Inside Photoshop 7

An exhaustive array of material is covered here: customizing preferences (including dealing with Scratch Disks and sufficient RAM), learning expert selection skills (including loading selections to the alpha channel), working with layers (including the powerful clipping groups), using channels and paths (with more on alpha channels), and learning the "healing tools" (like the clone stamp, healing brush, and the patch tool). Inside Photoshop 7 does an exemplary job of explaining the realities behind sticky issues like color management and input/output resolution. The task-specific sections cover, among other topics, color correction and retouching ("...for Photographers"), drawing and painting tools ("...for the Artist"), using ImageReady for rollovers and animations ("...for the Web"), and a lot more. There's even a chapter with "recipes" for various effects and tricks like compositing a man with two heads. Despite the small color gallery, the illustrations are all black and white. Not to worry: all the project files are included on the companion CD-ROM, along with clip art, stock photography, demo and freeware/shareware applications and plug-ins, and more.

The authors presume "practically nothing" on the part of the readers. Among other pursuits, the Boutons write textbooks for children, which isn't surprising given the slow and enthusiastically cheerful (sometimes silly) style here. For many people, though, a friendly, painstakingly thorough, handholding approach is the only way they can learn new software. The book seems especially well suited to nonprofessionals who need or want to learn Photoshop. The fact that, unlike most Photoshop books, the screen shots are all from the Windows environment makes it even more accessible. Also, the images used as examples in the book have a homey, cartoon quality about them (alien creatures, the author dressed as a wizard) that may also appeal to newbies. --Angelynn Grant

Product Description

Inside Photoshop 7 is as much a work of art as the art it teaches. Like never before, it's accessible and simple to shorten your learning curve and conquer the features you need most. The new organization in this edition focuses on a hub system--a solid core of reference material and hands-on examples organized by areas of interest. Lead author Gary Bouton called on industry leaders to help flesh out every area of Photoshop interest from art to the web. Inside Photoshop 7 is your one-stop reference for understanding the concepts you need. Dozens of mini-tutorials and real-world assignments will make reading and learning from this book as much fun as the authors had creating it.

• Explore new Photoshop 7 features, such as the Patch tool, the totally customizable brushes, and the Photoshop scripting language.
• Check out the Type tool functions and get a comprehensive lesson or tow on the art of typography-this book even covers typographical special effects for the web, such as text wrapping and using the Styles palette.
• Refresh your knowledge of color profiling and calibration with examples from experts in the filed of printing and proofing.
• Retouch and restore photos you thought couldn't be saved
• Get in touch with your otherworldly side and create out-of-this-world art in the Photoshop for Artists section.

All I know about PS is from FREE video tutorials you may find on the net and some written ones. Save the money and get some Pizza.


Best I've seen   September 3, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Granted I'm just starting to get my feet wet but this is the best book I've come across so far. The Classroom in a book series is good to start out with but to get really in depth, this is where to go. Unlike the Bible series, it gives you excercises and shows you what the tools are supposed to accomplish. I've talked to old pros of photoshop and they swear by it and as a rookie, I swear by it. I just wish a book like this existed for the other programs I'm working on. Can you tell I like it?