Lightspeed Tips: Image Processor

This is a little feature that I sometimes forget about, but it is such a gem. It’s called the Image Processor and it is located under the File menu under Scripts. This handy little tool is a huge time saver when it comes to re-saving files. For instance, let’s say you have shot a couple hundred photos and they are all JPEG’s, and you need them to all be TIFF’s. Well you could create an action and that will work fine, but the Image processor is designed for this very thing. Simply open the window and follow each numbered step. You even have the option of running an action such as an effect or a correction in addition to this function. Simply adjust the settings and click Run. Then go to lunch! Your colleagues will marvel at your efficiency and new opportunities will presents themselves immediately. Well, maybe not immediately, but it’s still a huge time saver!!

December 11th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (4)

Photoshop Book of the Week

I know a lot of you have been seriously anticipating this book for some time. It’s the all new Photoshop CS4 Book for Digital Photographers by the man who wrote the book on writing Photoshop books–Scott Kelby. Whether you are new to Photoshop or a seasoned veteran, this is the book for you. Everything you need to get Photoshop CS4 under your control in a hurry. No technical mumbo jumbo here. Just straight forward explanations with real word examples. Also available, for a limited time, you can order a special spiral bound version only at KelbyTraining.com.

December 8th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (1)

Retro Text

Corey goes back a few decades in style and explains how to create this groovy text design. Continue Reading »

December 5th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Text, Tutorials | Comments (32)

Photoshop User Awards | Elf Disco

It’s Friday…Hooray!!! Just a couple things really quick. First, there is still time to enter the Photoshop User Awards for a chance to win a trip to Barcelona, Spain. How cool is that? Bet you didn’t think your skills could take you places. You have until December 31, 2008 to enter your work. Yes I know the holidays are coming and things get crazy but don’t let the chance for this kind of exposure pass you by. You never know where it might take you. Click here for more info and good luck!!

Speaking of the holidays, I got this link from RC the other day. It’s a cool little animation of Scott, RC, Dave, Matt, and myself doing some elf holiday disco dancing. Sound crazy? Just watch it and you will see what I mean. Here’s the link.

December 5th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (5)

Lightspeed Tips: Saving Spaces

Last week I did posted a little something about the new Configurator for Adobe. This cool little app lets you create your own custom panels right inside Photoshop. Well along with that is something else I like to use in Photoshop and that is something called work spaces. While the Configurator just creates custom panels, works spaces allow you to arrange those panels in a way that is more conducive to the way you work. Once these workspaces are arranged you can save them to use over and over. Workspaces aren’t new. In fact they have been around for a while. It just seems nobody remembers they are there. Photoshop comes with a few preset workspaces to get you started. There are spaces for video, web, automation among others designed for specific tasks but you will learn as you go what you need and don’t need. Once you have arranged your workspace to your liking, simply go under the Window menu to Workspace and then choose Save Workspace. Give it a name and there you have it.

December 1st, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (2)

New Video Tutorial | New Course at Kelby Training

Be sure to check my newest video tutorial on creating cool stylized backgrounds. The cool thing about this technique is that it utilizes layer styles to make the finished effect completely adjustable. Even after it has been applied. This effect was inspired, not surprisingly, by a cool movie poster from the movie Hairspray. Check it out here.

Matt Kloskowski has a new online course over at the Kelby Training site called Mastering Layers in Photoshop CS4. This course is for anyone who wants to get a solid grip on what is perhaps Photoshop’s most important feature. Everything from creating and managing layers to adjustment layers and layer styles. If there is one feature in Photoshop you should master this is it. Find out more here.

November 24th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (1)

Stylized Background

This week, Corey is inspired by a Hollywood poster to figure out how to create a colorful background pattern. Continue Reading »

November 21st, 2008 | Corey Barker | Effects, Tutorials | Comments (19)

Freeway Special Offer| PS User Digital Back Issues

The makers of the popular web design software called Freeway are having a special Black Friday offer. From now until Dedember 7th. If you purchase full priced version of Freeway Pro or Freeway Express directly from their website you will receive a free iTunes gift card. Those who purchase pro versions will receive a $50 iTunes gift card and purchasers of the Express version will receive a $20 iTunes gift card. Here’s the link.

Also for you NAPP members. You can now purchase digital back issues of Photoshop User magazine over at the NAPP members site for $9.95 each. The cool part about it being a digital version is that it is instant. You can purchase and download them immediately. Again, this offer is only for NAPP member so if you are still not a NAPP member yet. Click here.

November 21st, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (0)

Configurator Is Go!

There has been some talk, even before Photoshop CS4 was released, about something called the Configurator. I have to say, as a long time Photoshop user, I am really excited about this one. Configurator is a new application from Adobe that allows you to basically create your own custom panels. With all the different industries that Photoshop is used for, users will find that there are some tools and panels that they never use. For instance, you may be a retoucher and have no need for the 3D tools so why have them there. Sure you can set up workspaces but the toolbar and panels never change. They show all the tools all the time. Configurator let’s you consolidate your commonly used tools and functions into one convenient panel. Just try it and you will see what I mean. It’s a free download over at Adobe Labs. Here’s the link. Also, RC did a short video on using the Confgurator over at the Layers magazine website. Check it out.

November 19th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (1)

Visual Selections

For those of us that have spent some time in Photoshop know how unhelpful the ‘marching ants’ selection preview is. It is hardly a good representation of the actual selected area. Now if you are selecting a definite area with hard edges, then what you see is what you get. But what if it isn’t? What if you wanted to create and edit a selection visually. Meaning what if you you could see everything the selection covers. Even the soft edges and transparent areas. This is where Quick Mask comes in. Quick Mask is a temporary color representation of your selection. Simply press the ‘Q’ key when using a selection tool. You can use paint brushes and gradients to create selections visually where the colored area can represent either the selected or unselected areas. These type of selections would be impossible with just regular selection tools. The mask itself is, by default, a reddish-orange color. However, by double clicking the Quick Mask icon at the bottom of the toolbar you can modify the mask color and opacity. When done modifying the mask, simply press the ‘Q’ key once more to return to the standard marching ants. Even though the marching ants have a definite edge, the softness of the selection is still maintained.

November 17th, 2008 | Corey Barker | Blog | Comments (4)