Cool Photoshop Picture

Thanks Kate for sending in this image, guess you could call this a World record for the highest Bungie Jump. Please keep them coming in.

Using Photoshop to Whiten Teeth and Eyes

Photoshop is the dream machine for all photo enhancers and designers. Not only can you make any portrait look perfect, you can do it easily and convincingly… once you know how.

This article will show you, for example, how to whiten teeth and eyes using Photoshop. Some of the more complicated techniques will be over the head for the novice, but you’ll be able to follow most of it. So drag a portrait into whatever Photoshop program you have, and let’s get started:

It’s always a good idea to make a new layer, an exact duplicate, of your photo before you ever start the enhancement process. That way, if you decide you need to undo several steps, you’ll always be able to quickly undo.

Click “Layer” in the horizontal menu bar, click “Duplicate Layer,” then click “Ok.” Onward to the teeth-whitening.

The easiest way to make teeth whiter in a photo is with your Dodge Tool. (Among your tool icons, it’s the 7th down on the right hand column. If you don’t see it there, right click on the icon and you’ll find two hidden choices; one will be your Dodge Tool.)

On the horizontal Tool Options Bar under the Menu, choose “Midtones” for Range, and 40% for Exposure. Also on the Tool Options Bar, choose the appropriate brush for this particular retouching job.

Use your Magnifying Glass Icon in Tools to zoom in to the area you want to affect. Then run your brush over the teeth you want to whiten several times, slowly, without releasing your mouse.

If you find that the Dodge tool whitened too much, you can either click “Edit,” then “Step Backward,” (to start over), or “Edit”, then “Fade Dodge Tool,” which will allow you to fade the whitening enhancement to your exact preference.

The Dodge tool can also be used to whiten the whites of the eyes, and, in general for anything you want to lighten. Used with discretion, it’s quite a handy tool.

In Photoshop, there are always a number of methods to accomplish the same thing. Another way to whiten teeth would be the following:

Select the teet with your Lasso tool icon, (second down on the left in your Tools). Then click on Image in your Menu, Adjustments, and Curves. Make sure the Channel box says RGB. Then, with your mouse, pick up the top right-hand corner of the box and drag the line over to the left. You will be able to watch the whitening process as you go.

You can use the Curves tool to change color on any given selection, too.

Photoshop is such a powerful program that it behooves any serious photographer to get familiar with at least the basics.

Happy enhancing!

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10 Tips For Using Adobe Photoshop

Like a brush is to a painter an essential skill in the field of graphic design is Photoshop.

The software offers increased productivity as well as flexibility. The features include aspects like file browser, vanishing point tool, smart sharpen filter, noise reduction filter, smart objects, as well as camera workflow enhancements.

Photoshop offers professional photo editing features, digital imaging, as well as non destructive editing.

There are so many hidden features and insights to software, that it is often impossible to know them all.

1. There is a hidden option using which you can simulate bold and italic formatting styles for fonts that do not have these options. Click the button on the type tool option to bring up the character palette. Then select text and click the arrow in the upper right hand corner of the palette menu where faux bold and italics are present. However you will not be able to warp type when formatting has been applied.

2. One can quickly flip through blend modes while trying out effects by using the keys “shift+ to change to next mode and shift- to go to the previous mode.” When a painting tool is active this shortcut will change the blend mode of the painting tool. However, if anything is highlighted then the shortcut will not work. You will have press esc and then use the shortcut keys again.

3. The photomerge feature can be used to seamlessly combine multiple images to create a panorama. This feature can be accessed from the Automate menu. You can even refine the composition using tools like rotate, zoom, pan, and set vanishing point.

4. When re-sampling images one can use either Bicubic Smoother or Bicubic Sharper. You can use Bicubic smoother for up sampling and Bicubic sharper for down sampling. You can actually specify which interpolation method is to be used by going to general preferences and setting a default.

5. There are two features for printing. You can use contact sheet II or picture package. Use contact sheet when you want all images in the same size and you want to print the name below the image. Use printer package when you want different image sizes on the same page, or multiple copies of the same image, or a text overlay.

6. If you want to remove a glare on the eyeglasses of an image you should use a part of the lens that does not have a glare and use it to layer the lens with a glare. Use tools like rotate and skew and soft-tip eraser to soften the edges. Ensure the glare does not show through from below. Or, do some careful work using the clone tool.

7. The online services enable you to connect to online photo printing and sharing sites.

8. The Web Photo gallery can generate hyperlink pages that can be uploaded to a server.

9. The Picture Package option will help you prepare photos in layout with multiple size prints on one page.

10. You will never forget how you achieved a certain result because the History Log will detail every step taken by you as well as time-tracking, and a legal record. There are three choices wherein, you can create a sessions only record where, it will record only when Photoshop is opened or closed; or a concise record which will record each action including the text that appears in the history palette; or the complete editing history including the text that appears in the actions palette.

Adobe Photoshop is a dream tool for every designer and one can over time master every subtlety of the tool and crop, rotate, resize, create shapes, add layers, change text, and play with colors. It is a hands on software where the more you use it the more you will learn.

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10 Things You Could be Using Photoshop For, But Probably Aren't

Most people don't use Photoshop to its fullest capabilities. Here are just ten uses to which you could put this highly versatile software.

1. Restoring Old Photographs. Have a look through that old family photo album - the really old one from up in Grandma's attic. Inside there are probably a few photos from way back when that haven't stood the test of time so well. They've got cracks and tears that really spoil their appearance. Scan them into Photoshop, and then set to work with the Clone Stamp, Healing Brush, and Patch tools. The Healing Brush in particular is a great tool for this purpose as it samples data from one part of the picture and blends it in with what's already there.

2. Correcting Mistakes. We've all done it: Had an attack of "finger over the lens syndrome," or got too close with the flash, so our subjects suffer from "red eye" and look like extras from a horror movie. Use the crop tool to salvage something usable from your obscured photo, and the enlarge wizard to blow it up to a reasonable size. For "red eye" and "pet eye," use the eyedropper tool to sample color from around the iris, and a brush to paint away the red.

3. Adding Graphics to Videos. It's a little known fact, but many domestic and professional nonlinear editing systems (especially the Mac based ones like Avid or Final Cut) enable you to import Photoshop .psd files directly into the timeline.

4. Creating Text Effects for Print and Web. There's an almost unlimited amount of things you can do with text in Photoshop. Use the Type Mask Tools to create picture filled text, then upload the results to your web page - or print them out for a one of a kind T-shirt.

5. Turning a Photo Into a Work of Art. Everyone likes to have nice things to look at. Most of us like to have pictures on the wall, and something that looks different from what other people have on their walls is a definite plus. Unless you're blessed with artistic talent, though, this can be very expensive - until now. Use one of Photoshop's many Artistic or Brush Stroke filters to turn your photos into "new masters," then print them out on quality art paper.

6. Designing Web Banners and Buttons. Photoshop comes with a predefined web banner sized canvas. Photoshop's sister application, Image Ready, comes with several - and lots of tools for animating text and pictures. You can also create interactive buttons that enhance a web browsing experience.

7. Adding Text to Photographs. Impress your boss by putting the company name on the side of an airliner, building, or racing car. Use the Move Tool to skew the text to fit the contours of the picture, adjust the opacity a little, and hey presto! The text will look like it's always been part of the photo.

8. Combining Pictures, Text, and Graphics to Make Covers for Books, Reports and CDs. Photoshop contains many of the image manipulation capabilities of high-end DTP applications that cost thousands. Use the "Layer via Cut" command to make your title text go behind part of the picture - just like on the cover of "Rolling Stone."

9. Designing Web Pages. Did you know that Photoshop and Image Ready can turn your photograph or artwork into a web page? Use the slice tool to cut your work into easily downloadable pieces, then the rollover function to embed website URLs.

10. Combining Pictures to Make the Impossible Possible. Come on! You didn't seriously think that Michael Moore and President George W. Bush really stood hand in hand on the White House lawn for the Fahrenheit 9/11 poster, did you? I don't know for certain that they used Photoshop to fake that picture, but they certainly could have done. With Photoshop you can remove the background from one picture, take some elements from another, and combine them with the background from a third to create a picture that could never have been taken for real. Who says the camera can't lie!

Shaun Pearce is a writer and video maker. His latest production "Photoshop Master" shows you how to get the most from Photoshop, and can be downloaded from http://www.learnphotoshopfast.com.

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Cool Photoshop Keyboard Picture

Thanks Jackie for sending in this very cool looking keyboard done in photoshop. Please keep the images coming in.

Using Photoshop Actions to Make Ecovers

When you hear talk about product marketing, you hear words like, ecovers, ecover generators, and even using photoshop actions and templates to make CD Covers, DVD Covers, Ebook Covers for your products.

If you're selling information products, you want a quick and simple solution for getting your customers familiar with your product, and increasing sales volume.

The buzz about using ecover software and Photoshop as a time & money-saving alternative started around May of 2003 when several web marketers found thier nitche, and the idea was successful.

Andrew Jackson of MGI Software, an Internet software and services company, says that "there is a 30% increase in sales and a 50% reduction in returned goods with the use of 3D imaging." – Los Angeles Business Journal, December 17, 2000

Do a search on DVD Cover Designs, CD Cover Designs, or eBook Covers, and you'll find a handful of website that sell a kit specifically designed to save you time and money.

Photographers and Graphic designers charge you between $50 to $80 per hour for the work.

When a highly respected product photographer takes a photo, more than likely it will be digitized into Photoshop for color correction and enhancement. Using photoshop for making ecovers just makes perfect sense.

"A growing number of e-businesses are experimenting with the rapidly emerging field of three-dimensional web technology. Others are counting on 3-D to add new levels of excitement and realism to e-commerce websites (...) Photo realism really enhances believability." CIO Magazine, "3-D Finally Gets Serious"

Some of what you may find are packages containing pre-made Photoshop templates and Photoshop Actions that let you add your own text, have full control of fonts, background images, colors, and even add effects that best match your product or company brand.

Photoshop actions work well because the actions are nothing more than a series of recorded tasks that have already taken place in order to create the stunning ecover.

The awesome combination between premade photoshop templates and actions work much better than the ecover generator sofware for several reasons:

1) You're working with relyable software from a wellknown company like Adobe. You know that the software is stable and is used by design industry professionals.

2) Free Trial Versions are most always available to try for free.

3) The people behind the photoshop ecover designs are more than likely graphic designers. Check thier work for attention to detail depending on how realistic and professional looking you want your ecover to be.

4) Unlike software "generators", you are limited to the effects and options that are knowhere near the expertise, freedom, flexiblility, and raw power of Photoshop & actions.

Where product photographers require you bring your products and to come to their in house studio and pay around $50.00 per hour (not including setup fees), automated product cover software allows you to design and upload a professional image of your product in less than a few hours.

With the speed of automating a 3 dimensional image that looks just as good as the real thing in under 5 minutes, that is cost effective!

But buyer beware. Some automated product cover design packages are not created equal. Most only allow you to make images of your products at only 72 dpi, while others like Grant's 5-Minute DVD, CD, and Ebook Cover Designs and Actions for Photoshop (http://www.designbygrant.com/marketing-products.php) allow you to create images at up to 300 dpi.

This means that you can take full advantage of almost every marketing effort you can think of, including:

-Product Posters & Billboards
-HDTV Broadcast Comericals
-Trade show banners and backdrops

What's the best part you ask? That's simple. The best part is that if you already have Photoshop, you can save hours and even days to effectively market your product on the internet, and anywhere else you can reach your customers.

About The Author
Grant Freeman has been a Freelance Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Photographer, Video Editor, and Creative Director for over 13 years. Visit Grants website online at www.designbygrant.com

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Modifying Standard Shapes in Photoshop

Have you ever wondered how someone was able to create a logo that looked so perfect?

I used to think that someone probably had to draw the logo by hand, but then I learned some very interesting things about creating shapes in Photoshop. I used to think that you could only create standard shapes like ovals, rectangles, squares, and circles.

However I recently learned that Photoshop gives you the ability to take these standard shapes and modify them to make new shapes that are very appealing.

The way that this is accomplished is by selecting the path of the shape and manipulating it to create a completely new and different shape.

The first thing that you need to do is create a shape like a rectangle or an oval.

Then choose the direct selection tool (white arrow), and select the path around the shape.

You will know that you have selected the path, because you will see anchor points at the corners of the shape. Once you see the anchor points you will be able to click the anchor points and use them to resize and redesign the shape.

The best thing about using paths to change the shape’s design is that the shape maintains its crisp lines, and looks just as good as a standard shape. How are you able to do this?

The reason these changes are so clean is that the shape is vector based, and not pixel based, so you are able to just manipulate the vectors that comprise the shape. Another great thing about editing a shape in this way is that whatever formatting you have used on the shape will not be affected by modifying the path.

If you have a gradient fill on the shape it will be modified as you modify the path of the shape, and it will maintain the same look as before you modified the shape.

Now that you know how to modify the path of a shape you are no longer limited by the standard shapes that appear in the tools palette.

Use your freedom wisely, and take this new found knowledge to you computer so you can create graphics that everyone else will envy for a change. Visit Photoshop Plugin

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Photoshop Makeover

Cool short video on photoshop retouching makeover process.

Cool and Wet Photoshop Image.

Treve has just sent in this amazing Photoshop image in when he was away over the Christmas period. Please keep them coming in.

Advanced Artistry Photoshop Tutorials

If you’re a Photoshop user with a working knowledge of the basics, you may well enjoy the Advanced Artistry Photoshop tutorials. With this intermediate level training package you can hone some very advanced Photoshop skills. Here is what you’ll learn.

The Introductory CD will tell you all about the course and the instructor, including some tips on how best to learn from the Photoshop tutorials. You’ll learn about the technical aspects of the presentation and its variations from Mac to PC.

The next of the Photoshop tutorial CDS is called Utilities. Machine basics are included in this lesson plan, as well as PS preference and essential shortcuts. You’ll learn navigation shortcuts, as well as those for imaging, tools, and workspace.

You’ll get a quick review of all the keystroke and Photoshop super shortcut techniques and help setting up your own workspace.

The next of the Photoshop tutorials tackles the subject of retouching. In this CD you’ll learn the professional retouching techniques, how to assess the Photoshop image, how to analyze the histogram, as well as the contrast, lighting and texture.

You learn how to do an analysis of the focus and to manage the contrast controls. You’ll learn the ins and outs of contrast levels, and the use of each level. You’ll learn to use curves, to enhance color and the advanced techniques to avoid saturation.

These Photoshop tutorials will also teach you to use the patch tool and the healing brush, and to burn and dodge demos without destruction. You’ll also master the technique of red eye reduction.

Advanced artistry tutorials in this Photoshop lesson package will also include a CD that teaches how to adjust for focus and the center of interest, how to sharpen the focus, how to enhance the field depth and how to fish or burn edges.

In the fine art toning CD you learn intermediate and advanced techniques of producing black and white photos from color originals, how to work with and create sepia tones, selenium tones, digital cyanotypes and maps with gradients.

Fine art photograph effects lessons include soft focusing, angelic and dramatic posing, high contrast and high keys and cross processing.

Including in this Photoshop tutorial is mastery of fine techniques for people’s skin, giving them the look of perfect skin, of radiant and dramatically glowing skin, advanced techniques in metal skin looks, infrared and translucent skin, and the use of maps for displacement.

Natural media and landscape techniques are taught in Photoshop advanced artistry tutorials as well.

Enhancing the skies and adding sky from other photos are techniques taught, as well as using the history and art history brushes, and burning and dodging without being destructive.

If you want to create a professional hand drawn look you can master that technique through Photoshop tutorials, and can also learn watercolor, logos, and vector illustration too. Hand tinting lessons are varied and include painting in a color mode and adjusting of layers.

Grid and Tech glows, TV scan lines, pixel drags, and edges and borders that are soft, painted, beveled or burned are all advanced artistry Photoshop tutorial lessons.

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Tips For Using Photoshop when Creating a Web Site

Photoshop is a wonderful tool for creating web sites. It allows even a novice the ability to create a fully functional web site without much knowledge of HTML or JavaScript.

You can create an entire web page template with Photoshop, and then use Image Ready to slice up the image and create the HTML for you. Or you can use Photoshop to create just the navigation for your web site, or to optimize images on your web site.

No matter how you use Photoshop, it will definitely make your web site look much nicer, and also help it to run faster.

Photoshop can help you to create an entire web site without coding much HTML by hand.

You can draw a complete web site in Photoshop, and then transfer your image into Image Ready so that you can slice up the image into smaller elements, and then save the images and the corresponding HTML to render the page very easily.

Then all you have to do is use you’re newly created web site and entire content into the blank spaces that you have left in the template. After you have added the content to your pages, you will be ready to post your new web site to the web.

When I am creating web sites I use Photoshop to create the navigation for the web site and also to optimize all of the images, so that my web site will load faster. I usually create buttons for the navigation, and then create rollover effects from within Image Ready.

This saves me quite a bit of time, because all of the JavaScript for the mouse over effects are done for me, which allows me to work on the more advanced coding of the pages.

Even if you want to create all of the navigation and layout of your web site without Photoshop, then you should at least use Photoshop to optimize your images so that you web site loads within a reasonable amount of time.

Photoshop can give you 3 different optimized views of a particular image, and tell you how fast it will load on a particular connection speed.

Then you can choose which optimized image you would like to use based on the ratio between how good the picture looks and how fast it loads. Without optimizing your images your web site will perform very slowly and visitors will be less likely to wait.

You can create a web site on your own by hand coding the entire site, but using Photoshop will make creating your web site much easier and more appealing.

Photoshop Actions: http://www.vertustech.com

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