Photoshop Tips #8


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*1. OPENING CORRUPTED DCS FILES

In our previous tip, we explained how useful the DCS EPS file 
format could be when you are using Photoshop files in other 
applications. If you recall, DCS allows you to save a Photoshop 
image as a low-resolution image to use for placement, and as a 
high-resolution image that is sent to the printer.

Unfortunately, separating one file into five possible files 
(preview, CMYK) has its drawbacks--particularly when the DCS 
EPS preview file is corrupted. Fortunately, there's an easy fix 
for a corrupted DCS preview file. First, open the four CMYK 
files (.c, .m, .y, .k) in Photoshop. Then, choose Merge 
Channels from the Channels palette menu. Photoshop will combine 
all four images into one CMYK image. Then, save the document as 
a DCS EPS again to generate the preview image.


*2. AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING IMAGES

Photoshop 5.5 has a new feature that allows you to 
automatically adjust the highlights and shadows of an image. 
The Auto Contrast command sets the darkest and lightest pixels 
in the image to black and white. This forces highlights to 
appear lighter and shadows to appear darker.

Keep in mind that Photoshop ignores the first 0.5 percent tonal 
range of both white and black pixels in your image. This 
ensures that the sampled white and black values are a true 
representation of your image's content. To use Auto Contrast in 
your image, choose Image, Adjust, Auto Contrast.


*3. CUSTOM CROPPING AN IMAGE

Did you know you can use any custom shape to crop a Photoshop 
image? For example, you can create a custom shape to outline a 
foreground object and crop out the image background. This 
custom crop is called a Clipping Path.

Although you can create a Clipping Path any number of ways, the 
most popular method is to create a selection to define a shape. 
Next, choose Make Work Path from the Paths palette menu. Save 
the work path. Then, transform the work path into a Clipping 
Path. To do so, select the saved path and choose Clipping Path 
from the Paths palette menu. Finally, save your image as an EPS.


*4. START AT THE BEGINNING

Although Photoshop has a tool or a feature to manipulate or 
correct almost any image anomaly, never settle for a 
poor-quality scan and expect to correct all the anomalies in 
Photoshop. The best Photoshop artists know that the better the 
original image scan, the less time they'll spend doctoring the 
image in Photoshop. With this in mind, use the following 
guidelines the next time you scan an image.

Determine the size, color, and resolution of the final image 
before you scan an image. If you're scanning from a printed 
piece, use the Descreen option to prevent Moire patterns. Only 
scan the image you need. Scanning superfluous image data adds 
unnecessarily to file size and slows down your workflow.


*5. REMOVING THE WHITE IN AN IMAGE

Many Photoshop users spend a lot of their time removing 
backgrounds from layers so only the foreground objects overlay 
the layers underneath. For example, if you have a black logo on 
a white background and you want just the logo to show on the 
blue layer below, you may think the best method is to turn the 
logo's white background transparent.

However, the easiest method is to simply change the logo layer 
mode. As you may know, Photoshop's Layers palette has various 
modes you can employ to set the under layers to ignore the 
background of a layer. In our example, we can set the logo 
layer so only the dark pixels of the logo appear on the blue 
background layer below. To do so, choose Darken or Multiply 
from the Layers palette.


*6. SELECTIONS ACROSS LAYERS

A Tips subscriber writes:

"I have used many different layers to retouch an image. Now I 
want to duplicate only the retouched area. However, I can't 
seem to simultaneously select the area on each layer."

There are several ways to create a duplicate layer that 
contains only the retouched area. The fastest method I've found 
is to select the area and copy all visible layers. Then create 
a new layer and paste the Clipboard contents into the layer. To 
copy all visible layers, press Shift-Ctrl-C in Windows or 
Shift-Command-C on the Macintosh. Then choose New Layer from 
the Layers palette and press Ctrl-V in Windows or Command-V on 
the Macintosh. Photoshop will paste a composite selection of 
all visible layers into the new layer.


*7. THINK OUTSIDE THE IMAGE...

While painting and selecting objects and areas in a Photoshop 
image, you'll often see the need to start painting the 
selection in the gray area that surrounds the image in the 
document window. However, it can be tedious to grab the mouse 
and resize the document window so you can see the gray area.

A quick way to size your image and the document window is to 
increase the magnification size of the image and the size of 
the document window and then decrease only the image. To do so, 
press Ctrl-Alt-Plus Sign in Windows or Command-Option-Plus Sign 
on the Macintosh. Then press Ctrl-Minus Sign in Windows or 
Command-Minus Sign on the Macintosh.


*8. CREATING AN EGG IN PHOTOSHOP

A recent subscriber writes:

"I know this has to be simple but for the life of me, I cannot 
figure out how to create an egg shape in Photoshop. 
Please help."

Sometimes the simplest tasks are the hardest to uncover. To 
create an egg shape in Photoshop, choose the Elliptical 
Selection tool and create a Round selection. Then fill the 
selection with black. To do so, choose Edit, Fill. In the 
resulting Fill dialog box, choose 100% and Black and click OK.

Next, use Perspective Transformation to create the egg shape. 
To do so, choose Edit, Transform, Perspective. Next use the 
mouse to grab move the top handles slightly together. When you 
are happy with the egg shape, press Enter to complete 
the transformation.


*9. DON'T GET LOST IN THE TREES

The old saying "Can't see the forest for the trees" is very 
applicable to Photoshop work. Very often, artists become so 
engrossed in detail work, they will lose site of the overall 
design. To prevent this occupational pitfall from happening to 
you, work on one area for a bit and then move on to another 
area. Also, develop a habit of examining your image from 
different magnifications. By modifying your image in smaller 
steps from various perspectives, you'll be able to constantly 
assess the image as a whole.


*10. CREATING LIGHTNING

Photoshop can create just about any effect and to prove it, 
we're going to show you a quick way to create lightning. To 
begin, open a new 500 x 500 pixel image. Then choose Filter, 
Render, Difference, Clouds. Apply this filter to your image 
several times. Stop when you begin to see anything that 
resembles a lightning streak in the evolving cloud patterns.

Now we're ready to fine-tune the lightning. To do so, choose 
Image, Adjust, Levels. In the resulting dialog box, move the 
Midtone handle closer to the White handle. Notice the gray 
areas become lighter. Now move the Black handle closer to the 
Midtone and the White handles. Continue to adjust the Levels 
handles until you isolate a few lightning fingers. Then select 
the most realistic and rotate it to the proper angle.
