Create! Photoshop Elements 2

by Greg Simsic (Conducted by)

Overview

This introductory guide aims to help the reader learn to perform all kinds of image editing tasks, including photo restoration, collage-making, overlaying images, and much more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780072227383
Publisher:	McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media
Publication date:	12/31/2002
Series:	No Nonsense Guides
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.46(d)

Table of Contents

Chapter 1	Acquaint	1
	Start	2
	The Welcome Screen	2
	New, Browse, and Connect	2
	Common Issues and Tutorial	2
	Know the Work Area	3
	Open an Image	4
	The Image Window	4
	The Status Bar	6
	Turn On Rulers	7
	Resize an Image Window	7
	Choose Menu Commands	7
	View Windows	8
	Retrieve the Welcome Screen	8
	Change an Image	8
	Flip	8
	Rotate	8
	Take a Shortcut	9
	Step Backward	9
	Key Commands	9
	Use Palettes	10
	View a Palette	10
	Combine Palettes	11
	Dock Palettes	12
	Wield Tools	13
	Select a Tool	13
	Selection Tools	13
	Creation Tools	13
	Retouch Tools	13
	Miscellaneous Tools and Color	14
	Set Tool Options	14
	Change Your View	15
	Magnify	15
	Zoom Tool	15
	Navigate the Image Area	16
	Navigator Palette	16
	Boost Performance	17
	Set Preferences	17
	Random Access Memory	17
	Scratch Disks	18
	Learn More	19
	Hints	19
	How To	19
	Help	20
Chapter 2	Get Images	21
	Understand Images	22
	Know What Kind	22
	Bitmap Images	22
	Vector Images	23
	Change Size and Resolution	23
	Resize	24
	Resample	25
	Go Back to the Drawing Board	26
	Know Color Modes	27
	RGB Mode	27
	Indexed Color Mode	27
	Grayscale Mode	28
	Bitmap Mode	29
	Change Canvas Size	29
	Open Images	30
	Open Recent Images	31
	Open Other File Formats	32
	EPS	32
	PDF	33
	Photo CD	33
	Browse	34
	The File Browser	34
	Find a File	35
	Customize the Browser	36
	Rename Files	36
	Organize Files	36
	Connect to a Camera or Scanner	37
	Import Photos	37
	Import Scans	38
	TWAIN	39
	WIA	39
	Video Stills	39
Chapter 3	Retouch	41
	Understand Color	42
	The Plain Truth	42
	Calibrate Your Monitor	42
	Fix Quick	44
	Quick Fix	45
	A Scan	46
	Balance Light and Dark	47
	Compensate for Bad Lighting	47
	Fill Flash	47
	Adjust Backlighting	48
	Improve Contrast	48
	Levels	49
	Correct Color	51
	Remove a Color-Cast	51
	Color-Cast Command	51
	Color Variations	52
	Improve Color Balance	53
	Auto Color Correct	53
	Enhance Color	53
	Saturation	53
	Hue	54
	More Flexibility	54
	Fix Flaws	56
	No More Red Eye	56
	Red Eye Brush	56
	Cover-Up	57
	Smudge	57
	Clone Tool	57
	Fine-Tune	59
	Sharpen Details	59
	Unsharp Mask	59
	Pin-Point Sharpen	60
	Soften Harsh Edges	61
	Blur Tool	61
Chapter 4	Select	63
	Crop an Image	64
	Crop Tool	64
	Adjust the Crop	65
	Make a Simple Selection	66
	Make an Irregular Selection	67
	Set Lasso Options	68
	Selection Mode	68
	Anti-Alias	68
	Feather	69
	Use the Lasso	69
	Add to a Selection	70
	Subtract From a Selection	71
	Copy and Paste	72
	Flip, Scale, Rotate, and Move	73
	Flip	73
	Scale	73
	Rotate	74
	Move	74
	Make a Complex Selection	75
	Set Options	76
	Selection Mode	76
	Feather and Anti-aliased	76
	Width, Edge Contrast, and Frequency	76
	Use the Magnetic Lasso	77
	Modify a Selection	79
	Grow	79
	Similar	80
	Expand or Contract	80
	Smooth	80
	Incorporate a Copy	81
	Make It Seamless	81
	Remove a Halo	81
	Make it Convincing	82
	Use the Magic Wand	82
	Select the Inverse	83
Chapter 5	Add Type	85
	Create Type	86
	Enter Type	86
	Edit	87
	Format	87
	Change the Font	88
	Resize	88
	Anti-Alias	88
	Align	89
	Pick a Color	90
	Change Orientation	90
	Move It	90
	Warp	91
	Make Waves	91
	Transform	93
	Skew	93
	Change Perspective	94
	Add Depth	95
	Bevels	95
	Shadows	96
	Plastic	96
	Fill Text	97
	Rusted Metal	97
	Easy Patterns	98
	Rusted Metal Revisited	98
Chapter 6	Paint	101
	Collect Materials	102
	Start a Blank Canvas	102
	Color Palette	103
	Foreground/Background	103
	Color Picker	103
	Swatches Palette	104
	Choose a Brush	107
	Select the Brush Tool	107
	Brushes Pop-Up Palette	107
	Erase	109
	Paint to Canvas	110
	Fill With Paint	110
	Gradients	110
	Paint Bucket	111
	Customize a Brush	113
	Size	113
	Spacing	113
	Blend Colors	115
	Opacity and Fade	116
	Smudge	116
	Mix Media	117
	Colorize an Image	117
	Turn a Photo Into a Painting	118
	Impressionist Brush	118
Chapter 7	Combine Images	121
	Build a Layered File	122
	Create a Background	122
	Add a Shape	123
	Change Color	124
	Simplify Layer	124
	Add Type	124
	Understand Layers	125
	Layers Palette	125
	Arrange Objects	128
	Move	128
	Reorder	129
	Link	130
	Blend Images	130
	Make an Image Transparent	131
	Mask an Image	132
	Lock Transparency	132
	Group Layers	133
	Add Image Layers	134
	Duplicate Layers	134
	Drag Layers	134
	Clean It Up	135
	Lock	136
	Delete	136
	Merge	137
	Flatten	137
	Save As	138
	Make a Panorama	138
Chapter 8	Embellish	143
	Be an Artist	144
	Filters	144
	Impressionist	145
	Surrealist	146
	Create an Illusion	148
	Water	148
	Glass	148
	Add Movement	149
	Blur	149
	Wind	149
	Double Vision	150
	Set the Mood with Lighting	150
	Lens Flare	150
	Lighting Effects	151
	Create Shadows and Glows	153
	Drop Shadows	153
	Glows	156
	Frame a Photo	157
	Photo Corners	157
	Brushed Aluminum Frame	158
	A Frame of One's Own	159
	Create Textures and Backgrounds	162
	Texturize	162
	Start with Color	162
	Clouds	164
Chapter 9	Present	167
	Save Images	168
	Save	168
	First Save	168
	Name Your File	168
	File Format	169
	Choose a Destination	169
	Save As	170
	Change the File Format	170
	Print	172
	Print Preview	173
	Page Setup	173
	Scale	174
	Resolution	174
	Paper	174
	Save Paper	175
	Picture Package	175
	Contact Sheet	176
	E-mail an Image	177
	Present a Slide Show	178
	Select Images	178
	Direct Your Show	179
	View Your Slide Show	179
	Prepare an Image for the Web	179
	Save for Web	180
	Use a Predefined Setting	181
	Fine-Tune the Settings	181
	Image Size	181
	Optimization Information	181
	Create a Photo Gallery	182
	Gather Images	182
	Setup	183
	Choose an Image Folder	183
	Choose a Destination	183
	Choose Options	184
	Banner	184
	Choose Image Size	184
	Make Elements Work	185
	Index	187

Editorial Reviews

Osborne's new "No Nonsense" series targets the crowded "just the basics" beginners market. These three entries cover topics with step-by-step, task-based chapters; brief sidebars give tips and added information without interrupting the flow. Elements explains the use of each basic tool in this entry-level graphics software and provides the best options for novices to achieve consistently good-looking images. Clear instructions and targeted screenshots aid understanding. For both PC users making the switch and Mac users accustomed to an older OS, Jaguar covers the most popular uses of OS X. Chapters discuss the basics, from navigating through files and folders, to e-mail and web browsing, to movie and image editing. Both Jaguar and XP contain helpful glossaries that define common terms. XP's writing style is somewhat more awkward than those of the other two, but the content is good, and directions are fairly easy to follow. Appendixes list keyboard shortcuts and a few random but useful web sites. These affordable introductory guides are solid additions to any public library, in conjunction with more comprehensive titles. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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