Introduction
- Film-based photography was the foundation for graphic reproduction starting in early 1900s
- Raster/paint software developed to work with scanned images
- Adobe Photoshop: Dominant image-editing program and electronic painting software program in world
Photoshop: An Overview
- Bitmap-based application: Every image made up of a series of dots called pixels
- Wide range of tools to adjust and correct color, contrast and dynamic range
- Powerful type handling tools
- Capable of handling web-based graphics
How Are Photographic Images Created?
- Film-based images
- Emulsions
- Prints
- Transparency film
- Scanners
- Flatbed scanners
- Drum scanners
- Digital Image Capture
- Digital cameras
- Webcams
- CCTV
How Bitmapped art uses Dots
- Raster art or Bitmapped art
- Series of dots arranged in a grid
- Dots vary in value & color
Resolution
Different dot patterns in Graphics
- Number of dots that make up an image
- Raster images are resolution dependent
- Four ways to measure resolution
- LPI : Lines per inch
- SPI : Spots per inch
- DPI : Dots per inch
- PPI : Pixels per inch
Color Models
Combining RGB, the three additive primaries
Three important color models
- RGB as a design tool
- Red, Green, Blue
- Additive primary colors
- CMYK for color correction
- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
- Subtractive color
- Grayscale
File Formats
Save As Dialog Box
- .PSD : Photoshop Document
- Native Photoshop format
- Preserves layers
- Access to all tools & commands
- .TIF : Tagged Image File Format
- Any resolution, grayscale or color
- Generally used for graphics files to be printed
- .EPS : Encapsulated Postscript
- Specialized format for bitmap or vector graphics
- .JPG : Joint Photographic Experts Group
- Compressed image format
- Often used for complex photographic images
- .GIF : Graphics Interchange Format
- Used specifically for the Web
Toolbox
- Divided into 5 main areas
- Selection tools
- Cropping tools
- Modification tools
- Vector/type tools
- Miscellaneous tools
Selection Tools
Example of cropping an image
- Crop tool is part of main selection tools, to reduce file size as well as a design decision tool
- Main selection tools:
- Marquee selection tools
- Move tool
- Lasso tools
- Magic Wand tool
- Slice tool
Modification Tools
- Clone stamp tool
- History brush tool
- Eraser tool
- Gradient tool
- Blur/Sharpen tool
- Manipulate images in various ways
- Fix damaged photographs
- Paint or draw on images
- Copy parts of images
- Restore pixels deleted or erased
- Color gradients
Vector/Type Tools
- Pen tool
- Shape tool
- Type tool
- Although primarily used to work with bitmapped images, Photoshop contains a comprehensive array of type and vector-based tools
- Vector/type tools similar to Illustrator
- Eventually the vector shapes are converted to dots when file is saved to a format other than native .psd
Miscellaneous Tools
- Eyedropper
- Zoom tool
- Perform a variety of tasks
such as
- Magnification
- Color identification in a specific area of an image
- Electronic sticky-type notes
Marquee Selection Tool
- Rectangles / squares
- Ovals / circles
- Single row pixels horizontally and vertically
Lasso Tools
- Surround portion of image with a line
- Accuracy of selection depends on accuracy of mouse movements or pen and tablet
- Three variations
- Lasso tool
- Magnetic Lasso tool
- Polygonal Lasso tool
Magic Wand Tool
- Attempts to select a range of values, based on 256 color values
- Tolerance lets you set the range of values
- Smaller tolerance number: the narrower the value range (color and shades) of the selection
- Higher tolerance numbers: the wider the value range of a selection
- Tool works best is image has well defined areas of value
Working with Layers
The Layers Palette
- Using layers, Photoshop separates multiple images onto transparent layers
- Can manipulate each layer without affecting other images in project
- Layer Effects can add excitement and dynamics to design
- Layers palette is control center for layers in a file
- Background layer has special properties
- Can add, delete, duplicate layers
- Change layering order
- Special effects to add visual impact, such as blending, drop shadows, color overlays, bevel and emboss
Transforming Images
- Transformation tools give power and control over images
- Healing Brush tool
- Patch tool
- Clone Stamp tool
- Eraser tool
- Blur tool
- Sharpen tool
- Smudge tool
- Dodge tool
- Burn tool
- Sponge tool
Healing Brush & Patch Tools
Healing Brush seamlessly fixes a damaged image
- Use brush size to regulate selected & modified area
- Valuable for fixing old and/or damaged photos
- Areas repaired blend in with adjoining areas
Clone Stamp Tool
Duplicating Image areas with the clone stamp tool
- Samples a particular section of an image and recreates it over and over again
- Also used to cover up areas of a photo with different imagery
Blur, Sharpen & Smudge Tools
- Alters specific parts of an image
- Works by clicking and dragging mouse
- Options allow fine-tuning of tool effect
Dodge, Burn & Sponge Tools
- Related to traditional film-based photography
- Burn tool darkens an image; Dodge toollightens it
- Sponge heightensor mutes color
Photoshop Has Too Much Fun with Type
- Dedicated Type Layer
- Similar to vector-draw programs
- Character palette lets you change
- Type size
- Leading
- Alignment
- Transformation tools work on type too!
- Layer effects applied to type
- Warp type: still remains editable after warp effect is applied
How Photoshop Files Are Output
- Designers don’t normally output Photoshop directly from application
- More often imported into another application, then output from there
- Print preview dialog box allows for selection of printer, number of copies, scaled outputs and output modes
- Photoshop lets you color-manage the output to create more consistent color output between different devices
