The Photoshop Blog offers the latest Photoshop news and software updates, Photoshop tips and tutorials, and random thoughts from graphic artist and Photoshop expert Jennifer Apple.
Using the Text Commenting Tools - Adobe Acrobat X Pro Essentials Video Tutorial
April 04, 2011
Here is a free Acrobat X Pro video tutorial from
Total Training for Adobe Acrobat X Pro: Essentials. This training will teach you the skills you need to master this new version of Adobe's powerful document management software. Watch Using the Text Commenting Tools.
The interface for Acrobat 10 (download a free trial) has been completely redesigned. This training series will introduce both new and experienced users to the most effective ways to create, edit and distribute PDF documents using the new interface. New users will get a comprehensive view of the entire process of creating and working with PDF documents. Experienced users will get a road map from an expert user to locate where all the vital features have been moved.
Follow our special coupon link here and save 30% on Total Training DVDs and Online Annual Subscription.
Photoshopsupport.com and Total Training selected the following DVDs for today's creative professional.
By the time you are done watching this training series you will know and be proficient creating, editing and distributing PDF documents, creating and editing interactive PDF forms, adding hyperlinks and interactivity to PDF documents, as well as creating effective PDF comment and review procedures.
Adobe Coupons & Special Offers
Visit our Adobe Coupon Codes & Special Offers Page to see the latest specials and upgrade & bundle deals from Adobe — including 80% Off on Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Flash for students.
Buy Directly From Adobe Online
Find upgrade options and CS5 deals at the Adobe Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the best prices on Adobe software. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Photoshop Tutorial - Improve Photos That Suffer From Dark Exposures With Photoshop Gradients
March 31, 2011
Here's a free Photoshop tutorial from Photoshop Daily. We’ve all had dull weather ruin a photo but here’s a clever way of brightening skies and adding life to dark exposure. Gradients are often called upon in digital design, but rarely do they come into play for photo edits. However, they can be useful, especially when they are teamed up with blending modes.
In our example here, we have a photo taken on a dull day. The sky is grey and washed out, while the buildings look very underexposed. By applying a gradient, though, it’s possible to add colour to the sky and also deal with the exposure problem. And it all starts with a selection... If you’d like to follow along, you can download our start image from here.
READ THE FULL TUTORIAL...
Adobe Coupons & Special Offers
Visit the Adobe Coupon Codes & Special Offers Page to see the latest specials and upgrade & bundle deals from Adobe — including 80% Off on Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Flash for students.
Buy Directly From Adobe Online
Find upgrade options and CS5 deals at the Adobe Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the best prices on Adobe software. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
WordPress Photoshop Plug-in - New Photoshop Plugin Creates Wordpress Blogs And Sites With Ease
March 31, 2011
Media Lab has announced that designers can now create PSD to WordPress Themes in Photoshop with Media Lab's NEW SG3xpress for Wordpress Photoshop plug-in. In addition, Media Lab has released the SG3xpress Add-on for its SiteGrinder 3 for users who wish to add advanced blog and WordPress Theme-building to the already powerful SiteGrinder 3 website creation software.
If you know Photoshop then you already know enough to start creating WordPress themes and blogs for yourself and your clients. Creating a blog or a WordPress site in Photoshop is easy with SG3xpress. Now you can go directly to WordPress with your design saving even more time and money for yourself and your clients.
"SG3xpress is great! If you are a graphic designer or web developer like myself you will find the SG3xpress for WordPress Photoshop plug-in to be an invaluable addition to your toolkit," said Chipp Walters, CEO of Altuit. "If you are a SiteGrinder 3 Platform user like me the SG3xpress add-on extends the power of SiteGrinder and is a must have for every SiteGrinder 3 user."
In the past you had two choices for creating a WordPress blog: choose a pre-built WordPress theme or build a theme from scratch by painstakingly coding it yourself. Although there are many pre-packaged WordPress themes available online, using one means you won't have a unique, one of a kind website designed specifically for your business. Yet building a theme and hand-coding is more work than many designers have the ability, time, or desire to do. SG3Xpress for WordPress changes everything.
With SG3xpress for WordPress you can design a website that looks exactly like you want it to look and convert it into a WordPress theme with no hand-coding at all. How does it work? SiteGrinder works by simply adding "hints" to layer and layer comp names to tell SiteGrinder how to code a layer into an HTML or CSS web component, including WordPress posts, comments, sidebars, menu trees, and widget layouts. You can add any other graphical and text elements you desire to your WordPress pages.
SG3xpress comes in two versions:
SG3xpress for Wordpress Photoshop plug-in is a stand-alone Photoshop plug-in uniquely for creating WordPress Themes and has a limited time introductory price of $149.00, a $130 savings. SG3xpress for WordPress retails for $279.00. SG3xpress Add-on for its SiteGrinder 3 has a limited time introduction price of $97.00 a savings of $100. The SG3xpress Add-on requires SiteGrinder 3 and is for those who want the power of the SiteGrinder 3 Platform but also want to build advanced blogs and WordPress themes.
Requirements - SiteGinder 3 and SG3xpress Compatibility
On the PC, SiteGrinder 3 and SG3xpress are compatible with Windows XP and later, including Windows 7. It requires Photoshop 7 or later including the latest Photoshop CS5, or Photoshop Elements 6, 7, 8 and 9. On the Mac, SiteGrinder 3 and SG3xpress are compatible with Mac OS X 10.1 or greater, Photoshop CS3, CS4 or CS5 (Mac OS X 10.4 or later for the Intel-based Mac), or Photoshop Elements 6, 7, 8 and 9. Websites created using SiteGrinder 3 are compatible with WordPress 3.0 and greater. Visit www.medialab.com for complete details and to download your copy of SiteGrinder 3 or SG3xpress.
Adobe Coupons & Special Offers
Visit the Adobe Coupon Codes & Special Offers Page to see the latest specials and upgrade & bundle deals from Adobe — including 80% Off on Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Flash for students.
Buy Directly From Adobe Online
Find upgrade options and CS5 deals at the Adobe Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the best prices on Adobe software. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures From Bittbox - Sandstone
March 30, 2011
From Bittbox: I found an exposed outcropping of bedrock sandstone near my house and here we go. FTT sandstone. There isn’t much variety in these, but they can easily be converted to brushes or black and white at low opacity to add a little something extra to your design. (You can click on the images and get the full size ones from Flickr)
Adobe Coupons & Special Offers
Visit the Adobe Coupon Codes & Special Offers Page to see the latest specials and upgrade & bundle deals from Adobe — including 80% Off on Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Flash for students.
Buy Directly From Adobe Online
Find upgrade options and CS5 deals at the Adobe Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the best prices on Adobe software. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Simulating Subpixel Rendering - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 30, 2011
What, you ask, is subpixel rendering? This week's Deke's Technique will either make your head spin or make you feel on top of the geek heap. The idea is this: Regardless of the which rendering intent you use for your text— Sharp, Crisp, Strong, or Smooth— Photoshop has a habit of rendering very small type looking very bad, whereas that same very small type looks nice and legible when rendered by your operating system or as editable type by a browser. What's the difference? The reason is subpixel rendering, which permits an application to rasterize text and other vector objects, on-the-fly, to each of the three color channels (RGB) independently.
Of course, if you’re working with HTML type, all is well. But as soon as you render that text to pixels, subpixel is not an option. It’s not Photoshop’s fault; JPEG, GIF, PNG, and other web image formats don’t support subpixel rendering. In this week’s free technique, Deke shares not only how subpixel rendering works, but also how to simulate it in Photoshop by creating a faux color antil-alias effect. For those of you who make small type for your screen images—whether web, kiosk, or presentation—or who just like to know the geekiest trick of the week, it’ll make all the tiny difference in the world. Click here to watch the free video tutorial, Simulating subpixel rendering, in a new window (this is a Hi-Def video which makes it super easy to follow along!).
Deke's Techniques is taught by computer graphics guru Deke McClelland, and presented in his signature step-by-step style. The intent is to reveal how various Photoshop and Illustrator features can be combined and leveraged in real-world examples so that they can be applied to creative projects right away. Click here to see all the free clips from this series at lynda.com.
You can get a free 7-day trial to the lynda.com Online Training Library. The trial membership entitles you to 7 days of access to all 986 courses in the lynda.com Online Training Library for free. Click sign up on the subscription plan of your choice to get started. After your free 7-day trial period, you will be automatically upgraded to the membership selected, unless you cancel before your trial is up. A credit card is required to ensure uninterrupted access to lynda.com, if you choose to remain a member after your free trial ends. There is no long-term commitment required, and you can cancel any time.
After signing up for the free 7-day trial to the lynda.com Online Training Library you'll gain access to over 59,000 video tutorials instantly. Subscriptions to the lynda.com Online Training Library provide anytime access to tens of thousands of video tutorials covering Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, web design, digital imaging, 3D, digital video, animation, and many other topics. View free video clips.
Adobe Coupons & Special Offers
Visit our Adobe Coupon Codes & Special Offers Page to see the latest specials and upgrade & bundle deals from Adobe — including 80% Off on Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Flash for students.
Buy Directly From Adobe Online
Find upgrade options and CS5 deals at the Adobe Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the best prices on Adobe software. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Creating A Hubble Galaxy With Photoshop - NASA Video
March 28, 2011
A video from NASA shows how Photoshop is used to reconstruct a Hubble panorama of spiral galaxy NGC 3982. "Hubble images are made, not born. Images must be woven together from the incoming data from the cameras, cleaned up and given colors that bring out features that eyes would otherwise miss. In this video from HubbleSite.org, online home of the Hubble Space Telescope, a Hubble-imaged galaxy comes together on the screen at super-fast speed. Learn more about how Hubble images are made by visiting Behind the Pictures."
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Win A Free Copy Of Topaz ReMask 3
March 27, 2011
Send me the top 5 things that frustrate you about Photoshop (hard to find menu items, annoying defaults, etc.) and we will pick 3 random winners who will each get a free copy of Topaz ReMask3 (product details below).
Just send an email to contact-07@photoshopsupport.com with the top 5 things you wish to see improved in Photoshop. Good luck!
ReMask 3 features a revamped masking engine, new color decontamination technology, color selection brushes and a new refining toolset. The update is available now as a free download to current owners of ReMask. Topaz ReMask is an affordable masking solution that offers professional results while cutting down on masking and extraction time. (Try a free 30-day trial of Topaz ReMask 3.) It is designed to tackle some of the most common photography and design tasks such as isolating specific image elements, background replacement, compositions, and adjusting selections with color and special effects.
Topaz ReMask 3 is a comprehensive masking and extraction tool that allows users to create complex masks and cutouts in just a few clicks. The advanced technology that backs ReMask makes the masking process quicker and easier then ever before - even for the trickiest masking tasks such as hair and fur. Topaz ReMask 3 features include:
1. Speed Boost. Increase in processing speeds.
2. Auto Layer Creation. Option (enable / disable in preferences) to automatically create a new layer (in Photoshop CS3 and above only) when invoking the plug-in.
3. Color decontamination technology. Helps solve color bleed issues.
4. Split screen options. 2-screen view or 4-screen view.
5. New Brush Tools. Single color selection (with color range slider) and dual color selections.
6. Sticky mode (in preferences). Modifies the dual-color selection process.
7. New Refining Toolset. Mask adjustment (strength and hardness sliders) and foreground color (recovery and desaturation sliders).
8. Better hair detection and selection technology.
9. Layer Mask Option (in preferences). Let Topaz ReMask automatically create and a layer mask for non-destructive editing.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Perfect Photo Suite $100 Off Coupon Discount - Photoshop Plugins Bundle - Limited Time Offer
March 23, 2011
Follow our exclusive discount links and you'll save $100 off the regular price for The Perfect Photo Suite.This sale ends March 31, 2011.
New in Perfect Photo Suite 5.5 is the next generation of Genuine Fractals now called Perfect Resize, with improved resizing controls and gallery wrap feature, new resizing algorithm, and more. Perfect Photo Suite 5.5 also features the all new Perfect Layers for adding a layered workflow for Lightroom and Aperture, and exciting new effects and frames in PhotoTools and PhotoFrame.
All of the products in the Perfect Photo Suite 5.5 will work as plug-ins for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture. But now, for the first time, five of the seven products in the Perfect Photo Suite will work as standalone applications, giving you the ultimate work-flow flexibility. Only PhotoTools and Mask Pro will require Photoshop.
American Photo Magazine awarded the Perfect Photo Suite their Editor's Choice award for Top Image Editing Software and the professional photographers who read Studio Photography voted the Perfect Photo Suite the best plug-in for Adobe Photoshop in their Reader's Choice Awards.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Creating A High Key, High Contrast Effect - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 23, 2011
In this week’s free video technique, Deke shares his recipe for taking an ordinary portrait and turning it into something visually striking by adding a high key, high contrast effect. The tools are reasonably simple: a color adjustment layer, a few passes with the dodge and burn tools, a convenient roughly drawn layer mask, and a gradient to finish the effect off. But the result is sophisticated and compelling. Click here to watch the free video tutorial, Creating a high key, high contrast effect, in a new window (this is a Hi-Def video which makes it super easy to follow along!).
Deke's Techniques is taught by computer graphics guru Deke McClelland, and presented in his signature step-by-step style. The intent is to reveal how various Photoshop and Illustrator features can be combined and leveraged in real-world examples so that they can be applied to creative projects right away. Click here to see all the free clips from this series at lynda.com.
You can get a free 7-day trial to the lynda.com Online Training Library. The trial membership entitles you to 7 days of access to all 986 courses in the lynda.com Online Training Library for free. Click sign up on the subscription plan of your choice to get started.
After your free 7-day trial period, you will be automatically upgraded to the membership selected, unless you cancel before your trial is up. A credit card is required to ensure uninterrupted access to lynda.com, if you choose to remain a member after your free trial ends. There is no long-term commitment required, and you can cancel any time.
After signing up for the free 7-day trial to the lynda.com Online Training Library you'll gain access to over 59,000 video tutorials instantly. Subscriptions to the lynda.com Online Training Library provide anytime access to tens of thousands of video tutorials covering Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, web design, digital imaging, 3D, digital video, animation, and many other topics. View free video clips.
Adobe Coupons & Special Offers
Visit our Adobe Coupon Codes & Special Offers Page to see the latest specials and upgrade & bundle deals from Adobe — including 80% Off on Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Flash for students.
Buy Directly From Adobe Online
Find upgrade options and CS5 deals at the Adobe Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the best prices on Adobe software. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures — Mangled Tree Roots
March 22, 2011
From Bittbox:
This week I have some cool mangled roots! These were taken at a park near my house where many of the trees have exposed root systems that I thought would make some nice textures. (You can click on the images and get the full size ones from Flickr).
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Adobe SendNow - Online File Sharing
March 22, 2011
Simplify online file sharing by using Adobe SendNow to send and track large files. You'll also save time and eliminate the hassles of email size restrictions, multiple email attachments, FTP sites, and costly overnight services. With SendNow you can share files with individuals or groups inside or outside your company, and you can keep documents available for as long as you need. Adobe SendNow Basic is available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
AKVIS HDRFactory V.1.0 - HDR And Photo Correction Photoshop Plugin
March 22, 2011
AKVIS is proud to announce the release of AKVIS HDRFactory v.1.0. AKVIS HDRFactory creates HDR-images from a series of photographs taken at different exposures or from a single photograph. You can come very close to reality or even go beyond it by creating stylized images with fabulous colors and unique effects. The software also includes an efficient deghosting tool for removing ghost artifacts that sometimes appear when combining photos with moving objects. AKVIS HDRFactory can also be used for photo correction. You can adjust color saturation and brightness, and bring out the detail in dark and bright areas.
AKVIS HDRFactory is available in two versions - as an independent program (standalone) and as a plugin to a photo editor. AKVIS HDRFactory Home License (plug-in or standalone) sells for $69 USD, downloadable from http://akvis.com.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Tips And Tricks From Adobe TV
March 21, 2011
Here are the latest offerings from Adobe TV for Lightroom and CS5:Ben Forta, Director of Platform Evangelism provides training and information on Adobe products with an emphasis on ColdFusion and Flex. VIEW RECENT EPISODES
Evangelist Duane Nickull brings you interviews and hot topics in today's technology world with a focus on Developers. VIEW RECENT EPISODES
Greg Rewis, Worldwide Creative Suite Web Evangelist, keeps you up to date on web trends and the latest tips and tricks for Dreamweaver and other Creative Suite features for web and interactive designers. VIEW RECENT EPISODES
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Two Free Dreamweaver CS5 Video Tutorials
March 21, 2011
Here are 2 free videos for Dreamweaver CS5 from Total Training:
Dreamweaver CS5 - Touring CS5 Environment
Dreamweaver CS5 - Setting Preferences
Follow our special coupon link here and save 30% on Total Training DVDs and Online Annual Subscription.
Don't forget about your exclusive Photoshopsupport coupon to save 30% off all DVDs with coupon code photoshopsupport. No expiration or minimums.
For DVDs and annual online subscriptions only.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Painting Realistic Skin Textures in Photoshop Tutorial - Free Video Tutorial From Obsidian Dawn
March 18, 2011
From Obsidian Dawn: This video tutorial will walk you through how to create realistic skin textures in Photoshop. It accompanies a new brush set that I’m releasing for all versions from Photoshop CS3 and onward. It will explain how to paint with the brushes, blend to create beautiful skin textures, as well as how to add pores and freckles to the skin.
This set is really made for digital painters. If you’re not already accustomed to painting portraits in Photoshop, it may not come of much use to you. But for the digital painters out there that use Photoshop for your painting, this set will help you create skin textures and blend colors like never before. You’ll need to grab my Skin Textures Photoshop Brushes to follow along with this tutorial.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Skin Textures Photoshop Brushes From Obsidan Dawn
March 18, 2011
From Obsidian Dawn: This set of Photoshop brushes is composed of brushes used for painting realistic skin textures. There is a tutorial that I’ve posted to go along with it. To make the most of this brush pack, you’ll want to watch it — Painting Skin Textures in Photoshop Tutorial.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Photoshop Express 2.0 Adds Paid Feature — Noise Reduction
March 18, 2011
From John Nack's blog: After more than 20 million downloads, the free Photoshop Express app has added its first paid features. As PM Jordan Davis explains, Adobe Camera Pack in Photoshop Express 2.0 for iOS adds three new features:
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Life Is Too Short For The Wrong Job Ad Campaign Images
March 17, 2011
From the Little Chief Honeybee blog:
I remember seeing this brilliant ad campaign a few years ago, but I only recently stumbled upon a full collection of pictures. This is hands down one of the most well planned and executed campaigns that I've ever seen. While the Sherwin Williams paint-swatch campaign will always have a place in my heart, I'm tempted to say few things have beat this one out. The campaign is for the German job site, Jobsintown.de. If I'm not mistaken these ads go all the way back to early 2006, or even before! The point of the ads is pretty transparent, but that's what makes the impact so powerful. I am in awe. Brilliant use of design! (visit the Little Chief Honeybee blog for more images).
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Video Tutorial — Turn Brown Grass Green With Photoshop
March 17, 2011
From creativepro.com, a video tutorial from Russell Brown: With this trick, you can change the color of grass (or anything else). Not only is it fast and easy, but you can modify the color at any time without destroying pixel information.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures — Simply Worn
March 17, 2011
From Bittbox:
This week I have some very subtle worn textures. They were made from a single photograph of a rug at my front door, converted to a brush, then masked using the same image as a brush.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Perfect Photo Suite 5.5 + HDR Express Bundle — Save $200
March 17, 2011
onOne Software has a special right that that offers Perfect Photo Suite 5.5 + HDR Express for $399, saving you $200. Here's the story: Over 1 million photographers have used onOne Software to help perform difficult and time-consuming photo editing tasks, saving hours of time in Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture. With the Perfect Photo Suite 5.5 and HDR Express bundle, you'll spend less time on the computer and more time doing what you really love to do - go shoot!
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Masking Highlights and Shadows Independently - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 15, 2011
This week’s free technique gives you one of Deke McClelland’s many Photoshop tips for using an image to select itself, specifically isolating the highlights and shadows of a photograph to select the light and dark areas using the underrated Color Range command. By using the image’s own details to create the mask, you don’t have to rely on the unreliable Quick Selection or Magic Wand Tool. And you can fine-tune your mask to add areas to it. Another hidden benefit of using Color Range is that you can either generate a selection (working blind, as Deke likes to call it) or you can directly create a layer mask, and thus see what you’re doing as you do it. Click here to watch the free video tutorial, Masking Highlights and Shadows Independently - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial, in a new window (this is a Hi-Def video which makes it super easy to follow along!).
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Filter Forge Plugins - Special Offer - 50% Off Discount
March 15, 2011
Filter Forge has partnered with us to offer a 50% discount for its flagship product, Filter Forge, a high-end plugin for Adobe Photoshop allowing computer artists to build their own filters — seamless textures, visual effects, distortions, patterns, backgrounds, frames and more. The key features of Filter Forge include a visual filter editor and a free online library of user-created textures and effects.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Kubota Speedkeys 2 For Adobe Lightroom - Plus Free Lightroom Presets
March 14, 2011
Kevin Kubota once dreamed of editing images in minutes from the comfort of his favorite reclined chair, all from the palm of his hand. After sharing his vision with Tim Riley of RPG Keys, his dream became a reality. The Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2 for Adobe Lightroom is a wireless USB Keypad with 1-button access to Lightroom adjustments, presets, and other advanced tools.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Making 3D Type With Repoussé - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 11, 2011
Nothing gives your words more weight than adding a third dimension to your text. This week, Deke shows you how to create 3D text using the Repoussé feature in Photoshop CS5 Extended. With this tool, you can take ordinary text, give it heft, add color to each of its newly created sides, and twirl it around to show off its new facets. Deke also shows you how to smooth out the edges and polish up your object by applying ray tracing. It may take a while to render, but, hey, it’s adding a whole new dimension to your Photoshop repertoire.
Click here to watch the free video tutorial, Making 3D type with Repoussé, in a new window (this is a Hi-Def video which makes it super easy to follow along!).
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
2011 Adobe Design Achievement Awards
March 09, 2011
The Adobe Design Achievement Awards recognize innovative students and faculty members who AMAZE the world. Finalists will receive Adobe software and a trip to Taipei, Taiwan, where they will be honored in an awards ceremony during the 2011 IDA Congress set for October, 24-26, 2011. Category winners also will receive a cash award of US$3,000.
Competition is FREE to enter and open to all students, faculty and staff of higher education institutions around the world. Participants may submit up to 2 times in 15 different categories and 3 faculty categories. All student categories except for Web Analytics and Mobile Analytics* will be judged throughout the competition year. Students are able to submit in three judging sessions and semifinalists will be selected during each judging session. Students are advised to submit their projects for every academic term from May 2010 through June 2011.
Experiment with Adobe software — download free, fully functional trial versions of Adobe software products for creating entries.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures — Urban Decay
March 08, 2011
From Bittbox: These textures (Urban Decay) are part of a set I made for Advanced Photoshop Magazine a while back. I think there are some really nice images in this set, so I hope you can give me some feedback in the comments, or retweet to share with friends.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Save $100 On Perfect Resize Pro (Genuine Fractals) - Photoshop And Lightroom Photo Enlargement Solution
March 08, 2011
Save $100 on Perfect Resize. The next generation of Genuine Fractals technology, Perfect Resize adds new features for achieving sharp detail when enlarging images, new gallery wrap and tiling options, and interface enhancements for photographers who want to make the highest quality prints. Perfect Resize supports Photoshop CS5, CS4, CS3 and CS2 and can now be used directly from within Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Apple Aperture without the need for a separate host application.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free 7-Day Trial To lynda.com Online Training Library
March 06, 2011
You can get a free 7-day trial to the lynda.com Online Training Library. The trial membership entitles you to 7 days of access to all 986 courses in the lynda.com Online Training Library for free. Click sign up on the subscription plan of your choice to get started.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
27 Free Lightroom Presets - Compatible With Lightroom 1, Lightroom 2, And Lightroom 3
March 03, 2011
From the Adobe Free Plugins site comes 27 Free Lightroom Presets from Bryan Wheeler. These Presets provide you with a range of different photo processing opportunities and possibilities, from dramatic black and whites, creating a frozen appearance in your shots, to giving your images an autumn look. They were all hand-created with the Lightroom user in mind. All of these Presets are usable in both LR 1, LR 2 and LR 3 programs.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Building A Synthetic Starfield From Scratch - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 01, 2011
This week, intrepid Photoshop explorer and lynda.com author Deke McClelland gives you no less than the infinite universe. Actually, this installment of Deke’s Techniques shows you how to create your own galaxy view, complete with stars, lens flare, and space gas, all created completely from scratch in Photoshop. Starting with a layer of nothing but black pixels, Deke uses smart objects and classic Photoshop filters to create an infinitely customizable space-scape that you can use in your own design voyages. The universe is at your command.
Click here to watch the free video tutorial, Building a synthetic starfield from scratch, in a new window (this is a Hi-Def video which makes it super easy to follow along!).
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
onOne Announces Free Perfect Presets For Aperture, Plus Free Layout Templates And Adornments
March 01, 2011
onOne today announced the immediate availability of Perfect Presets for Aperture and the addition of new Senior Album templates and adornments in onOne Software’s new Free Content Library. Perfect Presets for Aperture is designed by onOne Software to help photographers streamline their workflow and enhance their images. The additions to the onOne Software Content Library include new templates designed for Senior Albums along with 12 floral inspired adornments that can be used to customize layouts. The free products are yet another way that onOne Software continues to provide unprecedented value to photographers.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Canon SLR Tutorials - Digital Camera Lessons For Beignners
March 01, 2011
You can find some great little tutorials if you want to explore all the features of a Canon SLR at the Canaon site (be patient while it loads). Through pictures and tutorials the site offers an astoundingly complete guide to using digital SLRs, covering everything from the physical components of the camera to the principles of camera technology. You'll also find some great tips on composition.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Adobe Lightroom 3 Video Workshop: 15 Tutorials On The Lightroom Develop Module
March 01, 2011
Lightroom’s Develop module is the most powerful tool available to help you craft images that match your photographic vision. Raw processing is not intuitive, but it is not difficult to master either. This new set of 15 videos from George Jardine explains each Develop control in detail, but also guides you to a complete understanding of the entire module using real world examples. In 5 hours of video instruction, George takes you through the Adobe Lightroom 3 Develop module from top to bottom.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Adobe Photoshop Documentation Files - Photoshop Help Files Online
February 27, 2011
There is so much to learn in Photoshop that it is virtually impossible to remember it all. Which is why there is an elaborate help system inside the program. But you can also access the help online, through the Photoshop Help Documents that Adobe hosts on their site. Adobe has posted the complete 600-plus page Photoshop CS5 Help Files as a PDF, so you can read it, search through it, and save it — and learn all about the features. There are 26 pages of keyboard shortcuts alone — and hopefully that's ALL of them!
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
How To Use The Free Find My iPhone (And iPod Touch And iPad) Feature — Free Video Tutorial From lynda.com
February 26, 2011
From lynda.com: With the release of the iOS 4.2 update one of the most valuable features of MobileMe was made available for free to all iPhone 4, iPad, and iPod Touch (4th generation) users. The Find My iPhone feature allows you to track the location of a lost or stolen iOS device. If you’ve lost your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, you can use this tool to locate, lock, and even erase your missing device if necessary. Plus, you no longer have to sign up for the MobileMe service to get this tool. The only catch is that you have to do a little bit of setup before you lose your device.
We think Find My iPhone is so valuable that we decided to release this movie from iPhone and iPod Touch Essential Training for free. In this movie, author Garrick Chow will show you how to get everything set up so that you will be protected next time you lose your precious device. Garrick will also show you a handy trick for getting Find My iPhone set up on older iOS devices.
If you want to learn more tips and tricks for your iPhone, including new features from the iOS 4.2 update, check out the rest of iPhone and iPod Touch Essential Training in the lynda.com Online Training Library.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures From Bittbox — Denim
February 09, 2011
From Bittbox: This week I’ve got some nice hi-res denim textures for everyone.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Auto FX Coupon Code S94525— 15% Instant Discount On Photoshop Plugins Bundle — Save Over $974
February 25, 2011
Our friends at Auto FX have given us an exclusive special offer discount coupon code S94525 that will give you an instant 15% discount on any and all of their amazing Photoshop plugins — including their special Photoshop Plugin Bundles.
The Auto FX Plug-in Suite provides a comprehensive selection of visual effects from the world's premier developer of Adobe Photoshop Plug-ins. This suite of products works with Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3, CS4 and CS5. Auto FX Plug-in Suite includes 165 effect filters and thousands of instant effects to improve your images. Purchased separately, the products in this suite are worth over $1,400. By purchasing the Plug-in Suite for $499 you'll save $900. Then apply our coupon and receive an additional $74.85 off, bringing the price of the bundle down to $424.15.
Simply apply coupon code S94525 during the checkout process and you'll have your amount recalculated to include the discount. Read more about this Photoshop Bundle Deal.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Deke's Techniques - Creating A Reflection In Shattered Glass - Free Photoshop CS5 Hi-Def Video Tutorial
February 24, 2011
Welcome to this week's lynda.com video blog entry from Photoshop master Deke McClelland. Today's episode features creating the reflection of a woman, whose scream may or may not have broken the glass in question, into a shattered mirror. Click here to watch the free video tutorial, Creating a reflection in shattered glass, in a new window (this is a Hi-Def video which makes it super easy to follow along!).
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
AKVIS ArtWork 5.0. Now Features A Watercolor Effect
February 21, 2011
AKVIS announces the release of ArtWork version 5.0. AKVIS ArtWork transforms photos into paintings using various techniques. An ordinary photo can be turned into a work of art. ArtWork is available in plug-in and standalone versions for Windows and Mac. Version 5.0 introduces the Watercolor style. Photos can now be converted to an image in the beautiful, airy, and light style of watercolor paintings.
Version 5.0 of ArtWork introduces the Watercolor style, which allows you to convert any image in a watercolor painting. Watercolor is one of the most difficult painting techniques. It is very difficult to achieve a realistic simulation of a watercolor painting, but ArtWork does this well! It helps you to create beautiful, airy, light watercolor paintings that look just like the real thing, as if created by the artist's hand. Also new to Version 5.0 are the Post Processing Tools (Smudge and Blur), which are available under the Business and Deluxe licenses. These tools help to improve the results made in the Oil and Watercolor styles.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Adobe Special Coupon — Save $50 On Orders Of $500 Or More — Use Coupon Code FEB2150 At Checkout
February 20, 2011
On Monday February 21st Adobe has a new offer going live - Save US$50 on orders of $500 or more with offer code FEB2150. This offer is valid on all products, books, training, and fonts sold via the Adobe.com store February 21, 2011 - February 28, 2011. Coupon code FEB2150 must be entered at check-out.
Terms and Conditions:
Receive up to a maximum of US$50 off on your order of US$500 or more directly through Adobe.com from 12:01am Pacific Time on February 21, 2011, through 11:59pm Pacific Time on February 28, 2011. In order to redeem the US$50 savings, you must enter FEB2150 code upon checkout. This offer is available only to customers with shipping addresses in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico purchasing through the Adobe Store. This offer and current prices are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. The discount is not valid for Adobe Volume Licensing, OEM bundle, or education purchases. Prices listed in U.S. dollars. Allow two to three weeks for software delivery. Applicable local sales taxes and shipping charges may apply. This offer is void where prohibited.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
DSLR Camera Remote For iPhone And iPod Touch Updated To 1.4
February 20, 2011
DSLR Camera Remote for the iPhone and iPod touch allows you to remotely trigger the shutter, or fire a supported camera. This seemingly basic feature is very powerful because it now allows you to trigger the camera in a variety of scenarios that would have been difficult to near impossible before. READ MORE...
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
The Photoshop Blog - Earlier Posts
The Photoshop Blog offers the latest Photoshop news and software updates, Photoshop tips and tutorials, and random thoughts from graphic artist and Photoshop expert Jennifer Apple.
PHOTOSHOP NEWS — February 2011
38- Adobe Photoshop Documentation Files - Photoshop Help Files Online
37- How To Use The Free Find My iPhone (And iPod Touch And iPad) Feature
36- Free Textures From Bittbox — Denim
35- Auto FX Coupon Code S94525— 15% Instant Discount On Plugins Bundle
34- Deke's Techniques - Creating A Reflection In Shattered Glass
33- AKVIS ArtWork 5.0. Now Features A Watercolor Effect
32- Adobe Special Coupon — Save $50 On Orders Of $500 Or More
31- DSLR Camera Remote For iPhone And iPod Touch Updated To 1.4
30- Adobe Ideas New Features Video - Adobe Ideas 1.2
28- onOne Perfect Photo Suite $100 Off Special Ends Soon
27- Deke's Techniques - Blending Textures Onto A Face
26- Poser Debut - Beginner’s 3D Program Based On Poser Character Art & Animation
25- Focus Blending Techniques - Free Video Tutorial From Russell Brown
24- Free Textures - Broken Glass Images
23- onOne Announces onOne University Podcast - Free Photography Webinars In iTunes
22- Adobe Special Coupons February 14 - Save On Elements
21- Silver Efex Pro 2 Coupon
20- Free Lightroom Presets From OnOne Software - Over 140 Free Lightroom Presets
19- Free Set Of Skullcandy Earbuds With Purchase Of CS5 Student And Teacher Edition
18- 10 Dreamweaver Power Tips From Creativepro.com
17- Free Textures From Bittbox — Wrinkled Papers
16- Post Mentions Of Photoshop For Chance To Win A Wacom Tablet
15- Deke's Techniques - Control Smoothing With An Anti-edge Mask
14- Adobe Special Offers — Save US$25 On Orders Of $300 Or More
13- Fractalius Tutorial From Richard Gailey
12- Printing Resolution Tutorial From Ben Long
11- Get $100 Off onOne Perefct Photo Suite - Use Coupon PSS15
10- Exclusive Total Training Coupon Deals - Save 30% On Total Training DVDs
09- The Daily - National News Publication Built For The iPad - Free For First Two Weeks
08- HTML5 And CSS3 - Building For IOS Devices - iPad. iPod, iPhone - Free Videos
07- Free Premium Bittbox Font Contest - Comment To Win
06- Free Textures Collection - Grab Bag - Random Images
05- Adobe TV Community Translation Project - Episodes Available In 25 Languages
04- Harry's Filters 4 - Free Photoshop Plugins For Windows - 69 Free Image Effects
03- Deke's Techniques - Creating A Molten Letter Effect - Free Photoshop Video Tutorial
02- Portrait Professional 10 Special Coupon - $50 Off - Portrait Professional 10
01- PhotoshopSupport.com February 2011 Newsletter
See Earlier Posts From The Photoshop Blog - FEBRUARY 2011.
Exclusive 15% Discount On All Topaz Plugins - Use Coupon Code PHOTOSHOPSUPPORT - Includes Bundles And Upgrades
Enter our exclusive discount coupon code PHOTOSHOPSUPPORT during the checkout process at Topaz Labs for an instant 15% discount on any Topaz product, including bundle deals and upgrades.
Topaz Labs Photoshop plug-ins are specifically designed to expand a photographer's creative toolbox by harnessing powerful image technology developments.
Photographers everywhere are now taking advantage of the creative exposure effects, artistic simplification, unique edge manipulation, and top-of-the-line noise reduction offered in Topaz products. The Topaz Photoshop Bundle includes the following Topaz plugins:
Topaz Adjust optimizes image exposure, color, and detail strength for stunning image results.
Topaz DeNoise offers a complete noise reduction solution that removes far more noise and preserves far more detail than other solutions.
Topaz Detail gives full control over all aspects of detail manipulation and micro-contrast adjustment without creating any edge artifacts or halos.
Topaz Simplify provides creative simplification, art effects, and line accentuation for easy one-of-a-kind art.
Topaz Clean integrates unique smoothing capabilities with stylized detail manipulation to add refreshing flair to photos.
Topaz ReMask quickly creates detailed masks and extractions from even the most difficult images.
Topaz DeJPEG drastically improves the quality of web images and other compressed photos.
READ ABOUT THE TOPAZ BUNDLE OFFER.
Exclusive onOne Software 15% Instant Discount Coupon
Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - PSSPPT06 - during the checkout process at onOne Software for an instant 15% discount on any onOne product. This includes Genuine Fractals and their amazing Photoshop Plug-In Suite.
onOne Software's Plug-In Suite combines full versions of six essential software tools — Genuine Fractals Print Pro, PhotoTools Pro, PhotoFrame Pro, Mask Pro, PhotoTune and FocalPoint — an affordable combination that includes everything a photographer needs to make their images look their best.
Why do you need plugins? Photoshop is an amazing image editing application that has forever changed graphic design and digital photographic editing, but like any tool, if you don't have time to fully learn it, you can't get the most out of it.
Plugins for Photoshop allow you to either do something that you cannot do with the features included in Photoshop or they allow you to do something easier, faster or better than you could do in Photoshop without the plug-in. Whether it is color correction, resizing, masking or creating an effect, you can find a Photoshop plug-in that can help you be more efficient with your time.
Photoshop Masking Plugin Fluid Mask 3 - Price Drop And Exclusive $20 Instant Discount - Now Only $129
The 4 1/2 out of 5 star review of Fluid Mask 3 at MacWorld begins by saying that this "Photoshop plug-in takes the pain out of extracting backgrounds," and goes on to recommend the latest version, stating that "Fluid Mask 3.0.2 is a very effective tool for separating objects from their backgrounds. It offers a variety of useful features for tackling almost any difficult image, from wispy hair to complex foliage. Online video tutorials and live training sessions help ease the learning curve."
Our friends at Vertus, the makers of Fluid Mask 3 Photoshop Plugin, have set up a special exclusive discount for PhotoshopSupport.com. Buy now for only $129. Just follow this discount link and instantly get $20 off your purchase of Fluid Mask 3.
Fluid Mask 3 is designed for photographers, image editors, graphic designers and all those who take digital image editing seriously. In a streamlined interface and workflow, Fluid Mask 3 instantly shows key edges in the image and provides comprehensive easy to use tools that work with difficult-to-see edges and tricky areas like trees & lattices. Fluid Mask will also preserve all-important edge information for a professional quality cut out. Simply follow this discount link and pay only $129 for Fluid Mask 3.
Special Deals On Nik Software Photoshop Plugins - Viveza, Complete Collection - 15% DISCOUNT COUPONS
Follow the links below and the 15% discount will be AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED to any purchase you make, or use our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for the instant 15% discount. This exclusive discount coupon code can be applied to all the latest Nik Software Photoshop plugins, including Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza, HDR Efex Pro, and The Complete Collection (big savings).
Nik Software The Complete Collection (Plugins Bundle)
The Complete Collection includes all of Nik Software's latest award-winning plug-in software titles for Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture including: Dfine, Viveza, HDR Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and Sharpener Pro.
The Complete Collection features products with Nik Software's patented U Point® technology, giving photographers the most powerful tools for precise and natural photographic enhancements and corrections without the need for complicated selections or layer masks.
The Complete Collection is offered in two editions: (1) the Complete Collection Ultimate Edition includes support for every plug-in to work in Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture, and offers Color Efex Pro 3.0 to work in Capture NX 2 as well. (2) the Complete Collection for Lightroom and Aperture includes support for each plug-in to only work in Lightroom and Aperture. Click here to compare both editions
Color Efex Pro 3.0
52 photographic filters with over 250 effects for professional quality images.
Completely Original. Completely Indispensable.
Nik Software Color Efex Pro 3.0 filters are the leading photographic filters for digital photography. The award-winning Color Efex Pro 3.0 filters are widely used by many of today's professional photographers around the world to save time and get professional level results. Whether you choose the Complete Edition, Select Edition, or Standard Edition, you’ll get traditional and stylizing filters that offer virtually endless possibilities to enhance and transform images quickly and easily.
Patented U Point technology provides the ultimate control to selectively apply enhancements without the need for any complicated masks, layers or selections. Control color, light and tonality in your images and create unique enhancements with professional results. With 52 filters and over 250 effects found in Color Efex Pro 3.0, you can perform high quality retouching, color correction, and endless creative enhancements to your photographs. Download a free Trial version.
Viveza
The most powerful tool to selectively control color and light in photographic images without the need for complicated selections or layer masks.
Two of the most important factors in creating great photography are color and light. Mastering the art of selectively correcting or enhancing each of these is now possible for every photographer without the need for complicated masks or selections, or expert-level knowledge of Photoshop. Integrating award-winning U Point technology, Viveza is the most powerful and precise tool available to control light and color in photographic images.
U Point powered Color Control Points, placed directly on colors or objects in an image (such as sky, skin, grass, etc.), reveal easy-to-use controls that photographers can use to quickly adjust brightness, contrast or color in a fraction of the time needed by other tools. With Viveza you’ll spend more time shooting photographs and save hours of image editing. Download a free Trial version.
Silver Efex Pro
Complete power and control to create professional quality black and white images in one convenient tool.
Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software is the most powerful tool for creating professional quality black and white images from your photographs. For the first time, all the advanced power and control required for professional results have been brought together in one convenient tool.
Featuring Nik Software’s patented U Point technology to selectively control the tonality and contrast of the image, Silver Efex Pro includes advanced imaging algorithms to protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of emulated black and white film types, a variable toning selector for adding traditional toning techniques, over 20 one-click preset styles, and a state-of-the-art grain reproduction engine that help produce the highest quality black and white images possible from your color images while providing more freedom to experiment. Download a free Trial version to use Silver Efex Pro.
HDR Efex Pro
Experience the power, control, and creative expression of HDR. This all in one toolkit lets you achieve your best HDR images ever, ranging from the realistic to artistic.
HDR Efex Pro is the essential new standard for creating amazingly high quality realistic to artistic HDR images with a revolutionary new all-in-one workflow. HDR Efex Pro includes a vast selection of one-click visual presets for incredibly fast results, advanced tone mapping algorithms, powerful and detailed HDR controls, and patented U Point® technology
Follow our discount coupon links, or enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for the instant 15% discount. This exclusive discount coupon code can be applied to all the latest Nik Software Photoshop plugins, including Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza, HDR Efex Pro, and The Complete Collection (big savings).
