Welcome to the September 2005 Newsletter. At the end of this newsletter you'll find a 15% discount code for purchases from Total Training.
• Photoshop Blog - Featuring Free Tips
Make sure to read through our Photoshop Blog, where you can find a collection of the latest Photoshop news and free Photoshop tips. The Blog also features an RSS feed.
Visit the Photoshop Blog
• Photoshop - Top Support Issues & Free Trial Versions
There have been some updates at the Photoshop Support Knowledgebase:
- Image is repositioned after you edit it in Photoshop CS2 (Acrobat 6.0 and later)
- Error: "...user name, organization, or serial number is missing or invalid..." when you start (Adobe Creative Suite 2 applications on Mac OS)
- Error when you save or export a PDF or Illustrator file after Adobe application left idle several days (Mac OS)
- Error "...topic...applies to a CS2 product you have not installed" or missing content (Help Center)
Visit the Photoshop Support Knowledgebase for more information. You can also receive automatic updates by registering for support announcements at the Adobe site.
Photoshop CS2 Free Trial Versions For MAC & For Windows
Both the Photoshop CS2 free trial for MAC and the Photoshop CS2 free trial for Windows are available for download from the Adobe website.
Download the 30-day free trial of Adobe Photoshop CS2 for MAC.
Download the 30-day free trial of Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Windows.
• New Tutorial - Tips For Working With Layers In Photoshop CS2
(From Jennifer Apple) Despite the whirlwind blowing through my life these days, I've written a new page of layers tips and tricks for the tutorials section. Keeping with their proclivity for the sometimes infuriating rearrangements of menus and hotkeys from version to version, Adobe has made some changes to the Photoshop layers palette in CS2.
As I found myself running into a few walls while working on a job, I decided to share my little discoveries with everyone. Hopefully this will prevent some unnecessary headaches! Sorry folks, but they're for CS2 only.
Read the Tips For Working With Layers In Photoshop CS2 tutorial.
• New Photoshop Brushes From Kirsty
Kirsty sends this in: "High time for a new brush set! This one might remind you of the Victorian ladies set except for the fact that it features ladies from the 1930s era. Be sure to check it out if you're interested by going to the usual address - brushes.500ml.org. Also look for another new set - Art Nouveau!"
• New Photoshop "Tips & Tricks" Mini Tutorials From CreativeBits
Ivan Raszl has re-launched his excellent CreativeBits website, where he posts some great Photoshop tips and tutorials. You'll have to go through the various posts to find them, or you can read them all at once as collections in our Photoshop tutorials section. This month we've added Volume 5 and 6.
Go to Photoshop Tips & Tricks — Variety Pack Volume 6
Go to Photoshop Tips & Tricks — Variety Pack Volume 5
Go to Photoshop Tips & Tricks — Variety Pack Volume 4
Go to Photoshop Tips & Tricks — Variety Pack Volume 3
Go to Photoshop Tips & Tricks — Variety Pack Volume 2
Go to Photoshop Tips & Tricks — Variety Pack Volume 1
• Learn Photomontage From A Pro
(From creativepro.com) Illustrator Steve Caplin shows you how to go from a plain picture to a dramatic photomontage using nothing but a couple of images and Adobe Photoshop.
From the intro: "London-based Steve Caplin creates 12 editorial photomontages during an average week. He also reviews software for MacUser magazine, and he's written or co-written five books (some with multiple editions, including How To Cheat In Photoshop). Throw in the odd lecture and you have one busy man. Lucky for us, he recently took the time to explain step by step how he created one montage. Following his tutorial is an interview, in which Caplin speaks with creativepro.com contributing editor Molly Joss about his methods, tools, background, and advice on working with clients."
Read "Learn Photomontage From A Pro."
• Fluid Mask Spotlight Page
(From Jennifer Apple) Okay, I'm ready to proclaim my love for the Vertus Fluid Mask. The more deeply I delve into the secrets of this plugin, the more amazed I am by its versatility and results. I'll be reviewing the product shortly to share what I've learned and give some tips, so keep an eye out.
In the meantime, I tracked down James Carr-Jones, one of the Fluid Mask's creators, and asked him some questions about his brainchild. To read our interview, check out our new Fluid Mask spotlight page.
• Get Photoshop Radio Podcasts In The iTunes Music Store
Would you prefer to order your Photoshop Info to go? For those of you on the run, Photoshop Radio is now available in the "Podcasts" section of the iTunes store (version 4.9 or higher).
An auditory chimera of news and commercials, the Photoshop station offers listeners the latest in product reviews, tips, resources and miscellaneous information.
To hear the show, open the iTunes store and select "Podcasts" in the Choose Store> Choose Genre section, top left. Once you've done that you'll find a search box in the upper right corner of the window. Type in the word "Photoshop" and click enter. Photoshop Radio will appear in your search results list. Click on "Subscribe" and that's all there is to it. If you need more help, Planet Photoshop has a tutorial with images that guides you through the whole process. So open up iTunes, subscribe, and feast away!
• David Biedny Launches Photoshop Podcast
Photoshop author, educator and leading expert David Biedny has launched a new podcast show dedicated to covering the vast realm of Adobe's popular Adobe Photoshop image editing software. 'Attention Photoshoppers!' includes segments on Photoshop related news, step by step techniques to using Photoshop for production and artistic creativity, Photoshop book and companion product reviews, technical analysis, historical anecdotes and interviews with Photoshop luminaries, authors, artists and developers.
'Attention Photoshoppers!' is available through Apple's iTunes, and the official 'Attention Photoshoppers!' website.
• Add Complex Light to Photoshop Images
A few weeks ago creativepro.com ran some plugin reviews by Jay Nelson, the editor-in-chief of Design Tools Monthly, and there was one plugin set he mentioned from Digital Film Tools called "Light!" that sounded pretty wonderful. Here's what Jay said:
"Digital Film Tools' Light! ($50) lets you add effects to images to simulate the light cast by a patterned light source, such as a paned window, sun through leaves, abstract patterns, etc. The result is a realistic pattern of light and shadows that follow the contours of objects in the photo. You can also add realistic mist, fog, and glows in RGB, CMYK, and grayscale modes. The Light! plug-in can be amazingly realistic."
Find out more by visiting the Light! product page. And while on the Digital Film Tools site look for these other Photoshop plugins:
55mm - a set of digital optical filters meant to simulate popular glass camera filters, specialized lenses, optical lab processes, film grain, matte generation, exacting color correction as well as natural light and photographic effects.
Digital Film Lab - a film look plug-in that transforms crisp, harsh looking video into the softer, more organic look of film using 135 preset film looks.
Ozone - inspired by Ansel Adams' Zone System for still photography, Ozone allows you to manipulate the color of an image with incredible flexibility and accuracy using a Digital Zone System.
• Lynda.com Offers 24 Hour Pass For Free Tutorials
[From the Unofficial Photoshop Blog] "Lynda.com is offering a free 24 hour pass so that you may sample some of the great tutorials available there. Not limited to Photoshop, try your hand at other programs by the soon to be Adobe/Macromedia behemoth, Microsoft, Corel, and Apple."
• Free Photoshop Scripts From Ben Willmore and Jeff Tranberry
Everyone seems to be crazy about Photoshop scripts these days, and now there's a new source of scripts from Ben Willmore, who's partnered with his friend Jeff Tranberry from Adobe.
You can download the "Open As Smart Object Script" for Mac or Windows at Ben's site. It's based off of Russell Brown's Place-O-Matic, except that the script only places one file as a Smart Object, it uses a fixed resolution, and it places the file faster. The zip files are located near the bottom of the Photoshop Insight Injection page.
Jeff Tranberry has his own website that is all about Photoshop scripts, and the plan there is to add a free Photoshop script every month.
• Out of Gamut: Color-Correct Vocabulary
Color guru Bruce Fraser (author of Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS2) unrolls the creativepro.com glossary of color terminology. From the intro: "For some time now I've been explicating the finer points of color management in this column, and while I've strived to define terminology when needed, the conviction that a permanent, at-your-ready glossary would help tremendously has grown each and every month. In this column, we're introducing just that — a glossary of key terms that every student (and master) of color-management should understand."
Read the Creativepro.com Glossary Of Color Terminology.
• STEP Inside Design And Dynamic Graphics Magazine Launch Free Sites For Designers
[Press release, via Graphics.com] Jupitermedia (the owner of Graphics.com) acquired Creatas, the parent company of Dynamic Graphics, in March of this year, and with it STEP Inside Design and Dynamic Graphics Magazine.
STEP Inside Design has a focus on exploring the impact of design on contemporary life, its tagline being "design from the inside out."
• Fluffy Clouds Courtesy Of Photoshop
We've found a cure for the rainy day blues. N-sane.net has devised a solid little recipe for making realistic looking fluffy white clouds in Photoshop.
Using multiple layers of colors and filters, these clouds come out looking picture perfect - minus the camera. To have a look, go to N-sane.net.
• Photoshop CS2 Video Tutorial Sample Clip From Total Training - Shadow/Highlight Filter
Below is a link to a sample clip from Total Training For Photoshop CS2.
Shadow/Highlight Filter
The Shadow/Highlight Filter lets you modify the shadows and the highlights in an image to independently reduce the contrast of an image. In this clip you'll learn how to change the default settings to avoid flaring.
See the Total Training CS2 "Shadow Highlight Filter" video tutorial.
• New Photoshop CS2 Book - Photoshop CS2 One-On-One
Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One
Digital cameras have become increasingly accessible. Professionals, amateur photographers, and mainstream consumers alike are buying them in record numbers. As a result, the need to alter, enhance, tweak, and manage digital photos continues to grow - sparking a growing generation of digital darkroom enthusiasts.
"Folks can do so much more with their digital photos than they think possible," states author Deke McClelland. "Happily, the latest version of Adobe Photoshop, CS2, is the best upgrade I've seen in the past five years. The possibilities are endless. Well, assuming you really understand the new features." McClelland applies his winning formula for learning new techniques in his latest book, "Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One" - visual inspiration, projects seen through to completion, real-world solutions, and entertaining and educational video.
Available at Amazon.com (34% off).
• Top Selling Book - Photoshop CS2 For Digital Photographers
The Photoshop CS2 Book For Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby takes The Photoshop CS2 Book For Digital Photographers to a whole new level as he uncovers the latest and most exciting new Adobe Photoshop CS2 techniques for digital photographers.
His new CS2 version is even bigger, even better, and exposes even more of the pros most closely guarded secrets, including a special chapter which shows, for the first time ever, step-by-step how to how to set-up Photoshop's color management.
Available at Amazon.com (34% off).
• Total Training Special Discount Coupon
Total Training is offering a limited time 15% Off Discount. To apply this to a purchase, follow this link, and at checkout enter the following code: save15aff.
Below are links to sample clips from Advanced Adobe Photoshop CS2 hosted by Deke McClelland. In this Masters Collection Series of video-based training, host Deke McClelland provides more than 8 hours of detailed instruction for advanced Photoshop topics.
Liquify Filter Warp Tool
In this sample clip you'll learn the following:
How to work with the Liquify Filter Dialog Box.
How to use the Liquify Filter's Warp Tool to make subtle adjustments to an image.
See the Liquify Filter Warp Tool video tutorial.
Camera Raw Color Controls
In this sample clip you'll learn the following:
How to work with the new Color Sampler Tool to set specific color sample points.
How to use the Temperature and Tint sliders in the Color Controls dialog box.
See the Camera Raw Color Controls video tutorial.
Surface Blur Filter
In this sample clip you'll learn the following:
How to use the Surface Blur Filter for photo retouching.
How to adjust the Threshold and Radius values to control your blur.
See the Surface Blur Filter video tutorial.
See our Photoshop 9 (CS2) Tutorial Page for more Photoshop CS2 clips.
• Special Andromeda Software Deal At Photoshop Roadmap
The Photoshop Roadmap has an exclusive special where you can receive an extra 10% discount on purchases of Andromeda's three plugins bundles - the Photographic Tools & Lens Effects Collection, the Artistic Screening Tools Collection, and the Graphic Design Resources Collection. This is on top of the 20% discount from Andromeda, which gives you a total of 30% off the suggested retail price. The three bundles combine the full collection of Andromeda's plugins for digital photography, web design, graphic design, and artistic work.
Get more info at the Photoshop Roadmap Andromeda Specials page.
• Tip Of The Month: Get Super-Clean Type For The Web
If you've been faced with having to create small type on the Web (usually 12 points or below), you know the smaller you go, the blurrier your type gets. That's because of the anti-aliasing that's automatically applied to the type, which works fine at larger sizes but tends to run together at smaller sizes, making your type look fuzzy. You can adjust the amount of aliasing (from the Options Bar), but here's a tip that many Web designers feel works even better: Once you get below 12 points, start adding positive tracking to your type (anywhere between 20 to 50 points) in the Character palette.
This increases the amount of space between letters and, therefore, decreases the amount of blurriness. Increasing the space between your letters this way minimizes the effects of anti-aliasing and makes your type cleaner and more readable at smaller sizes. As a general rule-the smaller the type, the larger the tracking amount.
• A Thank You To Our Friends, Partners & Sponsors
We'd like to thank our friends, partners and sponsors: Google, Hostway, Total Training, Peachpit Press, O'Reilly Media, Creativepro.com, The PhotoshopHelp Blog, CreativeBits, Heathrowe, CreativeGuy, The Photoshop Roadmap, Power Retouche Plugins, Vertus Fluid Mask, AbsolutVision Stock Photos, Template Monster, AV Bros. Plugins, and The National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
• October 2005 Newsletter Preview
That's all for this month's newsletter. Next month we'll cover all the latest updates with links to each entry in the October newsletter. Also in October we'll have some exclusive discounts and specials for Newsletter members.
Until then, Happy Photoshopping and may all your digital wishes come true!
