Tip of the Day | Page 41

Almost A Built-In Flattening Shortcut

I say “almost” because it works “almost” all the time. If you have a multilayered file and want to quickly flatten it, you can usually press Shift-Command-E (PC: Shift-Control-E). The only time it doesn’t work is when you have a hidden layer, because what you’re pressing is the new keyboard shortcut for Merge Visible. If all your layers are visible, it flattens them, but if even one layer is hidden, it won’t merge all the layers, only the visible ones. So you can use this “almost” all of the time.

February 27th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Layer Group Super-Speed Tip

Want a quicker way to create a Layer Group? Command-click (PC: Control-click) on all the layers you want to include in this new Group. Then press-and-hold the Shift key and click on the Create a New Group icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. This will create a brand new Group consisting of all of your linked layers.

February 26th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Want To “Drag Select” Layers? You Need To Turn This On

Although CS2 lets you “drag select” layers (and by that I mean you can drag out a selection around objects on layers in your document, and any layers your selection touches will become active in the Layers palette as if you linked them together), you have to know where to turn this feature on. First, press V to get the Move tool, then in the Options Bar turn on the checkbox for Auto Select Layer. Now, click-and-drag within your image and any layer that falls within your selection becomes active. Now you can move them as one unit.

February 25th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Inverting A Mask As You Move It

This isn’t a hard tip, but it’s the kind of thing that only advanced users would want to do. It’s the hidden shortcut for inverting a layer mask as you duplicate it (see what I mean)? Well, anyway, here’s the tip: First hold the Shift key, then click-and-drag the layer mask thumbnail to the layer you want it to appear on. If you want to invert and duplicate the mask (rather than move it), hold the Option key (PC: Alt key) as well—so the shortcut is Option-Shift (PC: Alt-Shift) to duplicate and invert.

February 22nd, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Moving And Copying Layer Masks

If you wanted to move a layer mask from one layer to another, you used to have to jump through a few hoops, but in CS2 it’s much easier. Just click directly on the layer mask’s thumbnail and drag it to the layer where you want it. If you want a duplicate of a layer mask (rather than just moving it from one layer to another), press-and-hold the Option key (PC: Alt key) before you drag.

February 21st, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Don’t Want A Gap Between Items? Snap To ‘Em

This one is a lot handier than it sounds. If you’ve ever tried to line up a row of objects, the last thing you want is a little gap between some of them (I just ran across this problem when I was trying to line up a row of television monitors for a video wall I was creating). Well, you don’t have to have that gap anymore, because in CS2 you can actually have the layer you’re moving snap right to the layer you’re trying to align it to. Just go under the View menu, under Snap To, and choose Layers.

February 20th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Visual Cues For A Layers Edge

Want to see where the edges of your current layer appear (especially handy if you’re working with layers with soft edges)? Just go under the View menu, under Show, and choose Layer Edges. Now a thin blue border will appear around the edges of the currently selected layer to give you a visual cue of your layer’s boundaries.

February 19th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Loading A Layer Selection Has Changed

For years now, when you wanted to put a selection around everything on a particular layer, you would Command-click (PC: Control-click) on that layer in the Layers palette, and it pretty much didn’t matter where you clicked, as long as you clicked. Well, in CS2, it matters. You now have to click directly on the layer’s thumbnail to get the selection to load. So what happens if you Command-click (PC: Control-click) on the other part of a layer (the layer’s name for example)? It highlights that layer, so you can select multiple layers at a time.

February 18th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Temporarily Unlinking A Layer

If you have a layer linked to another layer in CS2, you’ll see a Link icon appear to the right of the layer’s name (it appears there now, because the old Link column that used to appear to the left of layers is gone). If you hold the Shift key and click directly on that Link icon, that layer will be temporarily unlinked (you’ll see a red X appear through that layer’s Link icon). To relink it, just Shift-click on that icon again.

February 15th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Unlinking All Your Linked Layers With A Single Click

Here’s another one we’ve been waiting (patiently, I might add) for a long time—the ability to unlink all your linked layers with a single click. Just click once on the Link icon at the bottom of the Layers palette and all layers linked to your current linked layer will be unlinked. See, if you just wait long enough.

February 14th, 2008 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

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Photoshop Tutorials

2012 Text Effect

Recreate the text effect from the title to the new blockbuster movie.
More Fun with 3D

Continue exploring the possibilities with Photoshop’s new 3D tools.
Reverse Restoration

Corey shows you how to make a new photo look damaged by blending in some unusual textures.
3D Background Effects

Use Photoshop’s new 3D tools to create some dazzling background effects.

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Photo Retouch
Scott Kelby shows you how to take an overexposed photo into a great photo using Photoshop. Want Great Photoshop & Photography Skills?

Extended Definition Processing
Scott Kelby shares a technique he's been working on, which gives your final image an HDR look using just one photo.
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Smart Object Masking Trick
Dave Cross shares a trick he discovered that will help you remove white from around your subject when using smart objects.
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Light Painting
Dave Cross takes a popular trend - light painting - and shows you how you can paint text recreating this cool trend.
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Viewing and Basking in your Image

When I’m done working with an image, I like to sit and admire it (hey, I spent six hours working on it, I should). To do that, I hit the Tab key, then hit the F key three times. This hides all of the panels and toolbars and lets you see the image by itself surrounded by black. To get back to regular mode, press the F key and the Tab key one more time.