Buy. Download. Create. Get Photoshop CS3 now at the Adobe Store.
Get Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop Extended with Adobe CS3 Web Premium.
The Photoshop Blog offers the latest Photoshop news and software updates, Photoshop tips and tutorials, and random thoughts from graphic artist and Photoshop expert Jennifer Apple.
Interview With Glenn Honiball - Author Of Commercial Photoshop Retouching: In the Studio
by Jennifer Apple
Everyone wants to know what the best Photoshop screen is. What are your recommendations concerning LCD or CRT?
Well, I have to admit I was very slow and hesitant to buy an LCD screen. The earlier models had poor blacks and just didn't have the picture quality of the CRT's. Having said that I broke down recently and purchased a 24" widescreen DELL LCD monitor. DELL had a terrific deal at the time and it was far cheaper than the Apple screen and it is slightly larger too with more adjustments.
The picture quality is terrific, lots of screen space and it looks darn cool too! I am used to evaluating color on screen by the numbers I read with the eyedropper tool and the info box. I don't rely purely on the visual look of the image on screen. No screen will display color perfectly, but I do make every effort to make sure that I get the best I can out of a monitor. I use a calibration device to create a profile of the monitor with the calibration device.
You have to have complete precision in your work, so how do you handle your color management?
In a closed loop environment color management can work well. The problem I face is that I get client files from all over the place. Many files that come in from clients have profiles attached to them and I typically leave them as supplied unless I am told otherwise.
Some clients may not even be aware of the profile attached to a file and some may, but for me to start converting them or attaching another profile may cause problems so I leave them alone. If I create a file from scratch I can then choose as to how I want to handle the file, but that is rare. Creating files for newsprint, billboards or specific output devices I may then apply a certain or custom profile so that it best suits the needs of the output device or print medium to get the best results.
Can you tell us a little about your book and at what level it is aimed at? Can a complete beginner get something out of it?
The book is written with the understanding that the reader has some basic working knowledge of their retouching program. If the person reading the book has a basic understanding of their retouching program then the techniques discussed are designed to give people the knowledge to execute a job with the minimum of effort in the most effective manner to get the job done right from family photos to high-end ad agency work.
I say 'retouching program' because although the book has been written with examples from Photoshop, the techniques described can be applied with any retouching program. It's the concept of the techniques that work. It's like any computer program.
I've used this example before, but you could give me the best accounting program on the planet, but I still have to come up with the correct numbers to plug-in. It won't make me a great accountant just because I have a great program.
Will there be other books?
Not sure about other books, retouching is my thing and has been for over twenty years, all of which has been done on a computer.
Will you be revising your book down the road?
There may be a revision down the road, no plans yet, but I have basically given up all of my techniques in this book. I'd have to think pretty hard to come up with more! This book was written because every other Photoshop book I have seen was basically a writer reading off a string of commands and hot keys to create various effects which really didn't have much to do with the reality of the job of retouching.
I have never come across a book that tells one how to do day-to-day retouching that a typical professional retoucher is asked to do in a typical day at work by ad agencies and art directors. Deadlines are short, there is no time for playing around and trying different techniques, clients expect the job to be done right in the shortest amount of time. The techniques I outline in the book reflect this.
I've trimmed all the fat off trial and error and get right to the point. I have tried to explain the techniques as if I am sitting behind a retoucher walking them through the techniques. People have commented that it is an easy read.
How's the reaction been to the book?
The reaction has been remarkable. The book made it into the top 100 list for computer books on Amazon.com (USA) and Amazon.ca (Canada) - I have been told that this isn't typical.
I have had emails from India, all over Europe, Asia and North America. I think this has to do with the fact that the book isn't written like a typical retouching/Photoshop book and the techniques haven't been discussed before.
Well, that's all for now. Thanks Glenn, and good luck with your book!
See a case study of Glenn's work in our Inspiration Section.
Buy Commercial Photoshop Retouching: In the Studio at amazon.com (34% off).
Download a sample chapter - Chapter 2: Shadows and Light in PDF format.
Visit Glenn Honiball's website.
Photoshop CS3 Upgrade Options And Bundles From The Adobe Store
Photoshop CS3 Extended is ideal for film, video, and multimedia pros and for graphic and web designers using 3D and motion. Get the full version for US $999, or upgrade for US $349. The standard version of Photoshop CS3 is available for US $649, or as an upgrade for US $199. See all upgrade options at the Adobe Store. See our CS3 Resource Center for free Photoshop CS3 tutorials.
Photoshop Extended is also available as part of Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, which combines all-new CS3 versions of Photoshop, Flash Pro, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign and Acrobat 8 Pro. Upgrade options for customers in Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Asia can be found at the Adobe International Store.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Available At The Adobe Store
There are tons of new features in Adobe Lightroom 1.0 that you won't find in the beta version. From Clone and Healing functionality to metadata browsing, you'll be able to free-up post-processing time like never before. Get it now at the Adobe Store. Customers in Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Asia can find special pricing and offers at the Adobe International Store. For free Lightroom tutorials see our Lightroom tutorials page.
Special Offer - Fluid Mask - Photoshop Masking Plugin
Fluid Mask is based on breakthrough segmentation technology inspired by the way the eye, optic nerve and brain perform visual processing. When an image is loaded, Fluid Mask's segmentation engine analyses the distribution of colors, finding the natural groups within the image. Together with information calculated about edges, gradients and textures, a model is constructed which divides the images into objects.
Vertus Software is offering Fluid Mask at the special 'friends and partner' discounted rate. This is an exclusive offer to visitors of PhotoshopSupport.com. To qualify, visit the Fluid Mask Discount Price page. Find out more about Fluid Mask on our special Fluid Mask Page.
Alien Skin Software - Photoshop Plugins - Special 10% & 20% Discounts On All Alien Skin Photoshop Plugins
Our friends at Alien Skin Software have set us up with an exclusive special offer discount link that will give you some sweet savings at their online store.
Just follow this link and you'll see 10% and 20% price drops on their products when you get to the Alien Skin Online Store area (excludes the Eye Candy Bundle, which is already discounted at $199). This special offer includes a discount on Eye Candy: Textures, Eye Candy: Nature, Eye Candy: Impact, Exposure, Blow Up, and their latest release Snap Art.
Snap Art – $149 – our price $129
Blow Up – $199 – our price $179
Exposure – $199 – our price $179
Eye Candy 5: Impact – $99 – our price $79
Eye Candy 5: Nature – $99 – our price $79
Eye Candy 5: Textures – $99 – our price $79
SiteGrinder Photoshop Plugin - Create Websites Instantly
There often seems to be a strict division of labor within the world of web design and development. Creative professionals tend to stick to the Photoshop domain, while those well-versed in scripting are left to the task of implementing their work. Indeed, the two realms are quite different from each other, to which any of us even vaguely familiar with either can easily attest.
Essentially, Photoshop is a no-holds-barred design studio, offering the artist a seemingly endless array of creative options. On the other hand, HTML, CSS, Java and the like follow strict rules of engagement, requiring the developer to take any number of esoteric concerns into consideration in order to ensure that designs are properly displayed on the web.
Turn Photoshop Into A Complete Web Design Tool
SiteGrinder seeks to bridge this gap between design and development. Basically, this program turns Photoshop into an easy-to-use and fully functional web design tool. With SiteGrinder, designers will now have the freedom to totally let their creativity loose and then, without skipping a beat, transfer their designs to the web. Bringing esthetic concerns together with more practical considerations, this program is an amazingly powerful tool that would make a fantastic addition to any web designer's bag of tricks.
Generate Your Web Pages Directly From Photoshop
By generating web pages directly from Photoshop, you'll be able to spend much more time on the creative end of the spectrum, since you'll know right off the bat how well particular designs will translate to the web. No more going back to the Photoshop drawing board after getting a phone call from your development team, telling you that what you had envisioned doesn't have a chance of being displayed on the web. You can immediately visually and interactively test your designs, which permits you to then make changes to either esthetics or functions while it's still relatively early on in the design process.
Pricing and Availability
Mac OS X and Windows versions of the SiteGrinder unlockable demo are available now via download. SiteGrinder can be ordered from Media Lab's online store.
Photoshop CS3 Book - CS3 Essential Skills - By Mark Galer And Philip Andrews
Brimming with beautiful pictures, Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills guides you through a project-based, progressive curriculum so that you can build all the essential skills to enhance photographs creatively and professionally with Photoshop CS3. If you are an aspiring professional, enthusiastic amateur photographer, or a student learning photography, digital imaging, art and design, or design graphics, you'll be amazed at the stunning results you can achieve. A DVD is included free.
The Essential Skills Photography Series from Focal Press uniquely offers a structured learning experience for photographers of all ages, with both the underlying theory and loads of invaluable 'how to' and real-life practice projects - all from the most talented photography practitioners/educators in the world.
Read 2 free sample chapters:
Adjusting Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw CS3
Photoshop CS3 Tutorial High Dynamic Range
Special book offer - save 24%
Photoshop CS3: Essential Skills (Amazon.com - $28.08 - save 24%)
Photoshop CS2 Book - Photoshop CS2: Essential Skills - By Mark Galer And Philip Andrews
An inspirational and user-friendly guide to creative image editing, Photoshop CS2: Essential Skills provides direction for photographers and designers alike who have ventured into the realm of the 'digital darkroom.' The book offers a progressive curriculum to guide you through Photoshop with a series of clear, step-by-step projects designed to place knowledge into a practical context.
Whether you simply want to retouch an image, create a glamour makeover or create a highly sophisticated montage - this book will give you the essential skills to complete the work to a professional standard.
Read 2 free sample chapters:
How To Sharpen An Image In Photoshop — Advanced Sharpening Techniques
Working With Shadows In Photoshop - Advanced Shadow Techniques
Special book offer - save 37%
Photoshop CS2: Essential Skills (Amazon.com - $20.76 - save 37%)
Exclusive 20% Discount On Select Total Training Products & Bundles
To redeem our exclusive discount coupon, use promotion code save20pss in your shopping cart. You could save hundreds of dollars. Use this special link to see the full offer.
Total Training for Adobe Photoshop
Learn Adobe Photoshop with 21 hours of interactive Adobe Photoshop tutorials. This is training for real-world situations and includes additional tips and techniques used by the pros.
View Sample Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Flash Pro Video Tutorials
Free Adobe Photoshop CS3 video tutorials
Free Adobe Photoshop CS2 video tutorials
Free Adobe Dreamweaver video tutorials
Free Adobe Flash Pro video tutorials
