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Photoshop

Interface

Workspace Overview

Before we get started, let's reset all the Photoshop settings to return it to its default state. If Photoshop is open, please close it. Then perform the following steps:

1. Hold down the Alt+Ctrl+Shift (Cmd+Option+Shift) keys.
2. While holding those down, launch the Photoshop application.
3. You will receive a prompt message, "Delete the Photoshop Settings File?"
4. Click the Yes button.

When you first open Photoshop, the workspace consists of a set of default or standard menus, panels, and tools. Photoshop's menus appear at the top of your screen, the Applications bar is below the menus, the Tool Options bar below that, the panels are placed on the right side of your screen (but can be moved), and the tools are located in a toolbox on the left (which can also be moved).

Here is a miniature view of the workspace in Photoshop CS5 on a Mac. In Windows, the menus and application bar may be combined on one line or in reverse vertical order. (View a full-sized image of the workspace.)

Photoshop CS5 looks much the same as CS3 and CS4 but has quite a different look than earlier versions. Panels can be collapsed and can be made to appear full-sized again with one click. Other panels are contained in a "docked" layout. More on how to customize your workspace later.

(View a full-sized image of the Photoshop CS3 workspace.)

Note: The screen shots in the course were taken on a Macintosh computer using Photoshop CS5 Extended which includes 3D capabilities. We will be covering only the material applicable to the regular version of Photoshop.

Workspace Presets

Customizing the layout of your workspace and the panels that you prefer to work with can be time-consuming so in CS4 Adobe introduced workspace presets for greater efficiency. A preset can be displayed with one or two clicks. The default preset is called Essentials. It's intended for general work requirements and contains the most commonly used panels.

There are presets designed for more specialized work called Design, Painting, Photography, 3D, and Motion. You can modify these presets and save them, reset a preset that you've customized, or even create your own custom presets. The Essentials, Design, and Painting presets are always visible on the Application bar. To access the other presets, click on the button at the top right to display the menu.

The CS4 presets are Essentials, Basic, Advanced 3D, Analysis, Automation, Color and Tone, Painting, Proofing, Typography, Video, and Web. To access a menu displaying some of these options, click on the downward-facing black arrow.

The Menus

In this section we will summarize the functions of each menu. Many of the menu options are covered in depth later on.

File

The File menu contains options to create new images, load existing images, save images, acquire images from scanners, print images, automate functions, set colour settings and exit the program.

Edit

The Edit menu contains options to copy, cut, and paste entire images or parts of images, fill areas of an image, create strokes or outlines around image elements, transform or modify images and set preferences.

Image

The Image menu contains options to modify colour depth or mode, manipulate or adjust colour and other image properties, modify image size, canvas size and orientation, examine colour information and extract areas of an image from backgrounds.

Layer

This menu contains options to modify and manipulate layers. (Layers are covered in depth later.) To summarize, a Photoshop image can contain a number of separate levels, or layers, that contain image information.

Select

The Select menu contains options to create, modify and manipulate Photoshop's selections. Selections are areas of an image that you choose to isolate from the rest of the image. For example, you might want to isolate a person's eyes to change the colour without affecting the rest of the image.

Filter

Filters, or special effects, are contained in this menu. Applying a filter to an image will modify the image based on the filter's predefined instructions. Examples of some filter effects: blurring, sharpening, distorting, and applying brush strokes or textures to an image.

Analysis

This menu provides options for measuring, counting objects, and placing markers in your image document.

3D (Photoshop Extended version only)

This menu contains tools for creating and manipulating 3D objects but won't be covered in this course.

View

The View menu contains options to change your view of an image; e.g., zooming in and out or displaying how the image might look when printed or viewed on another computer. This menu also houses the ability to show/hide rulers and guides, which will aid in editing your images.

Window

Window contains options to show/hide the Toolbox and panels, as well as options to organize images within Photoshop's workspace.

Help

Online help, information about plug-ins and information about the version of Photoshop you're using are located in this menu. Use Help Topics for reference or to find out how to accomplish objectives you might be having problems with.

Workspace Overview Summary

• Photoshop's workspace is comprised of three areas: menus, panels, and the toolbox.
• The panels and toolbox can be moved.
• You can choose from preset workspaces, edit them, or create your own.

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Photoshop - TOC - Introduction - Books -
Interface - Links - Questions -
[ 1 ] - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - A - B - C - D - E -

Photoshop - TOC - Introduction - Books -
Interface - Links - Questions -
[ 1 ] - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - A - B - C - D - E -