GDT 141&142: Photoshop

Lesson Notes

Lesson 7: Pen tool

Draws paths-vectors (illustrator) mathematical equations to describe lines and shapes
Paths don’t print-contain no pixel information

Drawing paths with the pen tool

Pen tool, magnetic pen tool, freeform pen-draw paths
Add anchor point, delete anchor point, direct selection, convert anchor point-modify paths
Pen tool-most precise paths

Drawing straight paths

Straight paths created by clicking the mouse
1st click-start point; each following click sets new point, draws straight line between points
As you draw, temporary storage area for path-work path, need to save to preserve path (double click path in palette) If you don’t save and click off of the path, it’s lost.
To end path, click pen tool in toolbox or CTRL-click away from the path

Moving and adjusting paths

Points at ends are called anchor points
Use direct selection tool (arrow) to select and adjust anchor points, path segments and entire path
To adjust individual anchor points: click path to select, click and drag an anchor point (selected anchor points are filled in)
To select entire path: ALT-click

Creating closed paths

Closed path- continuous, i.e. circle
Muliple point path, hover over start point, cursor changes, click
Distinct paths on one path are called subpaths

Painting paths

adding pixels that will appear in the image
fill or stroke (paint color along a path)
1st, select path
Paths palette menu>stroke subpath OR select a drawing tool, select options, and click stroke button at bottom of palette OR drag path to button
Path is stroked with current settings of selected tool
To fill path: path palette menu>fill subpath OR click fill button at bottom of palette OR drag path to button
To hide path, click gray area in palette

Drawing curved paths

Made by clicking and dragging
1st click and drag sets start point and direction of curve, next click+drag, curve is drawn between points
direction lines + direction points-used to edit curve shapes and directions (basically define tangents and radiiof the curves)

Creating separate paths

once a path is saved, continuing to draw lines creates new subpaths in same path. To create new path, click in blank area in palette, paths disappear, start drawing, new path appears.
OR
Click new button at bottom of palette.

Combining straight and curved lines

Use corner points for transitions between straight and curved lines
After starting path, clicking 2nd point, ALT-click the point to set as corner point

Adding and subtracting anchor points

Add-anchor-point tool to add, delete-anchor-point tool to delete OR pen tool, when hovering over anchor points of selected path, cursor becomes delete-anchor-point tool, when hovering over selected path line, becomes add-anchor-point tool

Converting direction of anchor points

To convert curve point to a corner point, click with convert-direction point tool. To convert corner point to curve point, click and drag with convert-point tool
To adjust one side of a curve: click and drag direction point with convert-point tool
Convert direction tool: converts corner to curve, converts curve to corner, adjusts 1 side of curve

Converting selections to paths

With selection active, click make path button on paths palette
Converting paths to selection
Allows precise, smooth scalable selections
Select a path in palette, palette menu>make selection
If a selection is already active, choose how the new selection will work with the existing selection.

Back to top

Lesson 8: Advanced Layer Techniques

Adding guides to align layers

Turn on rulers, drag from ruler
View>Show rulers, Ctrl-R
Drag guide down to 2.5", right to 4" (snaps to center of image)
To reposition guide: move tool, cursor changes

Layer masks

Hide portions of artwork on layers-make transparent
Black-hides fully, white-shows fully, gray-shows partially

Using a selection with a layer mask

With a selection active: Layer>Add layer mask>Reveal selection OR click mask button on palette
Layer mask thumbnail appears, w/ link icon
Layer mask icon indicates mask is active, (click on thumbnail to activate)

Painting on a mask

Painting with white erases mask, reveals artwork; painting with black adds to mask, hides artwork, allowing lower layers to show through

Viewing layer masks

Alt-click mask thumbnail to display black and white
Shift-click to turn off

Unlinking layer masks

Click link btwn thumbnails to move mask independently of layer or to move layer independently of mask

Aligning images

Link layers together
Layer>align linked>vertical center
Layers>align linked>horizontal center
(aligns linked to active layer)

Creating a clipping group

Clipping group uses pixels on the base layer to form a mask for layers grouped with it
click layer that is not on the bottom of the palette
Layers>group with previous
Base layer is underlined, grouped layer is indented, dotted line btwn layers
Click layer 2
Alt-click line btwn layers 1 & 2

Adjustment layers

Temporary tonal and color adjustments
Only affects layers below it
Layer>new>adjustment layer OR ctrl-click new layer button
Can add adjustment layers to clipping group: alt-click line btween layers; will affect only layers underneath in clipping group

Adding multiple layer effects

To copy effects: right-click on effects icon in layer palette, choose copy effects OR Layer>effects>copy effects
To paste effects: right-click on effects icon on layer palette, choose paste effects OR Layer>effects>paste effects. Also paste effects to linked

Removing layer masks

Masks increase file size, so remove when finished editing
Layer>remove layer mask
Apply
Discard to delete w/o applying

Back to top

Lesson 9: Creating Special Effects

Saving and loading a selection

Open start.psd
Make selection, save, reuse
Zoom in on pears upper left
Magnetic lasso, reset all tools
Click and drag along edge on pear (snaps)
About to close, cursor changes
Change options lasso width:2 frequency: 40 shift-drag to add stem
Select>save selection alpha 1
Deselect
Select left pear w/ mag lasso tool
Sav selection as alpha 2
Deselect
Select>load selection alpha 1

Hand coloring selections on a layer

Desaturate-remove color (grayscale)
Image>adjust>desaturate
Deselect
Save
New layer named paint, blending mode: color
Color allows change of hue, maintaining lights and darks (values)
Loaad alpha 1 (notice paint transparency is added as a saved selection)
Paintbrush opacity: 50% brush: large feathered yellow-green color
Paint entire pear
Darker green, paint edges opacity: 30%
Rose, paint highlight opacity: 20%
Deselect, save

Adding a gradient

Select>load selection alpha 2
Forground color: red FF0000 bgcolor: yellow FFFF00
Radial gradient: foreground to background; opacity: 40%
Drag from highlight toward stem
Deselect
Merge visible
Save

Combining and moving selections

Select both pears
Load alpha 1
Load alpha 2 add to selection
Move selection w/ rectangular marquee tool

Colorizing a selection

Colorized-one hue of color
Image>adjust>Hue/saturation-allows adjustment of hue, saturation, lightness of master, R, G, B
Preview checked? Check colorize
Upper bar shows colors before adjustment, bottom, after
Experiment, hue: 83 sat: 28
Hide selection border: view>hide edges; show selection border: view>show edges
Deselect, save

Using a grid

For precise, even positioning; snaps within 8 screen pixels
View>show grid, Ctrl-‘
Preferences
Grid color: green, 2”, 1 subdivision
Zoom in, drag in navigator to top right
Rectangular marquee, drag, snaps to grid
Set marquee options to fixed size, 200x200
Hide grid

Changing color balance w/ masked adjustment layer

New adjustment layer-color balance
Experiment, 13, -14, -38
Thumbnail, mask from selection
Save

Applying filters

Background layer
Marquee, nudge to bottom left
Filter>brush strokes>cross hatch
Adjust settings to liking, watch in preview
Deselect
Fade filter, choose opacity and blending mode: 50%, multiply
Middle square with marquee
Filter>distort>zigzag
Amount: 4 ridges: 9 pond ripples
Lower right, drag selection
Default colors
Filter>distort>diffuse glow
Graininess: 6 glow: 6 clear: 15
Adds noise with bg color
Save done

Filters can be very demanding-RAM intensive. Make sure photoshop is only thing running, purge RAM, restart if necessary. If it still won’t apply a filter, apply to one channel at a time. Results may be slightly different. To speed work process, try testing filters on low-res versions of an image, or to small portions of image before applying to whole image.

Back to top

Lesson 10 Illustrator Graphics in Photoshop

Combining artwork

Combine continuous tone with line art

Bitmap vs. vector graphics

Photoshop: bitmap/raster: grid of pixels,edit groups of pixels, can represent subtle tonal gradations, lose definition when scaled up
Illustrator, freehand: vector graphics: shapes described by mathematical expressions, clear smooth lines that retain crispness when scaled

Project overview

Combine illustrator logo (.ai) w/ photoshop image, save so it can be brought back into illustrator

Placing an illustrator file

Place or paste from illustrator
Photoshop rasterizes the vectors
Place-allows scaling
Paste-immediately rasterizes at 100%
Open start.psd
File>place logo.ai
Shift-scale, rotate, enter to apply transformations

Distorting the graphic to match the photo

Make logo appear that it wraps around front and top of box
Logo.ai layer-polygon lasso tool, click box top corners to select
Layer>new>layer via cut Layer 1 appears
Layer 1: edit>transform>skew
Drag handles to simulate perspective, enter to commit

Using blending modes

Make logo appear more integrated
Lighten top 1/2: layer 1 opacity: 60%, normal lightens top, blends with highlights
Darken bottom: logo.ai: opacity: 70%, multiply
SAVE

About clipping paths and transparency

When exporting .psd’s to illustrator, etc, entire image is opaque.
Clipping paths create transparency by isolating areas in image and designating rest as transparent
to create clipping path: paths palette, or export transparent image wizard

Exporting image

theoretically destined for illustrator file with colored bg, so knock out background white
1st: select area to be transparent
background: polygon lasso tool, selection around box, invert
help>export transparent image
click 2nd option (have selected)
print
save as defaults (EPS)
options: TIFF 8-bit preview: if EPS w/ TIFF preview is used in illustrator, transprency won’t show up on screen, but will print properly on postscript printer
finish
2 files: start.psd (flattened by wizard? Steps undone in history), export wizard-1.eps
close start, don’t save
convert mode to CMYK
save
now can place into illustrator, or jump to illustrator
notice path (clipping path)
can draw w/ pen tool, convert to clipping path in paths menu

Back to top

Lesson 11 Preparing images for 2 color printing

Printing in color

CMYK requires 4 plates, runs through press
2 colors, cheaper
photoshop converts to grayscale + produces separations
this is only for images that will be taken to the printer or otherwise printed on film-not for web or desktop printers

Using channels + the channels palette

open start.psd
color channels store color info
alpha channels store selections or masks
spot color channels store color info for non-process colors

Mixing color channels

adjust how color channels blend together, can increase the strength of one channel
drag channel palette by itself
r, g, b, rgb, click channels, grayscale matches intensity or amount of that particular light
notice: green channel has best contrast for face, blue best for framing
click rgb channel

Mixing the woman’s image

mix woman and rest of image separately to maximize contrast in grayscale
background: select>load selection: woman
image>adjust>channel mixer
mix green and blue channels to improve contrast green-base channel, best contrast
output channel: green; source channel: green: 100%, rest 0%
check monochrome-shows selection in grayscale (uncheck-notice that all source channels are now green 100%)
blend in some blue to increase contrast blue: 10% OK

Mixing framework image

invert selection
image>adjust>channel mixer
source: green; monochrome; blue: 27%
deselect
better contrast and detail
still rgb, even though only grays.
Grayscale mode, don’t flatten: 1 channel (black)
Save

Assigning values to black and white points

Use levels eyedropper to assign specific values to dark and light
Image>adjust>levels dble-click white eyedropper tool, opens color picker
Cmyk: 0,0,0,5 best for print white points for grayscale image printed on white paper
Dble-click black eyedropper 0,0,0,95
Defined lightest and darkest output values
Click w/ black eyedropper behind elbow to define darkest point
White eyedropper rool, click whitest area in collar
OK
Compare before and after histograms
Save

Sharpening the image

Unsharp mask amount: 57% radius: 1 Threshold: 0
Face in preview window

Setting up for spot color

Spot colors; mixed inks used when color can’t be reproduced in CMYK (out of gamut), or to add color to grayscale. Each spot color requires own plate, separartion, channel
Channels palette menu>new spot channel
Color: custom: pantone coated 124 (type fast)
Solidity: 100% on-screen preview of ink opacity-no bearing on output
Save

Adding spot color

Apply spot color to grayscale, so part prints in color rathe than just gray
Spot color is printed over the gray, so need to remove area from gray channel where spot channel is, vice versa ( it’ll show through otherwise)
Use spot color to add solid or screened black of color ( screened-lighter color with 1/2tone screen)

Removing grayscale + adding spot color

Change framing to spot color by:
Channels: black: select>load selection: woman, invert
Cut, paste to pantone channel
Deselect, save
Notice framing isn’t on layer, just channel

Removing spot color from grayscale area

Show hammers layer
Spot color overlaps layer
Make selection, delete from channel
Show guides
Marquee top, delete,deselect
Save

Adding solid + screened areas of spot color

Upper right corner selection
Alt backspace to fill w/ black (fills with orange on screen)
Selection below hammer
Color palette: slider to 20%, fill
Color is screened to 20%
Hide guides, save

Adding spot color to text

Add text directly to channel, can’t edit or move after deselected
Color palette: 100%
Type: 66pt color: black, “work” OK
Appears in image, move, deselect, position finalized
Save done
Channels show how films + plates will look
If you print, it’ll print on two sheets, one for each channel, as if printing to film.

Back to top

Lesson 12 Color Management

Color space/gamut - range of output colors (displayed/printed)
Devices use color management system to translate from one color space to another w/ color mapping 3 components:

Device independent color space-LAB color-big enough to describe all visible colors
ICC profile-International Color Consortium: describes how a device or standard reproduces color-embedded in file// describes color space
Color management engines-converts one ICC profile to another by remapping colors, similar to how levels works.

Steps for color management:

  1. calibrate monitor
  2. choose RGB settings
  3. CMYK settings
  4. grayscale settings
  5. profile setup to deal w/ ICC profiles

Calibrate monitor

To accurately display colors: define RGB space of your particular monitor using Adobe Gamma
Allow monitor 30 minutes to warm up.
Set desktop BG to 50% gray (#999999)
Control Panel>Adobe Gamma
Default ICC profile
Contrast to max on hardware controls (knob or buttons on monitor)
Brightness (hardware) so that gray squares are dark as possible, white stays white.
Phosphors-choose type
Adjust gamma all 3, center squares should blend as closely as possible with lines around them when you squint your eyes
Windows default gamma 2.2
Hardware: white point defined by manufacturer
Measure: determine neutral white square
Adjusted: same
Save

RGB Setup

File>color settings>RGB setup
Select one: Adobe RGB - good general purpose; sRGB - web

CMYK Setup and Grayscale Setup are determined by the printer that you intend to take your project to. Consult your printer to get values for all the fields.

Back to top

Chapter 13 Producing + Printing Consistent Color

Reproducing colors

Monitors use RGB light
Printed colors are CMYK ink (process colors)
Produce different spectrums of color (gamut)
RGB uses light, includes neon
CMYK can produce pastels + black
Every device displays or prints different gamut
Color space is defined by gamut of colors produced by device
Choose RGB + CMYK profiles to use, Photoshop embeds in files and uses to manage display and printing

Defining RGB color space

Photoshop allows different working color space than display color space: monitors display only part of RGB spectrum, a larger space preserves full range of colors
File>color settings>RGB setup
Shows ICC profile for monitor (assuming you have calibrated + selected one)
Check display using monitor compensation: adjusts image to display more accurately on the monitor; if working for web, leave unchecked. ( this determines whether or not photoshop will remap the colors to your display)
RGB: choose different profile, notice settings values change
Choose space based on final output of image:
For print: Adobe-closest match to CMYK space
For web: sRGB

Defining CMYK color space

Photoshop uses CMYK profile to map colors when switching from RGB to CMYK
File>color settings>CMYK setup
If you know specific values (from printer) enter them
Otherwise:
Click ICC to use ICC profile-use default for now-when working, change based on output device
Choose printer profile
Use built-in engine to interpret ICC profiles
Intent: generally perceptual (maintains color relationships)
Black point compensation: converts darkest neutral color of source space to darkest neutral of destination space, not black, which may be darker than darkest color, forcing extra colors to be darker than they should be

Compensating for dot gain in grayscale images

Dot gain: tendency of ink to spread (dots get larger)-depends on printer, ink, and paper used
If grayscale images are for display only on screen, don’t need to compensate
File>color settings>grayscale setup
RGB for on-screen, Black ink for print

Preparing images for print

1st make any color corrections, editing in RGB mode (smaller file size, quicker: 3 channels rather than 4)
4 color images use films and printing plates, one for each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)
each color is broken down into dots w/ 1/2tone screen-size of dots determines how much ink is deposited

Preparing a color separation

Separating an RGB image

After calibrating monitor and defining working spaces, change mode
Open 13start.psd
Image>duplicate name CMYK.psd
Image>mode>CMYK
Now 4 channels
Notice colors shifted-different gamuts for RGB, CMYK
To preview CMYK colors while in RGB mode, View>preview>CMYK, repeat to turn off preview
To see out of gamut colors, View>Gamut Warning: all colors that will not be reproduced accurately in CMYK will turn to gray (default color can be changed in preferences>gamut)

Strategies for successful printing

Working in RGB mode: set CMYK settings, convert to CMYK. Photoshop applies CMYK setup settings, alters pixels. RGB-faster than CMYK, all options and tools available
Working in CMYK: choose CMYK working space, convert to CMYK from RGB, then edit. Changing CMYK options after image is in CMYK only affects screen display of image, it doesn’t affect pixel information. Good for adjusting screen preview from color proof.

Displaying individual channels

File>prefs>display & cursors>color channels in color
RGB channels show presence or absence of light (absence-black)
CMYK shows presence/absence of ink (white-absence)

Print options

Photoshop always prints centered on the page

File information

File>file info
Windows: add to .psd, .tif, .jpg; mac: add to all formats
Add caption, etc. To print caption: file>page setup check caption

Readying for printer

Halftone setup

Can’t see 1/2tone on screen
1 halftone screen per color/channel
screen frequency: density of dots in screen (lines/inch)
higher- finer images
magazines: 133+, newspapers: 85
screen angle: generally use different for each color to avoid moire click auto for 4 color to have photoshop choose angles, frequency
shape: normally diamond
normally, use the default screen of output device, lower-end printers, can’t tell difference

printing separations

file>print, space: separations

Back to top

Crash course in Web Graphics

2 parts: HTML/code and Images
HTML: tells browser what and how to display
Graphics: GIFs, JPGs, PNGs (8-bit, 24-bit)

Compression methods

GIF: up to 8-bit indexed color (256 colors), lossless, allows transparency, good for flat color w/ sharp edges (hard edged graphics, text)
JPG: 24-bit (millions of colors), no transparency, good for continuous tone (photos)
PNG : indexed color 8-bit or 24-bit, allows transparency, not supported by older browsers/ sometimes requires plugin, 8-bit almost same as GIF, 24-bit lossless, but very large file size

File size: smaller—better; consider download time (60K per page)
Web safe colors-216 colors that will theoretically display similarly and accuarately across all browsers and platforms w/o dithering
Dithering: browser places pixels of different colors next to each other to simulate a color that isn’t able to be displayed exactly (8-bit monitors)

Back to top

Lesson 14: Optimizing Web Graphics

Optimizing a JPEG

(continuous tone)

Open Lesson 14>Start1.psd
Save for Web (plug-in image ready)
4-up (show them the tabs at top)
Zoom to 200% (bottom left, tool)
Active version-dark border
Hand tool in active version
Drag so green parrot/”tropical rainforest” shows
Settings>GIF 128 dithered: notice pixelated appearance, large file size: 74K
Bottom left-JPG low: notice breakup around text, blurriness, file size 16.99K
JPG high: looks better, file size large: 52K
JPG medium: quality is OK, file size 27K
Slider>bump quality to 45: file size 35K
Notice relationship between file size and image quality
Lower right-PNG 8: notice dithering, large file size, like GIF
Click JPEG, check progressive, OK save
Close w/o saving

Optimizing a GIF

Open start2.psd
Notice flat colors-ideal for GIF
Save for web
2-up
GIF 128 no dither
(bit depth-double colors for every bit)
Perceptual
Palette sampling-
Perceptual: gives priority to common colors in image + colors that the eye is sensitive to
Selective: similar to perceptual, but favors broad areas of color + preserves web safe colors
Adaptive: selects based only on most common colors in image
Web: websafe
Custom: preserves current selection technique, allows editing of color table
Mac OS or Windows: system palette

Look at color table>shows 128 colors in perceptual palette. White diamonds-websafe colors
Sort by hue
Change to web: notice change in palette/image
Try all options, notice changes

Reducing color palette

Decreasing # colors, increases file compression
Perceptual,no dither, 128 colors
View>200%, center tropical rainforest
Note file size 33K
Change colors to 32
Note file size, animals disappear-colors shifted
Change back to 128

Locking colors

Eyedropper-pick up dk blue in animals, click lock, same for dk brown
Back down to 32
Notice different color shifting problems
Back to 128
Lock blue colors, any bg but green

Controlling dither

Areas are pixelated or spotty, pixelated to simulate colors that aren’t in palette
2 types of dither-
application dither-done by photoshop or image ready, control amount
browser dither-dither on non-web safe colors on an 8-bit system, controlled by using websafe colors in broad areas especially

controlling application dither

dither slider: optimal compression: lowest setting that maintains desired detail
Perceptual 32, diffusion dither: 100%
Notice dots-OK in shadows and border, not in green bg
Drag slider to 50, try other %’s, nothing makes shadows look good while maintaining solid green
Back to 128
Lock green bg
Back to 32, 100% dither

Previewing and minimizing browser dither

Non-websafe colors dither in 8-bit systems
Preview dither (top right arrow)
To protect from dither, snap to web safe colors when choosing colors in color picker, OR…
Eyedropper, pick up brown color, snap to web (cube) diamond appears, locked
Save

Transparency

GIFS + PNGs
Create transparent bg
Dble click background layer>layer 0
Rectangular selection, Invert-to protect lettering (unnecessary)
Magic eraser (not contiguous) erase white
Deselect
Save for web
Check transparency
Matte-allows partially transparent pixels to anti-alias to selected color-choose white
Preview in browser, quit browser
Save

Alternate method for gif

Image>Mode>indexed color
Show color table
File>export>gif89a

Image Ready Droplets

…

Back to top

Lesson 16: Image Ready Slices

Laying out the page with slices

Each element should be a slice
Image Ready will write the code, adding links and rollovers

Slicing an image

Open 16start.psd in image ready
Show slicing layout layer
Slicing tool (knife) draw box around logo
Notice three slices-based on HTML tables, must fit evenly-auto slices rest of image, user slices bright blue tabs, auto slices, gray
Slice selection tool to move, resize slices
Slice remaining areas

Creating precise slices

Slices from selections
About world zoo layer
Double click magic wand tool-60 tolerance
Click yellow border of button
Slices>create slice from selection
Repeat for other two buttons

Resizing slices

Slice selection tool-click banner slice
Window>show slice
Show options to expand palette
Precision x: 130 y: 0 h: 75

Naming and linking slices

Name:
URL:
Don’t name auto slices
Save

No image slices

Can have bg color, html text

Placeholder slices

No image slices that are to be filled later with another image or other
Click navigation slice
Slice palette>type>no image
Select credits slice
Type>no image
Type some text, choose bg color

Optimizing individual slices

Optimize slices differently
Click slice, optimize settings in optimize palette
Save optimized
HTML file and images folder must be in same folder (directory)

Back to top