Adobe PhotoShop Tools and Functionalities

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We would like to present some information about the amazing Adobe PhotoShop Application. We credit Adobe's extremely useful help tool for the illustrations used in the presentation below.

When you start the application, the toolbox (below) appears on the left side of the screen. Some tools in the toolbox have options that appear in the context-sensitive tool options bar (not shown).

The tool bar shown below includes the tools that let you use type, select, paint, draw, sample, edit, move, annotate, crop, copy, change fore/background colors, and view images,.

spacerherehere	The Tool Bar (left) & The Layers Tool (below)
	The tool bar at left is showcased and fitted with a mouseover for each icon which will explain each tool and describe the functions the tool can perform. Simply place the mouse cursor on the tool box icon for more information. A new image in Photoshop or ImageReady has a single layer. In Photoshop, this layer is called the background layer and is analogous to the base layer of a painting. You cannot change the position of the background layer in the stacking order (it is always at the bottom of the stacking order); nor can you apply a blending mode or opacity to a background layer (unless you first convert it to a normal layer).
	Layers allow you to make changes to an image without altering your original image data. For example, you might store photographs or elements of photographs on separate layers and then combine them into one composite image. Think of layers as sheets of acetate stacked one on top of the other. Where there is no image on a layer (that is, in places where the layer is transparent), you can see through to the layers below. All layers in a file have the same resolution, start with the same number of channels, and have the same image mode (RGB, CMYK, or Grayscale).
	The zebra is on the topmost layer.
	Transparent areas on a layer let you see through to the layers below.
	You can draw, edit, paste, and reposition elements on one layer without disturbing the others. Until you combine, or merge, the layers, each layer remains independent of the others in the image. This means you can experiment freely with graphics, type, opacities, and blending modes. Photoshop and ImageReady support normal layers and text layers. Additionally, Photoshop supports adjustment and fill layers. You can apply sophisticated effects to layers using masks, layer clipping paths, and layer styles. In ImageReady, you can also use layers to create rollover states and animations.
	When you transfer a layered image between Photoshop and ImageReady, all layers, layer masks, layer clipping paths, layer styles, and adjustment layers are preserved. Although adjustment layers and fill layers can be applied and edited only in Photoshop, they can be viewed in ImageReady. Layer clipping paths can be created with either Photoshop or ImageReady, but Photoshop provides more support for editing them.

The marquee tools are used to surround and copy an area of a JPEG or Bitmap Graphic. The marquee tools make rectangular, elliptical, single row, and single column selections. The marquee tools let you select rectangles, ellipses, rounded rectangles (ImageReady), and 1-pixel rows and columns.

The move tool moves selections, layers, and guides.

The lasso tools make freehand, polygonal (straight-edged), and magnetic * (snap-to) selections. The lasso and polygonal lasso tools let you draw both straight-edged and freehand segments of a selection border. With the magnetic lasso tool (Photoshop), the border snaps to the edges of defined areas in the image.

The magic wand tool selects similarly colored areas. The magic wand tool lets you select a consistently colored area (for example, a red flower) without having to trace its outline. You specify the color range, or tolerance, for the magic wand tool's selection. The magic wand tool is also used to create GIF images. Selecting the background with the magic wand tool is the first step in the GIF creation wizard.

The crop tool trims images. Cropping is the process of selecting and removing a portion of an image to create focus or strengthen its composition. Using the crop tool you can also correct the keystone distortion in an architectural photo so the buildings' edges are parallel. Or, you can transform the image of a framed picture viewed at an angle, so the picture is viewed straight-on. Note that the crop tool icon on the tool bar shows as a lighter color, as this is the tool currently selected.

The slice tool creates slices. The slice selection tool selects slices.

The airbrush tool paints soft-edged strokes. The airbrush tool applies gradual tones (including sprays of color) to an image, simulating traditional airbrush techniques. The edges of the stroke are more diffused than those created with the paintbrush tool. The pressure setting for the airbrush tool controls how quickly the spray of paint is applied. If you hold down the mouse button without dragging, you can build up color.

The pencil tool paints hard-edged strokes and freehand lines.The paintbrush tool creates soft strokes of color. You can use the paintbrush or pencil to paint the current foreground color on an image. The three tools create different effects:

The brush sizes and shapes available for painting and editing appear in the pop-up palette in the options bar for the painting and editing tools. You can customize the brushes and settings for each of the painting tools (airbrush, paintbrush, eraser, pencil) and editing tools (history brush, clone stamp, smudge, focus, toning).
You can create new brushes and delete brushes you no longer need, and you can use part of an image to create a custom brush. You can also create a temporary brush that you only expect to use one time.

The clone stamp tool paints with a sample of an image. The pattern stamp tool paints with part of an image as a pattern.

The history brush tool paints a copy of the selected state or snapshot into the current image window. The art history brush tool lets you paint with stylized strokes, using the source data from a specified history state or snapshot. By experimenting with different paint style, fidelity, size, and tolerance options, you can simulate the texture of painting with different colors and artistic styles.

The art history brush tool paints with stylized strokes that simulate the look of different paint styles, using a selected state or snapshot. Like the history brush, the art history brush uses a specified history state or snapshot as the source data. The history brush, however, paints by recreating the specified source data, while the art history brush uses that data along with the options you set to create different colors and artistic styles.

The eraser and magic eraser tools let you erase areas of an image to transparency or to the background color. The background eraser tool (Photoshop) lets you erase to transparency on a layer. The eraser tool changes pixels in the image as you drag through them. If you're working in the background or in a layer with transparency locked, the pixels change to the background color; otherwise, the pixels are erased to transparency.

When you click in a layer with the magic eraser tool, the tool automatically changes all similar pixels. If you're working in the background, or in a layer with locked transparency, the pixels change to the background color; otherwise, the pixels are erased to transparency. You can choose to erase contiguous pixels only or all similar pixels on the current layer.

The background eraser tool lets you erase pixels on a layer to transparency as you drag; this allows you to erase the background while maintaining the edges of an object in the foreground. It also performs color extraction at the edges of any foreground objects, so that color halos are not visible if the foreground object is later pasted into another image.


The paint bucket tool fills similarly colored areas with the foreground color.
The gradient tools create a gradual blend between multiple colors. You can choose from existing gradient fills or create your own.
	Linear gradient shades from the starting point to the ending point in a straight line.
	Angular gradient shades in a counter clock- wise sweep around the starting point.
	Radial gradient shades from the starting point to the ending point in a circular pattern.
	Reflected gradient shades using sym- metric linear gradients on either side of the starting point.
	Diamond gradient shades from the starting point outward in a diamond pattern. The ending point defines one corner of the diamond.

The blur tool blurs hard edges in an image. The blur tool softens hard edges or areas in an image to reduce detail.
The sharpen tool sharpens soft edges in an image. The sharpen tool focuses soft edges to increase clarity or focus.
The smudge tool smudges data in an image.The smudge tool simulates the actions of dragging a finger through wet paint. The tool picks up color where the stroke begins and pushes it in the direction you drag.

The toning tools consist of the dodge tool and the burn tool. Used to lighten or darken areas of the image, the dodge and burn tools are based on a traditional photographer's technique for regulating exposure on specific areas of a print. Photographers hold back light to lighten an area on the print (dodging) or increase the exposure to darken areas on a print (burning).

The dodge tool (image 1) lightens areas in an image.

The burn tool (image 2) darkens areas in an image.

The sponge tool (image 3) subtly changes the color saturation of an area. In Grayscale mode, the tool increases or decreases contrast by moving gray levels away from or toward the middle gray.

The path selection tools make shape or segment selections showing anchor points, direction lines, and direction points. The Paths palette lists the name and a thumbnail image of each saved path, the current work path, and the current layer clipping path. Decreasing the size of thumbnails or turning them off lets you list more paths in the palette, and turning thumbnails off can improve performance. To view a path, you must first select it in the Paths palette.

The type tool creates type on an image.

The pen tools let you draw smooth edged paths. You can create or edit straight lines, curves, or freeform lines and shapes using the pen tools. The pen tools can be used in conjunction with the shape tools to create complex shapes. The freeform pen tool lets you draw as if you were drawing with a pencil on paper. Anchor points are added automatically as you draw. You do not determine where the points are positioned, but you can adjust them once the path is complete.

The custom shape tool makes customized shapes selected from a custom shape list. You use the shape tools to draw lines, rectangles, rounded rectangles, and ellipses in an image. In Photoshop, you can also draw polygons and create custom shape libraries to reuse and share custom shapes. Each shape tool provides specific options; for example, you can set options that allow you to draw a rectangle with fixed dimensions or a line with arrowheads.

The annotations tool makes notes and voice annotations that can be attached to an image.

The eyedropper tool samples colors in an image. The measure tool measures distances, locations, and angles. The measure tool positions images or elements precisely across the width or length of an image. The measure tool calculates the distance between any two points in the work area. When you measure from one point to another, a nonprinting line is drawn.

The hand tool moves an image within its window.

The zoom tool magnifies and reduces the view of an image.

Clicking here will open the palette tool which is available in A. Lab color gamut B. RGB color gamut C. CMYK color gamut. The palette tool can be used in web only color mode or RGB CMYK color mode. A gamut is the range of colors that a color system can display or print. The spectrum of colors seen by the human eye is wider than the gamut available in any color model.

Among the color models used in Photoshop, L*a*b has the largest gamut, encompassing all colors in the RGB and CMYK gamuts. Typically, the RGB gamut contains the subset of these colors that can be viewed on a computer or television monitor (which emits red, green, and blue light). Therefore, some colors, such as pure cyan or pure yellow, can't be displayed accurately on a monitor.

The CMYK gamut is smaller, consisting only of colors that can be printed using process-color inks. When colors that cannot be printed are displayed on-screen, they are referred to as out-of-gamut colors--that is, outside the CMYK gamut.

Photoshop uses the foreground color to paint, fill, and stroke selections and is also used by some special effects filters.

By clicking here, the color selector returns to the default colors. The default foreground color is black, and the default background color is white.

Photoshop uses the background color to make gradient fills and fill in the erased areas of an image.

By clicking here, the color selector reverses the foreground and background colors so that you can easily paint with two colors at a time.

Edit in standard mode: Click the Standard mode button in the toolbox to turn off the quick mask and return to your original image. A selection border now surrounds the unprotected area of the quick mask.

Quick Mask mode lets you create and view a temporary mask for an image. Temporary masks are useful when you don't want to save the mask for later use.

A. Opaque mask used to protect the background and color the shell.

B. Opaque mask used to protect the shell and color the background.

C. Semitransparent mask used to color the background and part of the shell.

The window controls tools let you change the screen display mode, including menu bar, title bar, and scroll bar options.

The left button displays the default window with a menu bar at the top and scroll bars on the sides.

The center button displays a full-screen window with a menu bar and a 50% gray background, but no title bar or scroll bars.

The right button displays a full-screen window with a black background, but no title bar, menu bar, or scroll bars.


The image map tools define image map areas in an image.	The image map select tool selects image maps.	The toggle image map visibility tool toggles between showing and hiding image maps.

The toggle slices visibility tool toggles between showing and hiding slices in an image.	The rollover preview tool previews rollover effects directly in Image Ready.	The preview in default browser tool previews animations in a Web browser.