Photoshop CS5: Using painting tools

Generally, the painting tools allow you
to apply color or erase pixels. In the
case of the Gradient tool, you can
apply multiple colors simultaneously.
And with the Art History Brush tool,
you paint on a stylized effect rather
than color. The Color Replacement tool
lets you replace the color within your
image with the foreground color.
Figure 2-5 shows an example of a heart
drawn with the Custom Shape tool,
painted with the Brush tool (using the
Scattered Rose brush tip), Special
Effects brush (left), and later (right) partially erased with the Eraser tool.
 

Photoshop CS5: Creating and modifying paths

The path tools create and modify paths,  which are elements comprised of
straight and curved segments and anchor points. You can then use these
paths as a basis for a selection or to define a shape.
 
Because of their precision, you may find that using path tools to create a dif-ficult selection usually yields better results than you can achieve with the
selection tools.

Photoshop CS5: Getting to know your tools

The Tools panel is divided into three sections: tools, color swatches, and
icons for Quick Mask or Standard mode. The following sections introduce
you to the tools. The following list details the other residents of the Tools
panel shown in Figure 2-2:
✓ Foreground Color and Background Color:  Color swatches  represent the
current foreground and background colors. When using some of the
tools and applying some commands, you may apply one of these colors.
The small black-and-white swatches represent the default colors.
  •  Click the Default Colors icon to reset the colors to the default.
  •  Click the curved arrow icon to switch the foreground and background
colors.
   For everything you need to know about color, see Book II, Chapter 3.
✓ Edit in Quick Mask Mode: The default editing mode is Standard mode.
To edit in Quick Mask mode, click the icon.

Photoshop CS5: Selecting tools

To select a tool, simply click it in the Tools panel. A small black triangle in
the bottom-right corner of a tool slot indicates that more tools are hidden
behind that tool on a  flyout menu,  shown in Figure 2-1 (note that the Tools panel in Figure 2-1 is from the Extended Version of Photoshop). Click and
hold down your desired tool to access the flyout menu. You can also access
tools by using keyboard shortcuts (which are listed in the Cheat Sheet at
Dummies.com; find more information inside the front cover).
Note:  3D tools are in the Photoshop CS5 Extended version only.

Photoshop CS5: Turning On the Tools Panel

You can access the Tools panel by choosing Window➪
Tools. Here are a few tips for using the Tools panel:
✓ To quickly hide and show the Tools panel (along
with the other panels), press Tab.
✓ To move the Tools panel anywhere within the
Photoshop window, drag the title bar. Re-dock
the Tools panel by dragging it back to its origi-nal location.
By default, the Tools panel is a single column. Click
the double triangle at the top of the panel to display a
two-column configuration.

Photoshop CS5: Introducing Adobe ConnectNow

Adobe provides a useful and, more importantly, free Web conferencing applica-tion that enables users to share ideas and collaborate on projects online. Using
any computer platform and any browser, users can participate in online meet-ings and work sessions. ConnectNow enables users to share their files, audio,
and video. You can participate via chats, whiteboard, Webcam, and notes.
 
With CS5, Adobe moved the ConnectNow feature to Acrobat.com (https://

acrobat.com) and added even more functionality. The only requirements are
✓ An Adobe.com user ID: Get one at  www.adobe.com .
✓ An Adobe ConnectNow account: Sign up at  www.adobe.com/acom/
connectnow.
✓ Adobe Flash Player: Download it at  www.adobe.com/shockwave/
download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

Follow these steps to access Adobe ConnectNow (shown in Figure 1-12) from
within Photoshop:
1. Choose File➪Share My Screen to launch Adobe ConnectNow.
    You can also access Adobe ConnectNow from this Web address:
www.adobe.com/acom/connectnow.
    You can go directly to  https://acrobat.com.
  2.  From the Menu bar, choose Files to create a new document, presenta-tion, table, or PDF. Choose Meetings to start a meeting, invite partici-pants, or share your screen or Webcam.
 
This great application deserves far more space than I can cram into this
section. In fact, it probably deserves its own mini user manual. Be sure to
visit www.adobe.com/acom/connectnow  if you’re interested in trying
Adobe ConnectNow. You can find a ton of detailed information on using
this great tool.

Photoshop: Viewing and navigating the image

A hodgepodge of functions is sprinkled throughout the View menu. Some of
them, such as Proof Setup, Proof Colors, and Gamut Warning, won’t trouble you
until you’ve become a fairly advanced Photoshop user. For new Photoshop
users, the commands to zoom into and out of the image are likely the most
familiar. You can also choose your
screen mode, which lets you view your
image full-screen with the Menu bar and
panels, or full-screen with just panels.
 
You’re better off accessing some func-tions, especially the zoom features,
through keyboard shortcuts.

✓ Layer Edges:  Displays a blue-stroked box that surrounds the
boundaries of the content of the
selected layer.
✓ Selection Edges:  Moving lines that
define the boundary of a selection,
which are very useful for obvious
reasons.
✓ Target Path:  Lines and curves that define a shape or select part of an
image. You definitely want to see them if the paths need editing.
✓ Grid and Guides: Lines that display onscreen, which are great when
you’re aligning selections, objects, or other components, and potentially
distracting when you’re not.
✓ Count: Bulleted numbers indicating your counted elements will appear.
The Count feature is only in the Extended version of Photoshop.