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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.
Genuine Fractals 6 Review - Photoshop And Lightroom Plugin Resizes Images - Creates Professional Blowups - 15% Discount Coupon
March 22, 2010
Genuine Fractals 6 Professional Edition for Adobe Photoshop is an easy-install, easy-use plugin which most photography and printing professionals consider to be the industry standard for image resizing.
Thanks to its ability to increase images to more than 10 times their original size while maintaining all of the finesse and fine detail of the original, photographers, designers and printers alike are being blown away. And they're working with less stress!
Use this plugin alongside Lightroom and Apple Aperture, and with Adobe Photoshop (download a free trial). (My earlier Genuine Fractals review from March 2006 has been saved for archival purposes and can be found here.)
As with other onOne plugins, the clean, simple, intuitive, and easy to use interface makes working with Genuine Fractals a real pleasure. Tutorials abound. After installing you'll be given a quick tour video which will help you get started right away, and when you launch the plugin you'll have the option of watching more video tutorials. Spend less than an hour following the main Genuine Fractals tutorials and you’ll learn everything you need to know to ensure you end up with stunning, professional looking output.
I use it to blow up my good iPhone images. Sometimes that’s all you’ve got to shoot with, and knowing that post-processing includes the ability to enlarge with a professional level of resolution and detail is comforting and leads to taking more photos. The way I see it, Genuine Fractals gives you the ability to digitally increase your camera’s megapixel count. Yes, it’s that good. So you can feel free to shoot and rest assured that a lower megapixel camera, like phone cameras, can take picture that will have enough info for Genuine Fractals to do it’s amazing magic and render them at a higher res that will be suitable for printing purposes.
Use it to create large format prints, or to convert low-res images into magazine quality visuals, and use presets to control your textures. Now you can make pro-quality images in any size or resolution you choose.
And you can store them in much smaller spaces: Genuine Fractals 6 can compress your images without losing any of the detail. Open your files in the size you choose rather than storing several versions of the same image. Think of it as resolution on demand!
Genuine Fractals plugin offers the new Gallery Wrap feature which prevents the loss of detail at the edges of your images by automatically extending their margins: so when you create gallery canvases you won’t lose any of your original image.
You can also print large format visuals on small format printers using the Tiling feature. This will divide your enlarged image into smaller segments – you just select the paper size and the overlap. Genuine Fractals will automatically resize the image to work with your printer’s specs.
Furthermore, Genuine Fractals offers 60-plus built-in document size presets that allow you to precisely crop and resize images from your digital camera files, in one smooth move.
The new improved version of onOne’s batch processing engine enables you to resize an entire folder of images to the same size. You can also make up to two new versions of each image. Work with size, resolution, formatting, color space and watermarks.
Genuine Fractals 6 is available in two versions, Professional Edition and Standard Edition. Both of them come with the same award-winning, patented image resizing algorithm that Genuine Fractals is famous for. Pro lets you work in Lightroom and APerture as well.
This is a great Photoshop add-on to have and will render top quality blowups with ease and speed. Genuine Fractals is a great plugin to have in your toolbox!
“Interpolation - the process of adding pixels to an image - should be handled with care. Using Photoshop's Image Size dialog... sometimes works, but quality can suffer. We got better results with Genuine Fractals.” — American Photo Magazine
“How well does Genuine Fractals work? I took a few photos, upsampled them using Genuine Fractals, and submitted them to two stock photography houses that don't accept upsampled images. (They've even rejected more than a dozen of my images that they suspected were upsampled.) My original images were 3002x2000 pixels and I scaled them up to 6004x4000 before submitting them. The stock photography houses evaluated the photos and accepted all of them.” — Dave Huss, Photoshop User Magazine
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 the Photoshop Plug-In Suite.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
CS5 Upgrade Advice - Upgrade From CS, CS2, And CS3 To CS4 Now, Before CS5 Is Announced Or Launched
March 19, 2010
Here's some advice about upgrading from previous versions of the Adobe Creative Suite before CS5 is announced or launched, from John Nack, in a post called, "If you're still on CS1 and want to upgrade, now's a good time..."
"If you own a product from the first generation of the Creative Suite (e.g. Photoshop CS, released in 2003) and want to be able to upgrade it to a more recent version, now's a good time to pull the trigger. I'm not hinting about the possible timing of future releases. I am noting, however, that Adobe introduced a "three versions back" policy a couple of years ago. That means that you can upgrade from CS, CS2, or CS3 to the current version (CS4). When the current version goes up by one (ed. note: to CS5), so will the cutoff for upgrades. Therefore if you're holding onto a copy of CS and may want to upgrade it at some point, well, you shouldn't wait too long."
(Download a free Photoshop CS4 trial, see Adobe CS4 special deals, save 80% on student editions of CS4.)
Buy Directly From Adobe's Online Store
Find upgrade options and Creative Suite deals at the Adobe USA Store. See pricing in UK currency at the Adobe United Kingdom Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the latest offers. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store. Download a 30 day trial.
Photoshop CS5 Tutorials & CS5 Resources
See our Photoshop CS5 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS5 Tutorials, and the upcoming Free Photoshop CS5 Trial Download (check for availability).
Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Resources
See our Photoshop CS4 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Free Photoshop CS4 Training.
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium combines Adobe InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Acrobat 9 Pro with additional tools and services. Download a free 30 day trial.
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Photoshop Video Tutorial - Working With The Sharpen Filters
March 19, 2010
Photoshop doesn’t sharpen focus, it sharpens detail using any of three remarkable filters: Unsharp Mask, Smart Sharpen, and High Pass. Apply them as smart filters, and you’re ready for any output scenario. Click to see video in a new window.
Buy Directly From Adobe's Online Store
Find upgrade options and Creative Suite deals at the Adobe USA Store. See pricing in UK currency at the Adobe United Kingdom Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the latest offers. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
Photoshop CS5 Tutorials & CS5 Resources
See our Photoshop CS5 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS5 Tutorials, and the upcoming Free Photoshop CS5 Trial Download (check for availability).
Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Resources
See our Photoshop CS4 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS4 Tutorials, the Free Photoshop CS4 Trial Download and Free Photoshop CS4 Training.
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium combines Adobe InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Acrobat 9 Pro with additional tools and services. Download a free 30 day trial.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures From BittBox - Subtle Grunge Textures
March 16, 2010
Download some free subtle grunge textures from BittBox —
"This week I have a nice subtle grunge texture pack for you guys. I’ve played around with this idea before on Lost and Taken and Designm.ag, if you like these and would like to download more. Let me know if you make anything cool from them. Enjoy!"
Buy Directly From Adobe's Online Store
Find upgrade options and Creative Suite deals at the Adobe USA Store. See pricing in UK currency at the Adobe United Kingdom Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the latest offers. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store.
Photoshop CS5 Tutorials & CS5 Resources
See our Photoshop CS5 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS5 Tutorials, and the upcoming Free Photoshop CS5 Trial Download (check for availability).
Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Resources
See our Photoshop CS4 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS4 Tutorials, the Free Photoshop CS4 Trial Download and Free Photoshop CS4 Training.
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium combines Adobe InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Acrobat 9 Pro with additional tools and services. Download a free 30 day trial.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Topaz Adjust Plugin Tip From Rick Sammon - Work Selectively
March 14, 2010
Here's a tip for working with Topaz Adjust Photoshop plugin from Rick Sammon's blog:
Topaz Adjust is a totally cool plug-in that can help you awaken the artist within. Topaz Adjust's Spicify effect can add detail, color and contrast to landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes - turning a straight shot into a more artistic shot. However, those effects are not always flattering when it comes to people photography. Here's a little trick to get the best of both worlds - using Photoshop.
1) Go to Filter > Convert to Smart Filters.
2) Go to Topaz Adjust (bottom of the Filter menu after you download it) and apply the desired effect - don't worry about how the subject looks.
3) After you apply the effect, you'll see what looks like a layer mask in the Layers panel.
4) Next, click on the layers mask. With black selected as your foreground color, choose a soft brush and paint out the effect over the person. That is what I did here. Notice the difference in the background.
Another option (for Elements users):
1) Duplicate the layer.
2) Apply the Topaz effect to the top layer.
3) Using the erase tool (soft brush), erase the area over the person.
Topaz Adjust 20% Discount And Plugins Bundle Discount Ends Soon
The Topaz Special Discount Coupon Code - newadjust - ends on March 15, 2010. Here's the deal: Use coupon code newadjust and save $10 and purchase Adjust 4 for only $39.99. This same coupon code will also work to save 20% on the Topaz Plugin Bundle, or Plugin Bundle upgrades. Also note that by entering our exclusive discount coupon code PHOTOSHOPSUPPORT during the checkout process at Topaz Labs you'll receive an instant 15% discount on any Topaz product, including bundles and upgrades.
Topaz Labs has announced a major upgrade of the Topaz Adjust Photoshop plug-in, which features new presets, a completely redesigned user interface, and upgraded image processing algorithms. With these improvements, Adjust 4 offers a new way for photographers to improve their photos quickly. Topaz Adjust 4 is a free upgrade for existing customers and retails for $49.99. It is compatible with Windows and Intel-based Macs.
Buy Directly From Adobe's Online Store
Find upgrade options and Creative Suite deals at the Adobe USA Store. See pricing in UK currency at the Adobe United Kingdom Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the latest offers. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store. Download a 30 day trial.
Photoshop CS5 Tutorials & CS5 Resources
See our Photoshop CS5 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS5 Tutorials, and the upcoming Free Photoshop CS5 Trial Download (check for availability).
Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Resources
See our Photoshop CS4 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Free Photoshop CS4 Training.
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium combines Adobe InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Acrobat 9 Pro with additional tools and services. Download a free 30 day trial.
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Topaz Adjust 20% Discount And Photoshop Plugins Bundle Discount Ends Soon
March 12, 2010
The Topaz Special Discount Coupon Code - newadjust - ends on Monday. Here's the deal:
Use coupon code newadjust and save $10 and purchase Adjust 4 for only $39.99. This same coupon code will also work to save 20% on the Topaz Plugin Bundle, or Plugin Bundle upgrades. This coupon will expire on March 15, 2010. Also note that by entering our exclusive discount coupon code PHOTOSHOPSUPPORT during the checkout process at Topaz Labs you'll receive an instant 15% discount on any Topaz product, including bundles and upgrades.
Topaz Labs has announced a major upgrade of the Topaz Adjust Photoshop plug-in, which features new presets, a completely redesigned user interface, and upgraded image processing algorithms. With these improvements, Adjust 4 offers a new way for photographers to improve their photos quickly. Topaz Adjust 4 is a free upgrade for existing customers and retails for $49.99. It is compatible with Windows and Intel-based Macs.
The Topaz Photoshop Plugins Bundle is a super powerful Photoshop plugins package that includes the following Topaz products:
Topaz Adjust
Deliver stunning and dynamic images with this uniquely powerful plug-in that features HDR-like abilities and enhances exposure, color and detail.
Topaz Detail
A three-level detail adjustment plug-in that specializes in micro-contrast enhancements and sharpening with no artifacts.
Topaz ReMask
The fastest and most effective masking and extraction program with one-click mask refining.
Topaz DeNoise
Highest-quality noise reduction plug-in that removes the most noise and color noise while preserving the most image detail.
Topaz Simplify
Provides creative simplification, art effects, and line accentuation for easy one-of-a-kind art.
Topaz Clean
Take control of the detail depth of your images with extensive smoothing, texture control and edge enhancement tools.
Topaz DeJPEG
Drastically improves the quality of web images and other compressed photos.
Buy Directly From Adobe's Online Store
Find upgrade options and Creative Suite deals at the Adobe USA Store. See pricing in UK currency at the Adobe United Kingdom Store. Visit the Adobe Special Offers Page to find the latest offers. Get up to 80% off at the Adobe Education Store. Download a 30 day trial.
Photoshop CS5 Tutorials & CS5 Resources
See our Photoshop CS5 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS5 Tutorials, and the upcoming Free Photoshop CS5 Trial Download (check for availability).
Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Resources
See our Photoshop CS4 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Free Photoshop CS4 Training.
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium combines Adobe InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Acrobat 9 Pro with additional tools and services. Download a free 30 day trial.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Photoshop Preferences, Color Settings, And Shortcuts - Video Tutorial
March 09, 2010
Here's a free video tutorial from lynda.com — Setting Up Shop - Preferences, Color Settings, And Shortcuts — from the series Photoshop CS4 One-on-One: Fundamentals. Deke McClelland examines the essential capabilities of the application, from correcting color to retouching portraits. He also covers navigation, resolution, cropping, selecting, printing, and making web graphics. This course goes beyond basic tips and tricks, and provides the in-depth information and real-world context needed by serious students who want to master the software.
Exercise files accompany the course.
Watch the free video tutorial — Setting Up Shop - Preferences, Color Settings, And Shortcuts.
lynda.com Online Training Library Subscriptions Start At $25 A Month
Subscriptions to the lynda.com Online Training Library start at just $25 a month, and 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 other free clips.
For less than a dollar a day, members have the opportunity to stay current and keep skills sharp, learn innovative and productive techniques, and gain confidence and marketability - all at their own pace. Premium subscriptions include instructors’ exercise files so that members can follow along with the exact examples onscreen. Customers learn at their own pace and may stop, rewind, and replay segments as often as necessary. Learn more at lynda.com.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
onOne Software Announces Availability of Free Versions of Photoshop Plug-ins PhotoTools 2.5 and PhotoFrame 4.5
March 12, 2010
onOne today announced the immediate availability of two fully-functional Photoshop plug-ins: PhotoTools 2.5 Free and the new PhotoFrame 4.5 Free. The free plug-ins for Photoshop are based on the award winning versions of PhotoTools 2.5 Standard Edition and PhotoFrame 4.5 Standard Edition and are compatible with Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4. (See special Photoshop deals, download the free Photoshop trial.)
PhotoTools 2.5 Free Edition - Based on the same feature set as PhotoTools 2.5 Standard Edition, PhotoTools 2.5 Free includes 15 of the most popular effects found in PhotoTools 2.5 Standard Edition. PhotoTools offers powerful action based effects that can improve images dramatically, making it easy to find, experiment, combine, apply and fine tune effects in an easy to use interface. The 15 effects available in PhotoTools 2.5 Free range from reproducing classic photographic effects like Bleach Bypass and Cross Process, to reproducing film stock such as Kodachrome and Velvia, to modern effects including automatic skin smoothing.
PhotoFrame 4.5 Free Edition - Based on the same feature set as PhotoFrame 4.5 Standard Edition, PhotoFrame 4.5 Free makes it easy to add the perfect finishing touch to images, with 20 professional grade edges, backgrounds, textures and adornments. PhotoFrame 4.5 Free offers an extremely easy way to browse, preview and add effects like frames, backgrounds and adornments to images, with the ability to stack multiple elements and control opacity, size and color.
Presets for Lightroom 2 and Adobe Camera Raw - Users get over 140 time saving Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw presets designed by Photoshop Guru Jack Davis that help quickly correct color and tone and easily add creative effects.
onOne Exchange - The onOne Exchange is a free online resource that offers regularly updated content for PhotoTools and PhotoFrame and encourages users to upload their own actions and content. There are over 65 presets from onOne Software and customers to date.
onOne University - Features over 100 free video tutorials to help customers quickly learn and get the most out of onOne Software products. New video tutorials covering a wide range of subjects are currently in the works.
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.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Gavin Phillips Releases "Eclectic" Photoshop Actions Set
March 12, 2010
I’m talking with Gavin Phillips, owner of Photographers Photoshop.
What’s good for digital artsists in your latest 'Eclectic' set of Photoshop ‘actions’?
Photographers and artists will see how we are pushing the creative limits of Photoshop further. (See special Photoshop deals, download a free Photoshop trial.) This gives them a greater variety of stylish and sophisticated imagery by simply clicking a button.
What is different about this set of ‘actions’?
Artists receive a far larger variety of different effects. Modern ‘looks’ like ‘Metallic Brushed’ & ‘Graphic Sketch’, as well grainy tones like ‘Faded Photo’ and ‘Earth’.
But there are thousands of free ‘actions’ on the Internet
By the time you have downloaded, installed and filtered out the 98% of junk, the so-called ‘freebies’ just cost you a bundle in wasted time and frustration. Look at the quality you get with our ‘actions’ that are professionally developed by graphic designers and photographers. We also give you some short movie tutorials that give you more creative ideas about how to use certain ‘actions’.
How do your ‘actions’ compare to plugins like Nik or Alien Skin?
Look at what you can create with this set of ‘actions’ for under $100, and compare that to plugins
that often cost hundreds of dollars. You will see the enormous value you get.
What is the difference between what you can do in Lightrom with a preset, versus what you can do with a Photoshop ‘action’?
Lightroom is great and we also offer several sets of Lightroom presets. These are different programs that have different strengths. You have many more creative ways to go with Photoshop. By using a combination of filters, layer blending modes and masks you can create photo ‘looks’ that are not possible in Lightroom.
Is there special pricing?
We have an up to 60% sale on that ends soon. See the website for more details.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures From BittBox - Scraped Grunge Textures
March 10, 2010
Download some free scraped grunge textures from BittBox —
"The other day I was wandering around some back allies in my town and came across all of these cool poles that had been painted and scraped and repainted over and over again. I thought it gave these grunge textures a very cool feel, almost like an abstract acrylic painting or something. Enjoy!"
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
SiteGrinder 3 Plug-in For Adobe Photoshop Adds eCommerce And Content Management To New Platform
March 10, 2010
Media Lab today announced SiteGrinder 3, its next generation web site development platform. In addition to over 300 new features, Media Lab SiteGrinder 3 supports two new optional add-ons, Commerce and Control. The SiteGrinder 3 Commerce add-on builds web stores with a fully-integrated shopping cart from within Photoshop.
SiteGrinder 3 pre-release upgrade for SiteGrinder 2 Pro users just $99, a $300 savings. SiteGrinder 2 Pro purchases since January 1, 2010 and new purchases prior to release will receive a free upgrade to SiteGrinder 3, a $399 savings.
Commerce add-on or Control add-ons just $149, a $50 savings. SiteGrinder 3 Bundles (includes SG3, Commerce* OR Control) just $399, a $200 savings. SiteGrinder Web Suite (includes SG3, Commerce* AND Control) just $499, a $300 savings. Suggested retail price for SiteGrinder 3 Web Suite is $799. SiteGrinder 3 is $399.00, Control add-on $199.00 and Commerce* add-on $199 if purchased separately. For more information please visit the SiteGrinder 3 Store.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Making Selections - The Quick Selection Tool - Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 09, 2010
Here's a free video tutorial from lynda.com — Making Selections - The Quick Selection Tool — from the series Photoshop CS4 One-on-One: Fundamentals. Deke McClelland examines the essential capabilities of the application, from correcting color to retouching portraits. He also covers navigation, resolution, cropping, selecting, printing, and making web graphics. This course goes beyond basic tips and tricks, and provides the in-depth information and real-world context needed by serious students who want to master the software.
Exercise files accompany the course.
Watch the free video tutorial — Making Selections - The Quick Selection Tool.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Straightening An Image With The Ruler Tool - Photoshop Video Tutorial
March 09, 2010
Here's a free video tutorial from lynda.com — Cropping And Straightening - Straightening An Image With The Ruler Tool — from the series Photoshop CS4 One-on-One: Fundamentals. Deke McClelland examines the essential capabilities of the application, from correcting color to retouching portraits. He also covers navigation, resolution, cropping, selecting, printing, and making web graphics. This course goes beyond basic tips and tricks, and provides the in-depth information and real-world context needed by serious students who want to master the software.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Text Editing Tricks And Shortcuts - Free Video Tutorial
March 05, 2010
Here's a free video tutorial from lynda.com —Creating And Editing Type - Text Editing Tricks And Shortcuts— from the series Photoshop CS4 One-on-One: Advanced. This comprehensive series follows internationally renowned Photoshop guru Deke McClelland as he dives into the workings of Photoshop.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Creating And Editing Type - Creating Type On A Path - Video Tutorial
March 05, 2010
Here's a free video tutorial from lynda.com — Creating And Editing Type - Creating Type On A Path — from the series Photoshop CS4 One-on-One: Advanced. This comprehensive series follows internationally renowned Photoshop guru Deke McClelland as he dives into the workings of Photoshop.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Flipping Text Across A Circle - Free Video Tutorial
March 05, 2010
Here's a free video tutorial from lynda.com — Creating And Editing Type - Flipping Text Across A Circle — from the series Photoshop CS4 One-on-One: Advanced. This comprehensive series follows internationally renowned Photoshop guru Deke McClelland as he dives into the workings of Photoshop.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Free Textures From BittBox - Rust Textures
March 03, 2010
Download some nice free rust textures from BittBox —
"I wandered around town today for a few hours and shot over 600 new textures and some of my favorites from the batch are the rusty ones. Rust textures work really well when you want to add a good chunk of grunge to your designs or photos. I tried to include a nice variety in today’s post... I hope you get some use out of them. Enjoy!"
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
PSD Photoshop Magazine - March Issue Available - Free Download
March 04, 2010
The latest issue of PSD Photoshop Magazine is now online. From the intro: Since the frist issue of PSD Photoshop received very possitive feedback from all of you we have
decided to give it a shot and go with a monthly
magazine. This way you will get a chance to
learn all Photoshop techniques each month!
Now, a few words on what we have prepared for
you in March.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Adobe Euro Stores Special 10% Discount Coupon - adobe10 -Save 10% At Adobe UK, France, Sweden And Germany Stores
March 03, 2010
Adobe is offering a 10% off coupon code: adobe10 that can be used on all products in Europe from now until March 17th.
Adobe UK Store
Save 10% with this coupon code on all products in the Adobe commercial store by using coupon code adobe10
Adobe France Store
Du 1er au 17 mars, Adobe offre 10% de réductionsur tous les produits (hors éducation) grâce au code adobe10
Adobe Germany Store
Jetzt 10% Rabatt auf alle Adobe Produkte! Angebot endet am 17.03.2010 - Gutscheincode: adobe10
Adobe Sweden Store
Mar 1st to Mar 17th - Save 10% with coupon code only on all products - commercial stores. Code: adobe10
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium combines Adobe InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Acrobat 9 Pro with additional tools and services. Download a free 30 day trial.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
HDR (High Dynamic Range) Must Know Info - A Condensed Chapter From Rick Sammon's HDR Secrets For Digital Photographers
March 02, 2010
Here is some “must know” HDR (High Dynamic Range) info. It’s a condensed and modified version of a chapter from Rick Sammon’s HDR Photography Secrets (May 2010). This is just a starting point for HDR photography – but hey, you gotta start somewhere.
It’s the seeing and knowing the contrast range of a scene that helps determine how many exposures you need to capture the full dynamic range of the scene. That’s covered next. Read the full tutorial...
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Rick Sammon’s 24/7 Photo Buffet - iPhone/iTouch App For Content-Hungry Photographers - With True Search Feature
March 02, 2010
Rick Sammon’s 24/7 Photo Buffet iPhone application (more like an eBook or iBook) offers photographic advice, tips and techniques collected during his 30-plus years of professional experience. The app, which features a true search feature, is packed with how-to information and is super easy-to-navigate.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
PhotographyBB - Free PDF Magazine - 25th Edition Online
March 02, 2010
PhotographyBB announced today, the release of the 25th edition of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine. This edition marks the two year anniversary milestone for PhotographyBB, who continue to educate beginner and intermediate level photographers in digital photography. PhotographyBB Online Magazine has become a leading resource in the future of free information distribution, offering readers: Digital Photography tips and techniques, DSLR camera function training, and image post processing tutorials in Adobe® Photoshop, and RAW processing in Photoshop Lightroom.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
OnOne Mask Pro 4.1 Review - Photoshop Cutout Plugin Considered One Of The Best - 15% Discount
March 01, 2010
Mask Pro 4.1 has been recommended by Advanced Photoshop magazine as the best Photoshop plug-in for removing unwanted backgrounds. It’s sharp and it’s swift. Cut out subjects by choosing colors and painting away their backgrounds. Or clip around the most difficult of features — like hair, glass and smoke — while retaining transparency and preserving the fine detail that matters.
(Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - PSSPPT06 - during the checkout process at onOne Software for an instant 15% discount on onOne Mask Pro.) READ FULL REVIEW...
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Wacom Cintiq 21UX Interactive Pen Display Announced - 21-Inch Pen Display - Graphics Monitor With Digital Pen
March 01, 2010
Today, Wacom introduces the much anticipated Cintiq 21UX, its newly-redesigned interactive pen display delivering state-of-the-art pen performance and innovative ergonomics in a color-accurate LCD display.
Designed specifically to meet the demanding needs of professional photographers, designers, artists and animators, the new Cintiq 21UX offers unparalleled creative control, comfort and productivity. The new Cintiq 21UX (DTK-2100) is priced at $1,999 USD and will begin shipping in late March or early April. (See the full the line of Wacom tablets at Amazon.com (offered at the best price). Also see Wacom tablet pens, tablet accessories, and the most popular tablets.) Read full story...
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Topaz Adjust 4 Photoshop Plugin — Creative Exposure, Detail Enhancement, And Color Control Create Stunning HDR Effects - Plus Instant 20% Discount Coupon
March 01, 2010
Topaz Labs has announced a major upgrade of the Topaz Adjust Photoshop plug-in, which features new presets, a completely redesigned user interface, and upgraded image processing algorithms. With these improvements, Adjust 4 offers a new way for photographers to improve their photos quickly. Topaz Adjust 4 is a free upgrade for existing customers and retails for $49.99. It is compatible with Windows and Intel-based Macs.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Topaz Photoshop Plugins Bundle - 20% Discount - Seven Essential Photoshop Plug-Ins At Super Savings
March 01, 2010
Use coupon code newadjust and save 20% on the Topaz Plugins Bundle, or Plugins Bundle upgrades. This coupon will expire on March 15, 2010.
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
lynda.com Free iPhone App Offers Free Video Tutorials As Well
February 26, 2010
You’ve always been able to access the lynda.com Online Training Library anytime, anywhere. Now you can access your learning on the go with the new, free lynda.com iPhone app, featuring high and low video quality for optimal streaming no matter what your connection. lynda.com members have access to their accounts just as you do on your computer. Just log in and start learning! Once logged in, you’ll see the most the most recent video you watched, whether you watched it on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or on your computer’s web browser. Just pick up where you last left off.
Get $75 Off An Annual Premium lynda.com Subscription
Here's how you can get $75 off a Premium Subscription to lynda.com and $50 off an Annual Subscription. Follow this link, then choose one of the signup buttons, and fill out the first signup page.
On the second signup page, choose which subscription you want and under Credit Card Information, click on the area that says Promo Code - click to enter. For the $250 Annual Subscription, enter promo code NABET and your total will change from $250 to $200. For the $375 Premium Subscription enter Promo Code NABET and your total will change from $375 to $300. Happy learning!
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Photoshop CS5 Features - Photoshop CS5 Painting Sneak Peek Video From Photoshop PM Zorana Gee
February 25, 2010
Here's another sneak peek video from Adobe: Have an image you’d like to turn into a painting using natural brushes and strokes? Or how about the urge to create digital paintings from scratch? Come inside our labs with Zorana Gee, Photoshop product manager, for an exclusive look at what we’ve been working on. Plus, see some extra surprises you asked for just last week! What will you paint? (See all sneak peeks on our Photoshop CS5 page.) SEE VIDEO HERE...
posted by Jennifer Apple | permalink | RSS feed | bookmark | comment | twitter
Possible Photoshop CS5 Features - Photoshop CS5 Sneak Peek Video From Photoshop PM Bryan O'Neil
February 25, 2010
More teasing from Adobe about possible features of Photoshop CS5 (see our teaser collection page), this time it's from John Nack's blog:
"Last summer the Photoshop team asked for your help in identifying candidates for "JDI" ("Just Do It") work, aiming to pick off little irritants & to polish the little things that matter. You replied with tons of great ideas & comments, and I'm pleased to say the team has been working away. Here you can see Photoshop PM Bryan O'Neil Hughes show off a few of the the tweaks that you'll likely see in "a future version*" of Photoshop: * I know this kind of caveat & hand-waving always seem a little contrived ("C'mon, dude, we all know what version you're talking about"), but nothing is done until it's shipping, and there really is a chance that details can change. Very occasionally we have to pull out an improvement if we find that it introduced other problems, taking additional time to get the details right. I'm just saying, you never know.) SEE VIDEO HERE...
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 2010
51- lynda.com Free iPhone App Offers Free Video Tutorials As Well
50- Possible Photoshop CS5 Features - Photoshop CS5 Sneak Peek Video
49- Photoshop CS5 Features - Photoshop CS5 Painting Sneak Peek Video
48- Free Textures - Grunge Cracks
47- Instant $75 Discount Coupon Code For An Annual Premium lynda.com Subscription
46- Spotlight On Leanne Staples - Inspiring Black and White Photography
45- Using Colors And Textures And Layers In Photoshop - Photoshop Tutorial
44- XritePhoto.com - Color Resource Center And Online Community
43- Working With Photoshop's Liquify, Screen Functions, And Gradient Maps
42- OnOne PhotoFrame 4.5 Review
41- PSD Photoshop Magazine - Free Online PDFs Filled With Tutorials
40- Adobe Store Special Deals - February
39- Photoshop Video Tutorial - Working With The Levels Command
38- Plug-In Suite 5.0.1 Software Update Now Available
37- Happy Birthday Photoshop! Here Are Some Birthday Cookies!
36- Free Textures - Grunge Bricks
35- Digimarc Announces Advanced New Technology in its Digimarc Solutions
34- Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 Review From Photoshop Daily
33- Candy Hearts - Transparent PNGs For Photoshop Use
32- Topaz Adjust Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
31- Topaz Clean Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
30- Topaz DeJPEG Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
29- Topaz DeNoise Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
28- Topaz Detail Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
27- Topaz ReMask Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
26- Topaz Simplify Photoshop Plugin - 15% OFF
25- Get Our Exclusive 24 Hour Free Trial Pass To lynda.com
24- PhotographyBB Announces Release Of Watercolor Pro Actions
23- Canon EOS Rebel T2i SLR Features 18MP Sensor, Full 30fps HD Video
22- Avenza Releases Geographic Imager 3.0 for Adobe Photoshop
21- AKVIS Coloriage 7 Photoshop Plugin: Breath Life Into Old Memories With Color
20- Apple Aperture 3 - Faces, Places, Brushes
19- Free Textures From Bittbox - Grunge Mats
18- Nuit Blanche - A Complete 3 Minute Film
17- Controlling Contrast And Detail With Curves And Levels - Photoshop Tutorial
16- Photoshop CS5 Sneak Peek - Selection Tools In CS5
15- How To Create The Lomo Effect Using Photoshop - Lomo Vignette
14- Reveal Image Details With Shadow/Highlight Adjustments In Photoshop
13- Topaz Releases Detail 2 Photoshop Plugin - Free Upgrade
12- Free Textures - Grunge Frames
11- Unified Color Technologies Launches Mac Version Of Its HDR Photostudio
10- A Look Back At 20 Years Of Adobe Photoshop With John Knoll
09- Artbeats Offers $8,000 Worth Of Free HD Stock Footage Available For Download
08- Photoshop Video Tutorial - Opacity Mode and Blend Modes
07- Photoshop CS5 Sneak Peek - PatchMatch - Image Editing Tool - Video Preview
06- Adobe UK Store Special Offers And Deals
05- Photoshop Video Tutorial - Camera Raw
04- PhotoshopSupport.com February 2010 Newsletter
03- Get $75 Off A Premium lynda.com Subscription And $50 Off An Annual
02- Free Valentine's Day Card Brushes - Lots Of Free Valentine's Brushes
01- Wacom Intuos 4 Wireless Pen Tablet - Bluetooth Pen Tablet
See Earlier Posts From The Photoshop Blog - February 2010.
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.
Nik Software 15% Instant Discount - Exclusive 15% Coupon
Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for an instant 15% discount on any Nik Software product. This exclusive discount coupon code can be applied to all the latest Nik Software Photoshop plugins, including Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine.
Color Efex Pro 3.0
52 photographic filters with over 250 effects for professional quality images.
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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.
Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for an 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, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine.
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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.
Did You Know You Could Create An Entire Website In Photoshop?
SiteGrinder Photoshop Plugin - Create Websites Instantly
There often seems to be a strict division of labor within the world of web design and development. Creative professionals tend to stick to the Photoshop domain, while those well-versed in scripting are left to the task of implementing their work. Indeed, the two realms are quite different from each other, to which any of us even vaguely familiar with either can easily attest.
Essentially, Photoshop is a no-holds-barred design studio, offering the artist a seemingly endless array of creative options. On the other hand, HTML, CSS, Java and the like follow strict rules of engagement, requiring the developer to take any number of esoteric concerns into consideration in order to ensure that designs are properly displayed on the web.
Turn Photoshop Into A Complete Web Design Tool
SiteGrinder seeks to bridge this gap between design and development. Basically, this program turns Photoshop into an easy-to-use and fully functional web design tool. With SiteGrinder, designers will now have the freedom to totally let their creativity loose and then, without skipping a beat, transfer their designs to the web. Bringing esthetic concerns together with more practical considerations, this program is an amazingly powerful tool that would make a fantastic addition to any web designer's bag of tricks.
Generate Your Web Pages Directly From Photoshop
By generating web pages directly from Photoshop, you'll be able to spend much more time on the creative end of the spectrum, since you'll know right off the bat how well particular designs will translate to the web. No more going back to the Photoshop drawing board after getting a phone call from your development team, telling you that what you had envisioned doesn't have a chance of being displayed on the web. You can immediately visually and interactively test your designs, which permits you to then make changes to either esthetics or functions while it's still relatively early on in the design process.
Pricing and Availability
Mac OS X and Windows versions of the SiteGrinder unlockable demo are available now via download. SiteGrinder can be ordered from Media Lab's online store.
