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Photoshop CS4 Digital Classroom Book with DVD

Photoshop CS4 book
"Excellent book, but the videos are even better!" Amazon.com Reviewer
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Digital Classroom is like having a personal instructor guiding you through each lesson, while you work at your own pace. This Photoshop CS4 book with DVD includes 14 self-paced lessons helping you learn essential skills and explore new features and capabilities of Adobe Photoshop.
  • Full color lessons with easy to follow step-by-step instructions | view sample lesson
  • Video tutorials highlight key topics in each lesson | sample Photoshop video tutorial
  • Covers all essential Photoshop skills | view Table of Contents
  • Gets you up-and-running quickly with included Photoshop CS4 lesson files on DVD
  • Written by expert Photoshop instructors – it’s like having your own personal tutor
  • Used by hundreds of schools and more than 100,000 readers

Are you an Instructor or Professor?

Contact your Wiley higher education representative to obtain a review copy or use the contact form to obtain an instructor's guide for using the Digital Classroom as your Photoshop class textbook.

Starting Up

  • About Photoshop Digital Classroom
  • Prerequisites
  • Adobe Photoshop CS4 versions
  • System requirements
  • Starting Adobe Photoshop CS4
  • Resetting Adobe Photoshop CS4 preferences
  • A note about color warnings
  • Loading lesson files
  • Working with the video tutorials
  • Setting up for viewing the video tutorials
  • Viewing the video tutorials
    with the Adobe Flash Player
  • Additional resources

Lesson 1: Exploring Photoshop

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Taking a look at the final project
  • Starting the composition
  • Using the new Mask panel
  • Adding a graphic image with the Clone tool in Photoshop CS4
  • Adding an adjustment layer to the composition
  • Adding a text layer in Photoshop CS4
  • Making a 3D postcard
  • Converting multiple layers into one smart object layer
  • Turning your image into a 3D texture

Lesson 2: Getting to Know the Workspace

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Opening an existing document in Adobe Bridge
  • Discovering the Tools panel
  • Hidden tools in Photoshop CS4
  • Navigating the image area
  • Using the Zoom tool
  • Using the Hand tool
  • Using the Rotate View tool
  • Tabbed windows
  • Using panels in Photoshop CS4
  • Putting the new panel system to u
  • Choosing other panels
  • Expanding your panels
  • Customizing your panels
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 3: Using Adobe Bridge

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • What is Adobe Bridge?
  • Navigating through Bridge
  • Using folders in Adobe Bridge
  • Making a Favorite
  • Creating and locating metadata
  • Using keywords
  • Opening a file from Adobe Bridge
  • Searching for Files Using Adobe Bridge
  • Searching by name or keyword
  • Using the Filter panel
  • Automation tools in Adobe Bridge
  • Automated tools for Photoshop
  • Web Photo Gallery
  • Saving or uploading your Web Gallery
  • Automated tools for Photoshop:
    PDF contact sheet
  • Changing the view
  • Adobe Bridge Home
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 4: The Basics of Working with Photoshop

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • A look at the finished project
  • Opening an existing document
  • Understanding document settings
  • Viewing an image’s size and resolution
  • Combining the images
  • Using Copy and Paste
  • Dragging and dropping to copy an image in Photoshop CS4
  • Transforming and editing combined images
  • Changing the size of a placed image
  • Removing a background
  • Understanding the stacking order of layers in Photoshop CS4
  • Refining the edges of copied images
  • Adding text in Photoshop CS4
  • Saving files in Photoshop CS4
  • Understanding file formats
  • Choosing a file format
  • Saving a JPEG file
  • Saving for print in Photoshop CS4
  • Changing the color settings
  • Adjusting image size
  • Saving a Photoshop PDF file
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 5: Making the Best Selections

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • The importance of a good selection
  • Using the Marquee tools
  • Creating a square selection
  • Creating a selection from a center point in Photoshop CS4
  • Changing a selection into a layer
  • Working with the Magic Wand tool
  • The Lasso tool
  • Adding to and subtracting from selections
  • Using the Quick Selection tool
  • Understanding the Refine Selection Edge feature
  • Using Quick Mask
  • Saving selections
  • Copying and pasting a selection
  • Using the Pen tool for selections
  • Using the Pen tool to select
    an area of an image
  • More Pen tool selection techniques
  • Converting a path to a selection
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 6: Painting and Retouching

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Setting up your color settings
  • Color primer in Photoshop CS4
  • Understanding color gamut
  • The RGB color model
  • The CMYK color model
  • Why you will work in the RGB mode
  • Editing color settings
  • Selecting colors inPhotoshop CS4
  • Starting to paint in Photoshop CS4
  • Using the Color panel
  • Using the Brush tool
  • Changing opacity
  • Save time—learn the shortcuts
  • Applying color to an image
  • Changing blending modes
  • The Eyedropper tool
  • Retouching images
  • Using the Clone Stamp tool
  • Repairing fold lines
  • The History panel in Photoshop CS4
  • The Spot Healing Brush
  • The Healing Brush inPhotoshop CS4
  • Using the Patch tool
  • Using the Clone Source panel
  • Cloning from another source
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 7: Creating a Good Image

  • Starting up
  • Choosing your color settings
  • Opening the file
  • Why you should work in RGB
  • Reading a histogram
  • Taking care of that nasty red eye
  • Making the Curve adjustment
  • Defining the highlight and shadow
  • Inputting the white and black point values
  • Adjusting the midtones
  • Setting the neutral
  • Sharpening your image
  • Comparing your image with the original
  • Using the Camera Raw plug-in
  • Using Camera Raw controls
  • Saving a DNG file
  • Reopening a DNG file
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 8: Getting to Know Layers

  • Starting up
  • Discovering layers
  • The Layers panel
  • Getting a handle on layers
  • Creating a new blank file
  • Naming your layer
  • Selecting layers
  • Tips for selecting layers
  • Moving layers
  • Changing the visibility of a layer
  • Using masks in a layer
  • Preserve transparency
  • Creating a composition
  • Moving images in from other documents
  • Creating a layer mask
  • Editing the layer mask
  • Cloning layers
  • Aligning and distributing layers
  • Applying filters to layers
  • Creating a type layer
  • Applying a layer style
  • Creating a clipping mask
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 9: Taking Layers to the Max

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Making color changes using
    adjustment layers in Photoshop CS4
  • Refining the adjustment layer mask
  • Adjusting the Hue/Saturation layer
  • Adding a pattern fill layer
  • Defining the pattern
  • Applying the pattern
  • Using the new Black & White
    adjustment layer in Photoshop CS4
  • Adding a tint in Photoshop CS4
  • Applying a gradient to the adjustment layer
  • Layer styles in Photoshop CS4
  • Creating the text layer
  • Applying the Outer Glow layer style
  • Applying the Bevel and Emboss layer style
  • Changing the shading in Photoshop CS4
  • Changing the fill opacity
  • Saving the style in Photoshop CS4
  • Accessing the style
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 10: Getting Smart in Photoshop

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Creating a composition using Smart Objects
  • Opening an image as a Smart Object
  • Converting a layer to a Smart Object
  • Placing a Smart Object in Photoshop CS4
  • Editing a Smart Object
  • Editing the contents of a Smart Object
  • Modifying multiple Smart Object layers
  • Replacing the contents of a Smart Object layer
  • Working with Smart Filters
  • Modifying a Smart Filter
  • Self study
  • Creating multiple Smart Objects
  • Working with Illustrator files
  • Review

Lesson 11: Using Adobe Photoshop Filters

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Filter basics
  • Starting to use filters
  • Using the Clouds filter
  • Using the Filter Gallery
  • Applying filters in the Gallery
  • Taking advantage of Smart Filters
  • Applying a Smart Filter
  • Smart Filter options
  • Enabling and disabling effects
  • Using a filter effects mask
  • Using the Vanishing Point filter
  • Building your own perspective planes
  • Building an attached plane
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 12: Creating Images for Web and Video

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Viewing the completed file
  • Changing your units of measurement
  • Creating the web page
  • Adding the Text in Photoshop CS4
  • Adding Style to the text
  • Creating the text for the links
  • Positioning and distribution of text
  • Creating slices inPhotoshop CS4
  • Slicing it up in Photoshop CS4
  • Selecting and combining slices
  • Applying attributes to your slices
  • Using Save For Web & Devices
  • Optimizing the image slices
  • Saving files for video
  • Creating animation
  • Working in Frame mode
  • Saving an animated GIF
  • Creating animation for video
  • Working in Timeline mode
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 13: Introducing 3D

  • Starting up with Photoshop CS4
  • Creating a 3D object
  • Getting an image ready for 3D
  • Wrapping the image around a soda can
  • Adjusting the lighting
  • Animating the soda can
  • Testing your animation
  • Self study
  • Review

Lesson 14: Adobe Photoshop CS4 New Features

  • 64-bit version
  • Workspace improvements
  • New panels
  • Adjustments panel
  • Masks panel in Photoshop CS4
  • Improved cloning with Photoshop CS4
  • Improved Save for Web and Devices
  • New and very much improved 3D features
Other Books from the Digital Classroom Series
  • Photoshop CS5 book
  • Dreamweaver CS5 book
  • Creative Suite 5 book
  • Flash Professional CS5
  • InDesign CS5 book