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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.
Photoshop Plugin Mask Pro 4.1 Upgrade Now Available
June 05 2007
Mask Pro 4.1 now supports 16-bit images, Photoshop CS3 and Intel-based Macintosh computers. Several new "Show Me How" video tutorials are built right in the product, as well as 1.5 hours of training videos available for free on Lynda.com.
If you are the owner of a previous version of Mask Pro, you automatically qualify for the lowest upgrade price available. Mask Pro 4.1 is recommended by Advanced Photoshop magazine as the easiest way to mask in Photoshop. And here are two other blurbs from recent reviews:
"Once you've tried Mask Pro, you'll never want to go back to the old way of making masks and selections."
— MacWorld UK, May 2007
"[Mask Pro] provides a very easy technique for improving the quality of your isolated objects, making them more believable on any new background."
— Advanced Photoshop magazine, May 2007
Exclusive 10% Discount
Enter discount coupon code PSSPPT06 during the checkout process for an instant 10% discount exclusively for PhotoshopSupport.com visitors. Mask Pro 4 is available from onOne Software.
Mask Pro 4.1 Features
Masking Hair and Transparent Objects
Masking images that contain hair can be tricky and often frustrating. This is often because hair is thin, semi-transparent in some parts and rarely has a sharp edge. It is difficult to use a tool that relies on edge detection to mask something like hair or other thin or transparent subjects.
The award-winning Mask Pro 4 works differently by using color instead of edges. This allows it to easily create a mask that preserves the details you want and even removes unwanted ambient color contamination caused by reflections and transparency. Mask Pro 4 actually paints away the colors that you do not want in your image, leaving a natural transition between the subject and background.
No Edge Halos
If you have ever spent time creating masks or cutting a subject out of a background you know that the background color is picked up in the edge of the foreground subject as a reflection or halo. This halo effect will prevent your subject from blending with a new background in a realistic looking way. With Mask Pro 4's color decontamination technology and touch up tools, you can say goodbye to these halos forever.
With the color decontamination enabled, background colors are removed from the edges the of the foreground subject. The edges of the foreground subject are maintained but are now semi-transparent because only the background colors have been removed from those edge pixels.
Complete Collection of Masking Tools
In any given image, you may need more than one tool to get the job done. That's why Mask Pro 4 provides a complete collection of tools that help you take on the toughest masking project. Included are tools such as the Magic Brush which will remove colors while maintaining transparency as well as touch up tools like the Chisel which will help you get the edges of your image perfect without any edge halos at all. Each tool includes a palette where you can quickly and easily adjust the tool settings.
Color-Based Masking & Selections
Mask Pro 4 has two modes. For images where you need to mask a transparent item, use the standard Mask Pro 4 mode and you can mask any image using the simple method of choosing colors to keep and colors to drop. Unlike other methods where you make a selection and then hope for the best, Mask Pro 4 provides you with real-time previews, so there is never any doubt as to the results.
For the times when you just want to make a selection, you can use the advanced selection tools in Mask Pro 4 Select to give you a high-quality selection that can be used to create an alpha channel or super-accurate clipping path.
Preview Masking Results in Real-Time Eliminates Guess Work
The problem with other masking tools is that many operate in the "click and pray" mode. You draw a couple of lines or paint the edge of your subject and then click apply and pray that it works right. If things don't work out the way you expected there is not much you can do to fix it other than start over again. It's different with Mask Pro 4 as you can see the results in real-time as you work. You can see your image on a new solid color background, against the underlying layer or even view the mask itself.
This way you can see your results and the quality of your mask as you create it. If you make a mistake it is as easy to undo entire brush strokes or portions of a brush stroke or you can just paint portions of the original image back in. You can even see multiple views in real-time so you can see what your composite looks like as well as the mask at the same time.
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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.
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
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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
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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.
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