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Any time you try to develop a skill, you want to make sure that you take
advantage of the basic tools of the trade. If you were a bus driver, you
would want to be sure you knew how to use the key, gas pedal, brake pedal,
clutch, shift-stick, turn signals, and steering wheel, and where the gas goes to
be sure you were going to be able to navigate the bus successfully. Knowing
where the lighter is, or the location of the switch for the personal fan, is
helpful, but not really necessary for getting the job done. Likewise, when
using your camera, you want to understand focus, shutter speed, aperture,
and ISO, and know how to use the viewfinder to frame the shot, how to hold
the camera, and how to use the shutter release. There are extras like the
shutter timer, depth of field viewer, exposure modes – all arguably options for
shooting good images, but less important than the essentials.
If you have bought Photoshop to edit images, there are basic tools and
concepts that you need to know to get the best results. Of these, one of the
most important is layers. Layers are the key to success. They are the gearshifter,
gas pedal, brake pedal, turn signal, and steering wheel that help you
navigate corrections successfully. If you think of correction tools and functions
as the fuel in this scenario, the bus goes nowhere without that. It is the
harmony of the workings that allows the driver to get the bus from stop to
stop, and, in turn, gets the passengers to their destinations.
Layers are the building blocks for working in Photoshop. With the correct use of the Layers Tool, you can edit individual components of your images nondestructively to ensure that your end result is a combination of the best parts of your work. Despite how important it is for successful Photoshop work, the Layers Tool is one of the most often misused and misunderstood features within this powerful software program. This book will show you absolutely everything you need to know to work with layers, including how to use masks, blending, modes and layer management. You'll learn professional techniques as you become completely familiar with the power of layers as an organizational, correction, and revision tool that will quickly become an essential part of your overall Photoshop workflow.
*Try It Now exercises throughout the book encourage you to start practicing immediately for quicker learning
*Tip boxes explain the most common stumbling points for fast reference
*A supplemental website contains all images from the book plus custom actions to streamline your workflow |
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