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It's a good thing I do have experience with the application or I would have been lost several times using the book. Don't think, just do as I do.What's to like:1. The intro to the Bridge is very helpful and clear.3. (The author encourages readers to access more complete videos for a fee at [.].)2. Special tips or techniques that are confusing or just plain wrong.3. The more complex topics and functions seem to be beyond his writing capabilities (though I'm sure he knows how to use the actual functions).What's not to like:1.
Wasted rhetoric on trying to be hip/cool/funny. After a while it's just annoying.2. I've been using photoshop for years, mostly self taught. 4 through all the selection tools. Instead it's a color- or dance-by-numbers approach. The video introductions are good if incomplete. Buy Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks by Lynette Kent to learn more in 1/10th of the time, for 1/4 the price.
Too bad some of us would like to know how to use them.4. Deke McClelland is most clear and thorough when explaining the Bridge. The working files are nice, but there are almost too many samples. The explanations of paths is pathetic, but at least the author tells you that he turns to these tools as last resort (which would explain why he cannot explain them). Explanation of more complex functions is minimal. It would have been nice to walk the same selections through many stages -- for instance, the dome building in ch.
I've been using graphic software since the early 90s and have run through the various bibles, dummy guides, missing manuals, HOT videos, etc. If you've used Photoshop for a while, it isn't hard to skim through stuff you already know, and it's very easy to learn the new tricks. One thing I've noticed is that any book or course by Deke McClelland will be clearly written and easy to understand, and organized in such a way as to establish a good working method within the program itself. This book did not disappoint. The images and steps are large and clear, the index in this book perfectly adequate and better than most. If you're a beginner, you couldn't really ask for a better introduction to the program, and intermediate users will learn what they need quickly and easily.
Now I can more fully understand the reason and workings behind the various features and while it can still be time consuming to get something just right, I know I'm on the right track. I'm working my way through this and have found it really easy to follow. Photoshop fascinated me and although I'd played around with it I didn't really know what I was doing and the results were hit and miss. The videos are great and when you follow up with the relative chapters in the book it all just comes together. The book is written in plain easy to understand terms, not too technical for a real beginner like me.
Deke McClelland does a masterful job of explaining both in the book and the video. This and other techniques and tool options you probably never realized were available.
Even for advanced beginners this is an excellent book. Outstanding book.
Works wonders for blending the edges and matching the color of your subject. Techniques that you would never think of using.
As an example; using the "Inner Glow" layer style to remove haloing/fringe of background color. Also, a very good video is included.
Money well spent and I highly recommend it (there is also a CS4 edition).
I have been using Photoshop for about a year now and, I still often refer to this book. It is a great introduction to Photoshop and, will prepare you for more advanced techniques.
I had zero, zip, zilch, nada, no exerience using Photoshop. This was the first book I read on the subject.
I was a complete noob to Photoshop. Watch the video, read the lesson, follow the step by step instructions.
It got me started immediately using Photoshop. Deke McClelland's watch, read, do approach to Photoshop worked wonders for me.
Although, it also includes more than a few tricks and, secrets that even experienced Photoshop users might not know. Worth every penny of the cost.
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