Photoshop 5 & 5.5 Artistry (VOICES)

Just like the earlier book, this full-color guide to Photoshop caters to professionals who work with digital photographs and graphics, especially those with significant experience in both traditional photography and in using Photoshop. After an opening section on basics like tools, palettes, actions, and layers, the book discusses more advanced topics in digital imaging, such as applying the Zone System to Photoshop, mastering calibration, color spaces, scanning, resolutions, and histograms. Hands-on tutorials show how to use selections, layers, and masks for color correction, retouching, and compositing images. And there are more step-by-step examples of working with calculations, patterns, filters, and layer effects.

The new chapters show the differences between JPEG, GIF, and PNG compression formats and how to optimize images within Photoshop 5.5's 4-Up dialog box. There are hands-on sessions for creating GIF animations, sliced GIFs, and rollovers using ImageReady 2. And these chapters cover new tools that go beyond just Web production, like the magic eraser and the new type dialog box.

Throughout, the book features text-heavy explanations accompanied by plenty of illustrations and screen shots. It's the sort of image-laden book you can learn from just by reading the captions (for example, using linear and nonlinear history). An extensive index makes it ideal for troubleshooting. The sample photographs included on the CD-ROM are of excellent quality and are highly applicable to professional jobs. --Angelynn Grant

Topics covered: Intermediate and advanced instruction on using Photoshop 5.5 and ImageReady 2 for creating and manipulating digital images. In particular, lessons on creating a master digital image with effective use of color spaces, device characterization, color management, calibration of monitor and output devices, scanning, resolution and histograms; color correcting, retouching, and compositing using selections and layers; creating special effects using blend modes, calculations, filters, and layers effects; optimizing image formats for the Web, creating GIF animations, sliced GIFs, and rollovers. CD-ROM includes sample images in different stages used in overviews and tutorials and demo versions of applications.

Product Description
Photoshop 5.5 Artistry is for serious photographers who gravitate to using digital technology and the Web as their processing and distribution tools of choice. New Riders is here with the updated version of Photoshop 5 Artistry, including material that covers all of Photoshop 5.5's new critical features. This book is an in-depth course on digital imaging for intermediate and advanced users who want to create the best possible photographic images. Over fifty small sections show you a focused approach to doing specific tasks. As you work through chapters and step-by-step, hands-on excercises, you will gain in-depth understanding of the complex topics, such as calibration and ICC color management, and master the relationship between Photoshop tools.

The book is thorough and deep, it contains a lot of information, and don't skip this book just because it concerns version 5.5 while photoshop v7 is out, the book is still valid in everything except the graphics of photoshops various dialogs and interfaces. The theory and methods of working are valid for any program.

Highly recommended.


The best   November 3, 2001
This is an excellent book. If you have PS 6, get the updated version of the book (I have a much more comprehensive review of that book). In short, this book is well written, easy to read, and yet thoroughly covers the subject. There are two camps of PS users: artists and photographers. This book is for the photographers. Half the book is background and theory and here's how to do the things you do with photos. The other half is very comprehensive walkthroughs of how to do real work to photos. All of the examples are supplied on the CD, so you can start with the originals, and compare your result with his. This is my bible for PS. It's not a step by step book, though, so is better for Intermediate to Advanced users.


A great book for digital phototgraphers   July 1, 2001
There are plenty of books that 'teach' Photoshop but this one successfully teaches from the point of view of the photographer wishing to manipulate images digitally. Covers retouching, color correction and more. Doesn't just teach the tools, but also how to apply them effectively.

The book is somewhat advanced, providing depth beyond what you might expect from a general Photoshop text.


Speed up production and develop your eye   January 28, 2001
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

This book includes information the other greats forget...like how to create actions. The beauty and eye appeal this book has is not just skin deep, but the wealth of information you are given is well worth the price of the book. In fact, for all the time spent using this book as a personal teaching tool for Photoshop 5.5, money is saved in production time from the lessons learned and time and dollars spent going away to seminars or classes is eliminated.

Do yourself a favor and buy this book. You'll be grateful you did, and so will your boss and your customers!


So much knowledge!   December 13, 2000
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I will keep to this review short and to the point. This book contains a staggering amount of information. An unbelieveable wealth of information on Photoshop. I became 100 times better, and 100 times faster at using photoshop after having read this book.

The amount of time one must spend working their way through this book is also quite staggering. It's quite a commitment of time. But worth it.