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What
is Photoshop?
Adobe
Photoshop is an industry standard image manipulation program that is
used to create, composite, and edit scanned photographs or drawings.
Photoshop
is a great application to use if you want to: 1) touch-up a photograph,
2) combine multiple photo images into one, or 3) prepare a picture to
use on the Web.
Photoshop’s large set of tools can be overwhelming and it is expensive
to own. There are programs on your personal computer that may be used
to do certain basic tasks such as resizing an image (e.g., MS Photo
Editor).
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Photoshop's
Workspace
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options bar à |
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Some
tools in the toolbox have options that appear in the context-sensitive
tool options bar.
Useful tools include ones that let you add text, make selections,
move, crop, paint, and view images.
 View
Workspace clip
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How
do I open a New File?
To
start a new photoshop file: Go to File > New
At the New window, apply the appropriate settings:
View
New file clip
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Settings
for Web:
Resolution:
72
Mode: RGB
Content: Transparent
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Settings
for Print:
Resolution:
300
Mode CMYK
Content: White
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How
do I use layers?
Layers provide
a way for you to organize and manage the various components of
your image. By placing an artwork element on a separate layer,
you can edit and arrange the element without interfering with
other parts of the image.
- To select
a layer, simply click on its name or thumbnail image in the
Layers Palette.
- To show
or hide a layer, click on the Eye icon next to its thumbnail
image.
- To move
a layer up or down in the stack, click and hold on it, then
drag it above or below the layer you want it to be on top of
or beneath.
- To delete
a layer, drag it to the small Trash can icon on the Layers Palette.
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A
view of the layers palette.
View
Layers clip
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How
do I prepare my pictures for use on the Web?
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Optimization
involves compressing the file size while optimizing the display
quality of an image for Web output. Photoshop lets you optimize
images in Web file formats and provides you with controls for
fine-tuning the quality and compression level of the optimization.
Because live previews of the optimized image are regenerated whenever
an optimization setting is adjusted, you can experiment with different
settings before committing to the changes.
To optimize an image for the web, go to the menu bar and select
File> Save for Web.
Adjust the settings until your image is satisfactory in terms
of size and quality.
Click 'OK '. Your image will be saved in a web-friendly format.
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A
view of the web optimization dialog box.
View
Web Optimization clip
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Related
Resources
See our How-To guides for Scanning, Using the Digital Camera, and Creating
PowerPoint slide background and other tasks, located online at: http://www.irc.gmu.edu/jobaids/default.asp
The majority of Adobe Photoshop's documentation can be found at: http://www.adobe.com
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The
Resource Development Team.
Contact: Rick Reo, rreo@gmu.edu,
993-8536. |
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