Photoshop

[ivanmckilliagin]

So, I just started this Year's classes, and It turns out that my computer credit is actually Photoshop. I've already worked for an hour or two messing with layers, and have done a simple sketch of my facial features. I'm probably going to learn more in this class, but are there any other helpful hints those more experianced can give me?

[Azrael]

Histograms are your friend.

But they'll only be your friend after you learn what they are.

They're just jerks like that. ;)

[Ego Slayer]

Histo-whats? ::)

I've been working with Photoshop a bit. Mostly photo editing but I've also designed something for a CD cover, though that was mostly cleaning up my scanned image and adding colors. Mmm.. I love layers.

I don't know if I have an 'hints' but if you've got questions..

My goal for this year is to learn it better and really try making something more.. advanced.

[Ms_Elaneous]

Yeah, I don't know histograms either. Well, to me, layers are your friends. Do a different on for each different part so that if you don't like something, you don't have to scrap much, just redo that little part you don't like. ;)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

http://www.Worth1000.com

Just head over to the forums (if you can resist looking at the most recent contests). Best place ever for photoshop fun and learning.

[Trog]

Histograms are indeed your friends. But not as much as actions will be if you intend to mass tone a stack of photos. :P

Use levels at first and look at the histogram (the jagged thingy in the levels palette) and bring your black and white points inward to where the histogram begins to climb upwards. Watch your image on screen though to ensure you don't go too far. This keeps your images from looking washed out.

Curves are also your friend.
ALWAYS tone in RGB. Can't stress that enough. Convert to cmyk only near the end. Much less lossy.

Unsharp mask to pop the edges. Don't go too far or you will end up with halos around images.

For good skintones: Look at the ink densities up in the Info palette. Too much cyan can make faces look ashen. You want to shoot for a good proportion, given the ethnicity/skin color of the subject. Exact "correct" measurements vary depending on who you ask. Find what works for you. But definitely rely on the info palette vs what you see on screen. Especially if you are not working in a color calibrated workspace/station. At the very least make sur you have run the Adobe Gamma (or whatever they call it now...I forget) to calibrate your monitor if it isn't already.

And of course you can always impress others with your familiarity of the term: rasterization ;D

[Crystal_Shards]

Oh! I rock at Photoshop! (Apparently, anyway.) If you ask nicely, I'll show you the ins and outs sometime. ;-D

Also, Mercury has some tutorials if you're interested.

~Crystal