fill the image with foreground and background colors respectively. Shift+Backspace will bring up the image fill dialog. Alt+Shift+Backspace and Ctrl+Shift+Backspace will fill the image with foreground and background colors, respectively, but leave transparent areas transparent.
19. If you hold down Alt and call a free transformation with Ctrl + T, then it will be performed on a copy of the object. Ctrl+Shift+T will redo any recent transformations.
20. The size of the canvas can easily be increased using the Crop Tool, stretch it outside the canvas and click OK.
21. Ctrl+J will create a copy of the current layer.
22. Ctrl+Shift+E will merge all visible layers into one, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E will merge a copy of the visible layers into one new layer.
23. When using Marquee Tool (Selection), hold down Alt to make the starting point the center of the selected area.
24. Ctrl+D to deselect, Ctrl+Shift+D to reselect.
25. When you make a selection with the Marquee Tool, hold Space to move the selection, release to continue selection.
26. Pressing Shift and "+" or "-" will change the layer's blend mode to: Normal, Dissolve, Multiply, Screen, Overlay.
27. If the Brush tool or any other is selected, the transparency of the layer can be changed by pressing the corresponding number on the keyboard:
- by pressing one number
- to set a more precise % transparency [hold 7 and then 2, which will give 72% as a result].
28. Hold Alt and click on the eye icon next to the layer icon in the layers palette to hide all other layers except the current one.
29. A color sample can be taken not only from an image in Photoshop, but also outside the program. Reduce the Photoshop window so that you can see the image on which you want to determine the color, take the Eyedropper Tool (Pipette), click inside Photoshop and, without releasing, bring it outside the window.
30. Select the layer, hold down Alt and click on the border between the top and current layer to create a Clipping Mask, ie. the top layer will be visible within the bottom layer, and the bottom one will replace the mask.
31. Alt-click the "Create a new layer" button on the Layers Palette to bring up a dialog box with the settings for the new layer.
32. Select the layer and, while holding down Alt, click on the trash can on the layers palette, thus. the layer will be removed without further question. Make selections for transparency where you want, go to the Channels tab and Ctrl+click on the "Create new channel" button, ie. an alpha channel will be created for the selected areas only.
33. File > Automate > Contact Sheet II - will create small previews for each file currently opened in Photoshop in a separate document in a row and sign them.
34. The Move Tool in the settings has an option to automatically select the layer "Auto Select Layer" depending on the click location.
35. Working with the Move Tool, pressing Alt+Shift+right-clicking on various objects in the image located on different layers will select all these layers.
36. Working with the Grid, drag the top left corner where the scales for the Grid are located, and the reference point for them will be in the place where you release the mouse button. Double clicking in the upper corner will reset the reference point to its original position.
37. Having created a path with the Pen Tool, you can hide / show it again using the Ctrl + Shift + H combination.
38. Navigating with keys can often be more efficient than a mouse:
Home = scroll to top left corner
End = scroll to the bottom right corner
PageUp = scroll up one page
PageDown = scroll down one page
Ctrl+PageUp = scroll left one page
Ctrl+PageDown = scroll right one page
Shift+PageUp = scroll up 10 pixel
Shift+PageDown = scroll down 10 pixel
Ctrl+Shift+PageUp = scroll left 10 pixel
Ctrl+Shift+PageDown = scroll right 10 pixel
39. Ctrl+Tab will switch you between different image windows.
40. F12 will return the state of the image as it was when it was last saved.
41. Hotkeys for Channels: RGB, CMYK, Indexed color
Ctrl+"~" = RGB
ctrl+1 = red
ctrl+2 = green
ctrl+3 = blue
Ctrl+4 = other path
Ctrl+9 = other path
Ctrl+"~" = CMYK
Ctrl+1 = light green
Ctrl+2 = pink red
Ctrl+3 = blue
ctrl+4 = black
Ctrl+5 = other path
Ctrl+9 = other path
Ctrl+1 = indexed
Ctrl+2 = other path
Ctrl+9 = other path
42. By holding Ctrl on the Navigator palette, you can stretch the red rectangle, thereby scaling the image.
43. Hold Alt and click on any step in the history. step will be copied.
44. Press Alt and drag a step from one Action to another, get a copy of the action.
45. In the Lens Flare filter (Filter > Render > Lens Flare) you can set the exact coordinates by holding Alt + clicking on the preview window.
46. Holding down Shift+Alt will transform the object proportionally –– from the center.
47. If you have the Move Tool selected and you want to copy something, then just hold Alt and drag the image. By holding Shift+Alt the object can be easily moved along the Grid guides.
48. If you want to even out the horizon or jagged edges after scanning, then take the Measure Tool (Ruler), draw a line along your curve, then go to Image> Rotate Canvas> Arbitrary, Photoshop will substitute the rotation angle values itself, it remains to click OK and the image turned.
49. If you create something in Illustrator, copy and paste into Photoshop, he will ask in what form to paste: pixel or Shape.
50. To display the Rules panel, press Ctrl+R.
51. To make the image clearly centered Ctrl+A, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V.
52. Ctrl+E will merge the current layer with the underlying one.
53. If the Brush Tool is selected, you can control the brush diameter using the [ and ] buttons.
54. Double clicking on the Zoom Tool will return the image scale to 100%, and on the Hand Tool it will stretch the image to the screen area.
55. Work with text:
Ctrl+H will hide the selection of selected characters.
If you have symbols selected, click in the font type selection bar and you can use the arrows on your keyboard to select the font type.
Alt+left or right arrow will change the indent between characters to 10.
Ctrl+Alt+left or right arrow will change the indent between characters to 100.
56. Ctrl+Alt+T will create a copy of the object you want to transform.
57. Ctrl+Alt+Right, Left, Up or Down Arrow will copy the current layer and move it by 1px.
58. Change active layer with Alt+[ or ].
59. Move the active layer up or down with Ctrl+[ or].
60. To hide the Grid guides, press Ctrl+
61. Ctrl+[plus key] will zoom in, Ctrl+[minus key] will zoom out. Ctrl+Alt+[plus key] will increase the scale and size of the window, same for Ctrl+Alt+[minus key].
62 Using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, press Backspace to undo the last step.
63. Press X to swap the foreground and background colors.
64. Press D to reset the foreground and background color settings to the default black and white.
65. Press F5 to display the Brushes palette.
66. To display the Layers palette, press F7.
67. Ctrl+click on the layer thumbnail in the layers palette to create a selection of the layer's content.
68. If you want to see the contents of the layer mask, then hold Alt and click on the layer mask.
69. Alt+clicking on the layer mask icon will create a black mask.
70. When using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, hold Shift to create straight lines at an angle in 45 degree increments.
71. In order to move around the visible part with the grab, use the pressed spacebar in the selection mode (V).
72. Ctrl+Shift+N will create a new file, with a dialog box displayed; Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N will create a new layer in the working file.
73. Back to the brushes, the [ and ] keys will decrease and increase the diameter of the brush, and Shift+[ or ] will change the hardness of the brush.
74. Press Alt to make the Burning Tool become the Dodge Tool, and vice versa.
75. Stamp Tool clones parts of the image (Alt+click to define the area to be copied). This also works if you have several images open in Photoshop and you can also clone any sections from other images, just position the images within view on the screen.
76. Ctrl+click on a layer thumbnail creates a selection of an object on that layer. If you need to select more than 1 object on multiple layers, hold down Shift as well.
77. To merge palettes into one, drag the tab of any tab to another palette to other tabs and it will move.
78. When writing text, pressing Enter will create a new line, to finish writing press Ctrl+Enter or Enter on the numeric keypad.
79. You can move the layer to any other open image in Photoshop, i.e. a copy of the layer will be created. Hold down Shift while dragging and the contents of the layer will be pasted exactly in the center.
80. Create a new document in Photoshop 500x500px in size, create a new layer, take the Brush Tool, select a standard round brush, any diameter and put a dot at the top center (position as in hours at 12). Press Ctrl+Alt+T, this will create a copy of the point and let you transform it. Drag the point in the center of the transformed object Pivot Point and set it exactly in the center of the image, enter a rotation angle of 30 degrees at the top and click OK. Now for the trick - press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T 10 times and you'll see what happens.
81. Shift+clicking on the blue top bar near the toolbar or palettes will move them to the side border of the window.
82. How to select a group of layers without using the layers palette? We know how to select one layer from point 81, and you can add another layer to the group by holding Ctrl + Shift and clicking on the part of the object located on another layer.
83. You can delete several layers at once by simply dragging a group of layers onto the trash icon on the layers palette, we know how to select a group from step 82.
84. Press Tab to hide the toolbar and palettes, Shift+Tab will hide only the palettes.
85. After applying the filter, its effect can be softened using the Fade function by pressing Shift+Ctrl+F.
86. You can copy a layer mask by dragging it with Alt pressed to another layer.
87. From the vertical guide of the Grid, you can easily get a horizontal one by selecting the Move Tool, holding Alt and clicking on the guide itself. And vice versa.
88. Saving a document using Save for Web information about the document is lost, to save the information use Save As.
89. For better organization of the layers, group the selections by pressing Ctrl+G.
90. To display the Rules panel, press Ctrl+R
Learn how to process quickly and efficiently your pictures with the course "Fast photo editing in Photoshop from A to Z" Link to the course:
Is Photoshop new to you? We'll help you figure out what's what!
Learning Photoshop can take a lot of time, and there are a lot of things that I, unfortunately, did not know about when I started. Therefore, today I present to your attention ten useful notes, thanks to which working with Photoshop will become much easier! You will learn about the most important tools and tricks that even a beginner can master.
1. Get to know the Tools
This is the Photoshop toolbar.
Click on the double arrow to arrange the tools on the panel in one or two rows.
Did you know that you can customize it for yourself?
Although you will always have many useful tools in front of you, you may miss out on additional tools hidden behind the triangles in the lower right corner, using only those located "on the surface".
So customize the toolbar for yourself - let it be a useful reminder to try new tools!
Click Edit > Toolbar(Edit > Toolbar...) to manually select the tools. Group them according to priority levels - for example, one group could be tools that you have yet to master, and another group that you use all the time.
Don't overload the panel with tools you don't use; put your favorite instruments in it instead!
Decide on the Core Toolkit
All tools won't be needed for every job, and so it's important to build a strong base, with a few flexible tools that are good for a variety of jobs.
Here you see two different projects: tablet drawing and photo manipulation. Did you notice that the tools for both projects are identical?
While the first project is entirely drawing, the second one is very dependent on my illustrative skills. So don't worry if you're not familiar with these tools yet! Your core set should reflect your interests, be it design, photography, or illustration.
Also, don't forget that many of Photoshop's tools can be used for different purposes. For example, a tool pen(Pen) can be used both to separate the model from the background, and to create a vector illustration.
There are other tools you will need, but consider them secondary. For example, tools pen(Feather) and move(Move), at first glance, do not seem very creative, but they are needed (and sometimes needed very often) to improve the workflow.
What are your main tools?
In the beginning, you will always have favorites. But as your skills improve, challenge yourself to try new tools and creative effects.
2. Introduction to the Layers Panel
Rollover Control-Shift-N creates a new layer.
Layers panel very efficient and helpful. It will change the way you design, opening up the myriad possibilities in Photoshop.
But how?
Well, in general, the panel allows you to control several parameters. Opacity(Opacity), Fill(Fill) and color(Color) are just a few. With these options, you can modify your layers to create many cool effects.
Text effects, for example, are often created using incredible Layer Styles(Layer styles).
In the beginning, you'll probably use the Layers panel for its primary purpose - to keep your work on separate layers - but I highly recommend getting to grips with it. Explore the panel as much as you can and you'll discover new ways to create detailed work.
Experiencing color issues? Try to work with Layer Blend Modes(Layer blend modes). Want to get a brighter result? Maybe your solution is adjustment layer(adjustment layer).
3. Save Time With Layer Masks
It's time to have an important conversation - a conversation about layer masks.
For beginners, layer masks can be confusing, but they are vital to effective editing.
To use a layer mask:
Here I've drawn a circle in the middle of the mask to show the white background underneath the blue filled layer.
Use layer masks in any work! Incorporate them into your day-to-day work so that any adjustments can always be painlessly undone.
Most of the time, the difficulty with this feature comes from not knowing when to use it. Beginners often just use the tool Eraser(Eraser) as this is the fastest solution.
You can also use masks to create isolated objects and then insert them into your work.
4. Control-S Right?
Quality matters, so before you save your work and close the program, consider the following:
- Why do I need this file?
- Where can I store it?
- In what format do I need it?
- How to save it in the best quality?
Above you see a comparison of different quality levels, 1 - 83%, 2 - 1%. Image courtesy of Envato Elements.
What and Where
The answer to the first question is whether your work will be used online. In graphic materials for online posts, quality is not as important, while printed materials must be saved at high resolution. Explore the print guidelines to understand why you need important settings such as Color Modes(Color Profile) and how to manage them.
Store your files somewhere on your computer that you have quick access to. Photoshop can throw an error if some elements (such as fonts) are missing from the file, so try to keep everything in order.
Format and quality
Now that you know what your work is for, you can move on to saving it in a suitable format. Many designers save their work in multiple formats, which provides additional flexibility.
Click File > Export > Save for Web(File > Export > Save for Web).
Check out how your work looks with different compression settings. Avoid quality loss!
How good will your design look when printed?
Saving work in different formats is also necessary in order to understand the quality of printing. If, for example, your drawing, design or other work contains bright neon colors, then you may be disappointed with the physical result.
Minimalist design is a huge trend in part because it gives you more typing options. This design is often easier to print and therefore used more frequently.
What looks good on screen won't always look good on paper. There are many reasons for this, and the essence of one of them is how exactly the ink falls on paper. It is also essential for this step to understand the difference between color profiles. RGB and CMYK.
Work according to your situation. To open/change Color Mode(Color Profile) of your file, click Edit > Color Settings(Edit > Adjust Colors…).
Test your work by printing it out! To achieve the best result, find out the intricacies of the printer for a particular printing industry.
6. Sets! Sets! Sets!
In the real world, there are things like tight deadlines and intimidating tasks. So save valuable time by using Photoshop's built-in presets!
There are sets of brushes, shapes, patterns, and more. You can quickly add a filter to your photo or create a brochure with abstract elements.
To view them all, click Edit > Presets > Preset Manager(Edit > Presets > Manage Presets).
One of my favorite sets is brush sets. Brush sets from your favorite artists are great too, but use the ones you already have!
These sets include various textures, beautiful gradients and more.
In the screenshot you see an example of a set of brushes Wet Media (Wet brushes).
Use kits to create amazing effects! They're already organized for your convenience, so all you have to do is download them and get started.
7. Easily Change Colors With Adjustment Layers
Create incredible lighting schemes with just a couple of clicks!
Adjustment Layers(Adjustment Layers) are just perfect for beginners in Photoshop. They allow you to seamlessly change many of the visual aspects of your work.
Need to keep the original photo? No problems. Tools that let you roll back any changes, like adjustment layers, can help you create amazing effects without losing quality.
To use an adjustment layer color lookup(color search):
Click Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Lookup(Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Search). Select file set 3DLUT File from the dropdown menu. Click OK and enjoy the result.
Stock Photo Envato Elements.
Adjustment layers are one of my favorite tools, and I'm very happy with the fact that they are also suitable for illustrations on a tablet!
Photoshop artists use these adjustments to try out different color palettes before making a final decision. Explore different lighting schemes and more with incredible tools like Curves(Curves).
8. Learn to organize your Workspace
Chefs love to keep their kitchens tidy as it keeps them tidy and productive. So why not create a clean workspace for yourself in Photoshop?
The organization contributes to the creation of a good working atmosphere. And even if sloppiness seems very creative, an organized workspace can enhance your work.
First, close all unnecessary tabs!
After that, there are still many ways to do everything even more accurately. For example, you can pin and unpin your favorite panels and toolboxes.
Then click Window > Arrange(Window > Arrange).
Choose one of the layout options listed so that all your documents display neatly. Keep sources of inspiration close at hand so you can easily access them.
The standard solution is Consolidate All to Tabs(Combine all in tabs) but you can also choose to e.g. 2-up Vertical(2 up, horizontal) to place the sample next to your work.
Need to get your workspace back to its original state? Click Window > Workspace > Reset Essentials(Window > Workspace > Reset Main Workspace).
Each artist's workplace will be different. Some people like to see more dashboards than others. For example, I am not one of those, as I prefer to minimize the mess. But whatever you personally like, you can always customize the working environment the way you want.
9. Master the Pen Tool
Tool pen(Feather) (P) can be intimidating at times, however, with time you will be able to fully master it.
First, get to know the tool itself. Option Path(Contour) is needed to select an area, and shape(Shape) allows you to create your own shapes.
Then get to know Path Operations(Operations with contour), Alignment(Contour alignment) and Arrangement(Contour ordering). Designers who are familiar with Adobe Illustrator may find it easier to get comfortable with this tool.
The best way to learn something is to experiment! Create a bunch of lines and swirls and then play around with the settings like Blending Options(Overlay options). The possibilities are truly endless! Don't forget to use the Pen tool when creating text effects, illustrations, and more!
10. Memorize Hot Keys
Hotkeys are not new.
However, designers sometimes have trouble remembering them. Want to learn a little trick to help you remember these keys?
Try this old trick to help you think about tools. When you think of a hotkey, imagine an image that explains what it is, or how to use it.
By pressing the letter B, which calls up the tool Brush(Brush), I automatically render like this:
Remember these keys in order of priority. As in the first part of the lesson, it is important to figure out which hotkeys you need the most. You will also need to memorize additional keys related to your favorite instruments.
To increase the size of the brush, for example, press the right or left square bracket: [ or ] .
Your favorite hotkeys are easy to remember as you use them often, but it's worth exploring new possibilities.
You won't master Photoshop in one day, and that's absolutely fine! Just think of it as a creative adventure that gets better with time.
Before you close this lesson, remember:
- Decide on your core toolkit
- Get to know the Layers panel
- Save time with layer masks
- Save files correctly
- Know the difference between print and web recommendations
- Use sets...
- ...and adjustment layers.
- Organize your workplace.
- Learn the pen tool.
- Memorize hotkeys.
Try these tips and tell us in the comments about the most useful for you!
As mentioned in the first Photoshop Mastery tutorial, you never stop learning new things with this program. There are always new methods and tools available for use. We decided to collect 25 more Photoshop tricks and tips that every designer needs.
Sit down, read carefully and enjoy the unknown!
Manipulation wizard using the Puppet Warp tool.
This tool isn't used as often as Photoshop's other tools, but if it works, it turns you into a design star! Puppet warp allows you to set points (pins) on a layer and then manipulate and bend the object in a realistic manner. In other words, a kind of framework is created that allows you to control changes in the object, like a puppet.
Below is an image of a snake that I have extracted from the background and placed on its own layer.
Using Puppet Warp, I added some control points to the object and repositioned the snake on the surface. It's great, isn't it?
You can find more detailed information on this tool.
One-click editing with Adjustment Layers.
You are all familiar with adjustment layers and you know what an incredible result you can get using them. But you may not notice that some of the adjustment layers contain some very interesting and useful settings. In my example below, I opened the adjustment layer “Curves” (Layer-New Adjustment Layer –Curves) and at the top of the options dialog box opened the drop-down menu of the already set settings.
more-img1.jpg
I especially like the preset inside the Black and White adjustment layer.
Did you know?
You can use an adjustment layer as a clipping mask to a specific layer if you click on the icon of two rings (Clipping Mask) at the bottom of the adjustment dialog box. Otherwise, the correction will affect all layers below.
Full control over paths in the Paths panel.
If you spend time drawing paths in Photoshop, then the Paths panel is a must for you. The Palette Palette in Photoshop is essentially the same as the Layer Palette, but it only serves to create paths.
In this panel, you can create new paths and delete them, load their selection, stroke and fill with any color.
Create and edit your own keyboard shortcuts.
Have you ever wanted to change Photoshop's default keyboard shortcuts or create your own? It's easy to do. Go to the menu Editing-Keyboard Shortcuts (Edit | Keyboard Shortcuts).
In this panel, you can change the default settings and even add your own.
Perfect control over the Type Tool with the Character palette.
The Character palette contains everything you need to edit text and paragraphs. The palette is accessed through the menu Window-Character (Window-Symbol) or with the active tool “Text” (Type tool) we press the extreme icon on the right in the top menu.
Streamline your workflow with the Workspace feature.
Photoshop presents five working window settings. One each for 3D images, for design, movement, drawing and photography. By selecting one of the workspaces, you will see that Photoshop opens the most necessary panels for working in this area and organized in such a way that the necessary functions become easily accessible.
The choice of working environment is carried out through the menu Window | Workspace (Window-Workspace).
You can also create and save your own workspaces. Go to the menu Window | workspace | New Workspace (Window-Workspace-New workspace), assign the name of the workspace. This is a very useful tip if you have multiple worker processes.
Bending reality with the filter "Plastic" (Liquify).
My favorite filter in Photoshop is Plastic (Filter | Liquify). You can create interesting warping effects here, but still look realistic.
In the example below, I used the brush in the Liquify filter to enlarge the girl's eyes and curl the hair to give the look a little craziness.
Elimination of confusion in the work with the function “Show layer edges” (Showing Layer Edges).
The function of showing the edge of the layers as you work is very useful. It is useful if you are working in a document with many layers and it becomes difficult to tell where (at what level) a particular layer is located. Access to this function is made through the menu: View | show | Edges Layer (View-Show-Layer Edges).
Now when you click on a layer or several layers, they will be selected in the working document window.
Highlight specific colors and shades with the Color Range feature.
A huge part of working in Photoshop is selecting objects. And the Color Range function will help you do it quickly and efficiently. It allows you to highlight any color or shade.
Menu access: Select | Color Range (Selection-Color Range).
At the top of the dialog box, you can select any color or range of highlights, shadows, and midtones.
Once you click OK, your selected area will be highlighted. In the example below, I've selected a range of highlights in the photo to highlight.
Organization and classification of documents.
In the very top panel of the program there is an icon for organizing files with a drop-down menu. This is a very useful feature if you have many documents open or if you are working on one or more documents at the same time.
The working area of the screen will display as many files as you select from the list.
Photoshop's default menu setting.
If you need absolute rationalization of the process, then you can customize the default menu of the program. Remove what you do not need in the process of work. To make settings, go to the menu Edit | Menus (Editing-Menu).
To remove unnecessary parameters, simply click on the eye icon in the settings dialog.
Did you know?
You can also choose to highlight certain menu items with any color on the menu bar. Just click on the word "No" (None) in the column and assign any color from the drop-down list.
Editing and adjusting your brush.
The brush settings panel (Window-Brush or F5) gives you full control over how your brush works. Here you can make any changes to existing tool settings or create your own brushes and save these adjustments as a new brush.
Using the Masks palette.
Layer masks provide incredible conditions for non-destructive editing of layers. But if you have never explored the parameters of this method, then you do not know half of the flexibility inherent in this tool.
A layer mask is added by clicking its icon at the bottom of the layers panel (Add Layer Mask). Open the Masks palette (Window | Masks). When you select a mask that you have created on a layer, all functions are immediately activated in the mask panel. Below I created a mask with a copy of the red alpha channel (Red channel) in the photo.
By adjusting the Feather function in the masks panel, I can create a soft focus effect on the photo. The effect is fully preserved and can be edited without damaging the original photo.
Knowing these parameters gives much more flexibility to the masking process.
Editing JPG images in Camera Raw.
There are a number of great tools found in Camera Raw, and they are not limited to native camera formats. You can open any JPG images in Camera Raw. Open Bridge (icon in the topmost menu), select the image and right-click on it, selecting from the menu - Open in Camera Raw (Open in Camera Raw).
One of my favorite tools from Camera Raw is the Adjustment Brush. Below is an example of editing an image using this tool. You can see a tutorial on using an adjustment brush.
Using Alpha channels for more precise selection.
An often overlooked method is to isolate an object from a background to a mask using alpha channels.
For example, we have a bird on a white background that needs to be removed. Open the Channels Palette and select the highest contrast channel for our image. In this photo, the blue channel (Blue) is the most contrast.
Copy this channel by dragging its thumbnail onto the new channel icon at the bottom of the palette.
If desired, we can remove the remaining black areas on the bird using a white Brush (Brush). Next, load the selection of this channel (Ctrl + click on its icon), return to the layers panel (Layers) and hide the background on the mask by clicking its icon at the bottom of the layers panel.
Embossed design with the Texturizer function.
This is one of the small filters of the program that can inspire experimentation from time to time. Load this filter through the menu Filter | texture | Texturizer (Filter-Texture-Texturizer).
I used a photo of a tree to create the texturing.
In the filter dialog box, select the canvas texture (Canvas). The effect is not bad, but not particularly interesting.
It will be a real pleasure to use your own textures. You can load them into a filter by clicking on the arrow next to the "Texture" section. The only requirement is that the downloaded texture format must be PSD.
In the example below, I've uploaded the original image of this tree as my texture, which creates an interesting effect on the painting.
Creating Gif-animation in Photoshop.
Creating GIF animations is not something I do often, but when I have the opportunity, I use it. Making animation frames in Photoshop is not only incredibly easy, but also interesting. Open the animation panel (Window | Animation) and create a new frame by clicking its icon at the bottom of the panel. You can edit, add and rearrange the document for each frame. Then select the frame display time by clicking the arrow at the bottom of the frame thumbnail. To view the animation, use the player keys at the bottom of the panel. To save the animation in Gif format, go to the menu File | Save for Web & Devices (File-Save for Web and Devices). Select Gif as the file format.
Clearing up with the Info panel.
You may ask what the Info panel is and why it takes up space on the screen. I have asked myself this question many times as well, but the truth is that the Info panel contains a lot of useful information for work.
Look at the screenshot below and you will see what data is reflected in this panel.
Working with color schemes through the Kuler extension.
If you've been interested in color schemes beyond the defaults of the program, then you probably know about Adobe's Kuler project. This is an online flower community with lots of interesting options and color ideas. The Kuler extension is accessed via the Window | extensions | Kuler (Window-Extensions-Cooler). With the help of the Cooler panel, you can search and view any color options, and you can also visit the website page. Once you find the colors you like, you can add them to your Swatches palette for further work.
Video editing in Photoshop.
I bet you didn't know that video can be modified within Photoshop. This is very easy to do. You can import videos through the menu: Layer | Video Layers | New Video Layer From File (Layer-Video Layers-New video layer from file). All video frames are edited like a normal layer. To access individual frames, you need to open the animation timeline (Window | Animation). In addition, you can make global changes to the video by adding adjustment layers in the layers panel.
A quick video tutorial on using video layers is presented.
Create a vignette using adjustment layers.
I recently discovered a way to create a vignette using a Gradient Fill adjustment layer. I love adjustment layers, so I've added this method to my collection of tricks.
Open any of your photos. I used the photo you see below.
Now add an adjustment layer "Gradient" (click on the adjustments icon at the bottom of the layers panel and select from the list - Gradient Fill). Set the color direction of the gradient from white transparent to black. Change the blending mode of this layer to Soft light (Soft Light).
Next, on the “Gradient Fill” layer, open the layer styles (click on the “Add Layer Style” icon) at the bottom of the layers panel and add the style “Gradient Overlay” (Gradient Overlay), but with a radial style. Again, use a color from translucent white to black.
This method is nice because the vignette always remains editable and the adjustment layer can be transferred to a new document with automatic resizing.
original photo.
Ideal placement when using alignment objects.
This tip may be obvious to some, but you'd be surprised how long I used Photoshop before I noticed these tools.
When the Move Tool (V) is activated, alignment icons appear in the top bar. Once you have multiple layers selected (Ctrl+click on the layer thumbnails), then try clicking on any of these icons and see what happens.
By knowing these features, you can save a lot of time in your workflow.
Using the Offset filter to create a repeating pattern.
Often you have to create your own textures and patterns, so the filter function "Shift" (Offset) is necessary.
To create a repeating pattern, you need to select a square from your texture file. Preferably one that has a uniform tone. Copy (Ctrl+C) the selected square into a new 500x500 px file.
Now go to the menu: Filter | Other | Offset (Filter-Other-Shift) and set the shift to the right and down horizontally and vertically by +250.
I entered +250 because my document size is 500 px, i.e. shift by half the size of the document.
Now, using the tool Stamp (Clone Stamp Tool (S)), delete the lines in the center of the document. This file can be saved as a repeating pattern and will look like a 500 px seamless file.
Organizing your layers panel with grouping.
You can know this feature of the program well, but there are some nuances. I don't usually flatten layers, so my projects can end up with dozens of layers. In order to keep order in my work, I group the layers into structural parts. This is an important point in the work, because the grouping allows you not to get confused in the details when exchanging files and working in a group.
Did you know?
Within groups, you can create new groups to further organize the layers in the panel.
Any photo processing can be compared to developing a film - without this, you won't be able to get an impressive result. In the simplest case, the camera edits the frame. We don't even notice it. But in-camera algorithms do not always work perfectly. Firstly, the capabilities of the camera are limited (the processor there is not as powerful as in a computer). Secondly, automation cannot accurately predict your creative ideas, so it will give an average result.
By the way, the author's ideas are not always embodied even in ideal conditions for shooting. For example, when photographing in low light, we often get "noisy" frames. What should I do if the camera cannot handle noise on its own? In this situation, you should resort to post-processing in a photo editor.
In this article, we'll show you how to remove noise from an image. This is one of the first operations with which photo retouching begins. We will be working in Photoshop CC. All screenshots are taken in the MacOS operating system, but in Windows, the windows and settings dialogs look the same.
There are several ways to remove noise in Adobe Photoshop, we will look at the two most simple ones.
We recommend that you duplicate the original layer and perform all operations with noise on a copy of the layer. If the correction turns out to be very strong, you can always reduce the transparency of the layer or add a mask to it to remove the effect from certain areas of the image.
To duplicate a layer, use the keyboard shortcut Command+J or select the menu item Layer / "Layer" → Duplicate Layer / "Duplicate Layer".
Removing noise in the RAW converter
You should start working with noise at the stage of RAW conversion. This is what will allow you to get an image of maximum quality without loss of detail. By the way, sometimes it's better to leave some noise, but keep the details in the image, than to get a "clean", but blurry and undetailed picture.
But even if you are processing an already converted photo or shot in JPEG format, you can use the Adobe Camera Raw module for conversion, it works great on any image.
To launch Camera Raw, you must either open the RAW file in Photoshop or use the menu item Filter/"Filter" → Camera Raw Filter/"Camera Raw Filter".
In Adobe Camera Raw, the noise reduction control is on the tab Detail / "Detail".
Noise is usually divided into two components: color (Color) and brightness (Luminance). The color component is visually expressed in the form of multi-colored grains and lends itself quite well to removal. The luminance component is the grain. And here, when adjusting, the main thing is to find a balance between the moment when noise interferes with the perception of the image, and when the photo becomes “plastic” due to excessive blurring of details in the process of dealing with noise.
Often it is enough to remove only color noise. Brightness is left because it looks more like film grain and does not interfere with image perception so much. It is worth working with noise removal at 100% image magnification and selecting the values of all parameters based on the structure and size of the photo.
Let's now deal with the parameters that can be affected when removing noise in Adobe Camera Raw.
Color Noise:
Color- force of impact of the tool. The larger the value, the stronger the effect on the color component. 0 - the degree of influence is 0, the parameter is not applied.
Color Detail / "Color Information" preserves color details in border areas. High values protect fine, detailed color transition edges, but may cause color blotches. Lower values can better handle noise, but may cause loss of color. Anything outside this radius will be perceived as noise and choke.
Smoothness / "Smoothness of color" helps to deal with the remaining color artifacts. Raise the values if the color spots don't go away.
Luma noise (off by default):
Luminance / "Luminance"- force of influence.
Luminance Detail- everything outside this radius will be perceived as noise and choke. The smaller this value, the more detail loss and the softer the image becomes, but more noise is removed. Increasing the value of this parameter preserves more detail, but also more noise.
Contrast / "Brightness Contrast"- Adding local contrast in the boundary areas while maintaining the details. If you increase the values, the noise will return, but the image will become more contrast.
All these and many other photo retouching techniques are discussed and described in detail in the course at Fotoshkola.net.
Here are 100% fragments of frames at different stages of noise removal:
Removing noise with the Reduce Noise filter
The second way to remove noise is to use a filter Reduce Noise / "Reduce noise": Filter/"Filter" → Noise / "Noise" → Reduce Noise / "Reduce noise".
Let's take a picture taken at ISO 12800, with pronounced noise.
This filter has two modes of operation: Basic / "Basic" and Advanced / "Advanced". And any set of parameters can be saved as a preset by clicking on the icon in the header of the parameter block. Then the selected settings can be used for all pictures in the series or for all pictures taken at the same ISO value.
The following options are available for adjustment here.
