Photoshop - The Missing Manual

THE PHOTOSHOP CS6 LOGO

What is Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems.

Photoshop is embraced by millions of graphic artists, print designers, visual communicators, and regular people like you. It's likely that nearly every picture you've seen (such as posters, book covers, magazine pictures, and brochures) has either been created or edited by Photoshop. The powerful tools used to enhance and edit these pictures are also capable for use in the digital world including the infinite possibilities of the Internet. It is almost impossible to use or even learn all of Photoshop's tools to their maximum benefit. Photoshop has been around since 1982! That's around 25 years of troubleshooting and advancing software. This workshop will go over the main features of the program so that you will feel confident to explore the remaining features on your own.

Why choose Photoshop?

• Photoshop is the most widely used graphic editing software in the world.
  
• Photoshop has easy, intuitive functions to do what you need.
  
• Millions of users use Photoshop daily; me being one of them.
  

Layout of Photoshop
I've put together an image explaining what each component of Photoshop is.
[spoiler]

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I'm going to explain the essential components, one by one. Let's get started.

[!] The checkered gray and white squares mean a transparent image.

Keywords
Pixel

The smallest element of an image that can be individually processed in a video display system; looks like a square of color. Each pixel can either be 1-dimensional or have depth which determines how many colors a monitor can display.

Vector Graphic

Artwork that is composed of mathematical descriptions of a series of lines and geometric shapes. Vector Graphics usually have a series of “anchor points” that are then connected with lines. Vector Graphics are resolution independent; they can be freely scaled and are automatically output at the resolution of the output device.

Raster Image

A grid of individual pixels (rasters or bits) in rows and columns (called a bitmap). Raster Image files are resolution dependent which is usually determined when you scan, photograph or create the file originally.

Rasterize

The process of converting a vector image into a bitmap image

Resolution

The degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or the number of pixels across and down on a display screen

Resampling

In graphics software, the resampling command is used to increase or decrease the size and/or resolution of a bitmap-based image. An image is resampling to increase the resolution by adding new pixels. An image is down resampling to decrease the resolution by throwing out pixels. Resampling an image usually results in a loss of image quality

Anti-aliasing

Is a technique of blending bitmap-based images and text to reduce the stair-stepping or jagged appearance. In areas of transition, the edge pixels are blended to give a smoother appearance.

Color Mode

The color “space” or document type which defines the structure of the colors in your file. Files that stay on the screen should be “RGB”- color mode, and files that print should be “CMYK”.

Bitmap

The color “space” or document type which is defined with either on (white) or off (black) pixels.There are no shades of gray. This has one “channel” or level of color information.

Mask

A way of protecting specific areas of your image, just as you would use masking tape when painting your house. A mask consists of a grayscale channel, called an alpha channel and is often displayed as a ruby overlay so the underlying image can be seen through the mask. The darkest areas of a mask are the areas most protected and the white areas are unprotected. Shades of gray represent areas of partial protection that corresponds with the level of gray.

Grayscale

The color “space” or document type which is defined by black and white plus all of the gray tones as well. This has one “channel” or level of color information.

Layers

The positioning of a stack of images relative to other stacks of images. Layers are like clear acetate sheets; opaque where there is imagery and transparent where there is no imagery.

History

The history palette displays a list of the most recent states (or changes) that were applied to an image, with the bottomomost state being the most recent. Clicking on a prior state restores the image to that stage of the editing process.

Selection

When a selection is active on an image, only that area is editible – the rest of the image is protected. The selection tools are used to edit areas or to cut, copy and paste images to different layers of the file.

Filter

A built in tool or plug-in that produces a special effect. The type of effects you can get with plug-in filters can range from something as simple as a blurred or softened image to wild, psychedelic patterns, distortions, and artistic effects.

Gradient

A gradient, or graduated fill, is a color fill that gradually blends from one color to another. A gradient can contain more than two colors, all fading smoothly from one to another. Gradients are very useful for creating shading for three-dimensional and metallic effects. Most graphics software allows you to create a variety of gradient effects such as linear, radial, reflected, diamond, conical, and angle.

Feather

To change the edges by making them more transparent. You use feathering with the lasso tool.

Smart Object

Is an object that is imported into your working file and retains the connection to the original file. For example, if you brought a illustrator file into photoshop, you could double click on the imported file (in Photoshop) and then it would launch illustrator to allow editing. Once it was saved (in Illustrator), it would be updated back in Photoshop.

Anchor Point (Vector)

Is a point that marks the end of a vector line segment. These points can be moved around freely without disturbing any shape or text below it. The “pen tool” makes anchor points within your artwork.

The Toolbar

The Toolbar consists of 21 icons, some revealing a drop-down menu on click and drag.

I won't be going through all icons all the toolbar, but the ones you need to know.

Move Tool (Hotkey: V)



The Move Tool allows you to move your chosen layer in the layer window. Just click and drag to move the image. With the Move Tool selected, you can also press the arrow keys on your keyboard to nudge the layer 1 pixel.

Marquee (Hotkey: M)



The Marquee is same as the selection tool you see in popular programs such as paint. It allows you to select an area, then you can move, copy, cut etc. It can select in 2 shapes; rectangle and ellipse. You can hold down SHIFT while dragging to create a perfect square/circle.

Lasso (Hotkey: L)



The lasso is a free-form selection tool that lets you drag around the canvas and select anything the lasso'd area covers. Within this tool you also have access to the polygonal lasso, which lets you create a selection by clicking around on the canvas and creating points, and the magnetic lasso, which works the same as the regular lasso but attempts to detect edges for you and automatically snap to them

Magic Wand (Hotkey: W)



Clicking an area with the magic wand will tell Photoshop to select the spot you clicked on and anything around it that's similar. This tool can be used as a crude way to remove backgrounds from photos.

Eyedropper (Hotkey: I)



The Eyedropper tool sets the foreground color to the color where your cursor clicked.

Paintbrush/Pencil (Hotkey: B)



The Paintbrush and Pencil are used to draw on your document. They can have different brush/pencil shapes. I don't think further explanation is needed.

Eraser (Hotkey: E)



The erase tool is almost identical to the paintbrush, except it erases instead of paints.

Paint Bucket/Gradient (Hotkey: G)



The paint bucket is used to fill places of the same color with another. Similar to Paint.

The gradient is a click and pull tool. You can create multiple types of gradients with it.

Pen Tool (Hotkey: P)



The pen tool is used for drawing vector graphics. It can also be used to create paths that can be used for various things.

Type Tool (Hotkey: T)



The type tool lets you type horizontally. Tools hidden beneath the horizontal type tool will let you type vertically and also create horizontal and vertical text masks.

Shape Tool (Hotkey: U)



The shape tool lets you create different types of shapes. Rectangles, Ellipses, Polygons and custom shapes. You can make them perfect squares/ellipses/...gons by holding down the SHIFT key then dragging.

Menus

Menus are the bars you see in most applications. They include tabs such as File, Edit, View and more. Tabs in Photoshop include:

File

File is used for saving, opening, and printing options. There are 5 main parts to the File tab.

New
The New tab creates a new document.

Open
The Open tab opens an existing .psd, .jpg, .png, .gif, or other formats. (Not .svg)

Save/Save As
Saves the document as a .psd file.

Save For Web
This is the main finalizing save function. It gives you a preview where you can choose the extension and the resolution. It can save to web formats like .png, .jpg and more.

Place
This function allows you to place seperate image files without having to open a document then copy/paste. Very useful.

Edit

Edit, as usual, brings you copy, cut, and paste. In Photoshop, it's also where you transform layers and set your color spaces.

Image

Image adds adjustments to your current document such as Black/White, Replace Color and more.

Layer

The Layer tab adds everything to do with layers. You can create a new layer, merge layers, add masks and much more.

Type

Mostly a useless tab, I only use it for pasting the Lorem Ispum text.

Select

This contains most features found in the Marquee tool. It can select all, invert, and deselect.

Filter

One of the most useful tabs; Filter can be used to add different effects to your document such as lens flare, noise, blurs, sharpen and more.

3D

3D is used to make simple 3D text, simply select a text or image layer, then use: New 3D extrusion from selected layer. You can later customize depth, color, and more.

3D is only available in CS6 Extended.

View

View allows you to add many useful features to Photoshop such as showing a grid.

Window

Window lets you hide and show certain windows and palettes. You can also arrange your Photoshop windows and palettes however you want and save them as a window preset.

Layers

Layers is the most used feature I use in Photoshop. The most important keybinds are:

• New Layer (Hotkey: Command/Control + Shift + N)
  
• Duplicate Layer (Hotkey: Command/Control + J)
  
• Delete Layer (Hotkey: Delete)
  
• Raterize Layer (Not sure of the hotkey.)
  
• Transform layer (Hotkey: Command/Control + T)
  

All these can be applied with right clicking a layer. (Not including creating a new layer)

Layers can have their opacity tuned down. Just check the Opacity tab, and drag the slider down or up to change the opacity.

Layer Styles
One of the most important parts of Photoshop, so I won't be including this into the Layers section, but I will be dedicating a separate section to it.

Layer Styles can be access by double clicking the right side of a layer.

Bevel and Emboss
The Bevel and Emboss gives an object a raised (Bevel) or depressed (Emboss) look. The effect has two sub-effects, Contour and Texture.

Contour
Contour allows you to make your bevel/emboss sharper or softer.

Texture
Texture applies a pattern or texture to your layer.

An example of Bevel and Emboss:


Stroke
Stroke makes an outline of your object (Trace the edges). Such examples are like this:



Inner Shadow
Inner Shadow makes your text looks like as if it were pushed in. It is the opposite of a Drop Shadow.



Inner Glow
Inner Glow creates a glow on the inside. It makes a good combination with the Gradient Overlay. It is the opposite of Outer glow



Satin
It looks as if Satan distorted the text himself.



Color Overlay
Changes the image to one color.



Gradient Overlay
Gradient Overlay is one of the most important styles to make your text look good. It makes a color change from color to color gradually.



Pattern Overlay
Pattern Overlay adds a pattern to your layer. Similar to Color Overlay, but with a pattern. Patterns can be custom defined.



Outer Glow
Outer Glow gives a faint glow on the outside of your text. Works great with a drop shadow.



Drop Shadow
Creates a shadow to give the effect that your layer is floating on top of another.



Combined Styles
By combining a Gradient Overlay, an Inner Shadow, and an Outer Glow, you can make something similar to this:

This is a very high quality tutorial, thank you kindly for posting it!

This is a very high quality tutorial, thank you kindly for posting it!

No problem, didn't get lots of attention on HF, so I posted it here :P

This is a very HQ thread. Awesome post.

Nice job man! Great work!

Will be very helpful for beginners. Good job!

Amazing tutorial. Awesome job!

Very nice guide you've got here, I knew mostly everything you said because I've been using Photshop CS6 for close to a year and recently pirated Photoshop CC but nevertheless it is an amazing guide.

I've seen this tutorial before and I must say it's very good and thank you so much for sharing it here!