Photoshop Tips #13


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*1. AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATING A LAYER         
     
As you well know, Photoshop documents can quickly become overpopulated 
with layers. Even if you have named each layer, activating the correct 
layer so you can select or modify objects on that layer can be 
confusing. 

Luckily, you can set Photoshop to automatically activate the correct 
layer based on the layer object you select. For example, if you have 
an image with three layers containing a red ball, a yellow hat, and a 
blue glove, you can set Photoshop to activate the proper layer based 
on the item you click.  

To demonstrate, first turn on the Auto Select Layer property. Choose 
the Move tool and select Window, Tool Options to display the Move 
Options palette. Then select the Auto Select Layer check box. Now, if 
you click the red ball Photoshop activates the layer that contains the 
red ball. Likewise, clicking the yellow hat activates the yellow hat 
layer, and so forth.


*2. PHOTOSHOP IN 3D         
     
Photoshop has many filters that allow you to duplicate the features or 
functionality of other applications. One such filter is the 3D 
Transform filter.  

Using the 3D Transform filter, you can adjust the position of an image 
or drawing in 3D space. To do so, choose Filter, Render 3D Transform. 
In the resulting dialog box, choose the type of 3D object you want to 
adjust and draw a shape over the preview image. Then use the Move or 
Rotate tool to adjust the 3D object.


*3. COLOR-CORRECT YOUR IMAGE IN 16-BIT MODE         
     
Although most people work in 24-bit RGB color mode, Photoshop is 
capable of converting images from 2-bit to 64-bit color. Why would you 
want to change the bit-depth of the image you're working on? One 
reason is for color-correction. Sixteen-bit color mode more accurately 
displays colors and color modifications. Why wouldn't you always work 
in 16-bit color mode? Some tools and filters are available only in 
24-bit color mode. To change the bit-depth of the image you are 
working on to 16 bits, flatten the image and choose Image, Mode, 16 
Bits/Channel.


*4. QUICK-EDIT MISSING         
     
If you used the Quick-Edit feature in Photoshop 4, you may notice that 
it's absent from the File, Import menu in Photoshop 5 and above. 
Luckily, Quick-Edit is still available; it's just not automatically 
installed. 

To install Quick-Edit, open the Photoshop CD and navigate to the 
Goodies\Quikedit folder in Windows or to the Optional 
Plug-Ins\Wquikedit folder on the Macintosh. Then drag the plug-in to 
the Plug-ins folder on your system and launch Photoshop. Quick-Edit 
should now appear in the File, Import menu.


*5. LAYER SPECIAL EFFECT         
     
If you're tired of jumping through the multilayer, special effects 
hoop to achieve even the simplest special effect, you'll be pleased to 
know that Photoshop 5.5 has a collection of automated layer effects 
you can easily apply to any object on a layer. Some of the special 
effects you'll find under the Layers palette's Layer Effects menu (or 
on the main Layers menu, depending on your setup) are drop shadow, 
glow, bevel, and emboss. To apply a special effect, simply choose 
Layer Effects from the Layers palette menu and select the special 
effect you would like Photoshop to apply.


*6. LINKING LAYERS         
     
In a previous tip, we discussed how to modify the Move tool so that 
clicking an object would automatically activate the object's layer. 
Another useful layer technique is to link layers so that you can move, 
shrink, enlarge, or otherwise modify the objects on the layers at one 
time. For example, if you had a box on one layer and its drop shadow 
on another, you could move or resize both objects if the layers were 
linked. To link one layer to another, first choose Windows, Show 
Layers to activate the Layers palette. Then click on a layer you want 
to link. Next, click in the Link area (to the right of the Visible 
area in the Layers palette) of the other layers you want to link. Now 
you can select, move, and modify the objects in both layers as if they 
were in one layer.


*7. CORRECTING A CROOKED IMAGE         
     
Straightening a crooked image is a breeze if you know the right trick. 
First you must find the exact rotation angle of the crooked image. 
Then you rotate the image in the opposite direction. 

To find the exact rotation angle to correct the image, choose the Line 
tool from the toolbox (located behind the Pencil tool). Then, choose 
Windows, Show Options to open the Line Tool Options palette. Next, set 
the Line Width to 0 so that you can use the Line tool without actually 
drawing a line.  

Now, click the Info tab on the Line Tool Options palette to switch to 
the Info palette. Position the Line tool over the top-left corner of 
the image, hold down the mouse button, and draw a line along the top 
edge of the image (don't let go of the mouse button!). Take note of 
the line angle displayed in the Angle field of the Info palette.  

To straighten the image, select it and choose Image, Rotate Canvas, 
Arbitrary and enter in the Angle text field the angle you noted from 
the Info palette. Then select the CW (Clockwise) radio button and 
click OK. At this point, the crooked image is now straight.


*8. CREATING A BUTTON         
     
Here's a super fast way to create a 3D round button in Photoshop. 
First choose the Oval Selection tool from the toolbar. Starting with a 
new document, press Shift to constrain the tool to a perfect circle 
and draw a selection. Then choose the Linear Gradient tool. Click and 
drag from the upper-left edge of the circle selection to the 
lower-right edge. Photoshop fills the selection with black-to-white 
gradient. 

Now choose Edit, Copy and Edit, Paste to create a duplicate of the 
gradient circle. Next, shrink the duplicate circle. To do so, choose 
Edit, Transform, Numeric to open the Numeric Transform dialog box. 
Enter  

70  

in the Horizontal and Vertical text fields, and click OK. Finally, 
choose Image, Adjust, Invert to reverse the direction of the gradient 
in the duplicate circle. This creates a 3D button.


*9. TEXT EFFECT ACTIONS         
     
If you're searching for a neat text effect, check out the Actions in 
the Goodies folder of the Photoshop Application folder. These are 
actions that morph any lifeless string of text into a special effect. 
The available special effect Actions are Outline, Bold Outline, 
Brushed Metal, Shadow, Chrome, Clear Emboss, Die Cut, Frosted Glass, 
Sprayed Stencil, Text Panel, Water Reflection, Wavy Type, and Wood 
Paneling. 

To load the Actions into Photoshop, first choose Windows, Show 
Actions. Then choose Load Actions from the Actions palette menu. 
Navigate to the Photoshop application folder and open the Photoshop 
5.5\Goodies\Adobe Photoshop Only\Actions folder. Then, select the Text 
Effects.atn file and click OK. As you can see, Photoshop loads the 
text effects actions into the Actions palette.


*10. RESETTING A DIALOG BOX         
     
When you've been altering settings in a Photoshop dialog box, 
sometimes you want to reset the setting to the default. Fortunately, 
you don't have to choose Cancel and exit the dialog box. Simply press 
Alt on the PC or Option on the Mac to change the Cancel button into a 
Reset button. Then, click Reset to return the dialog box settings to 
their previous values.
