Quick Course - Turn Panels Off and On in Photoshop

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In episode 12 of the Photo Restoration Quick Course, I share some uses for the Function Keys or "F-Keys" on your keyboard and how they can help you save valuable screen space. Quickly bring up and hide commonly used palettes/panels to get a little more working room on your pictures.

F5: Hides and shows the Brushes panel/palette
F6: Hides and shows the Color panel/palette
F7: Hides and shows the Layers pane/palette
F8: Hides and shows the Info panel/palette

Thanks to Creatista for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista, online at Dreamstime.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

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Quick Course - Use Quickmask To Check Selections

In episode 11 of the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course series, I demonstrate how to use Adobe Photoshop's Quickmask function to check the edges of your selection at full size. Creating accurate selections is the key to good photo retouching. Most often we improve the edges of our selections using the Feather command, Refine Edge command or Masks Panel/Palette. However, I still find Quickmask to be a convenient way to "triple check" my work.


In the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course video for this article, I share exactly how you can do it. Try it out and post a comment with your results.


For more Selections details and exercises, consider the Photo Restoration Basics video course. In this course, I dedicate an entire lesson just to helping you create accurate selections. Some of you may find the overt advertising for my course to be a bit wearisome. I apologize if they wear on you a bit. However, keep in mind that nothing is for free and I have a family to support. Also, my course is a very unique and effective way to learn Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. So I'm not pushing anyone's junk on you. I'm pushing good stuff on you (smile)!




Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.


Photo Restoration Quick Courses are for the non-professional and folks with some or no experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com


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Ask the Retoucher #63, Dating Problems, Jagged Text in Photoshop

How can I put a date on an image in iPhoto?

1. Open image, choose File=>Print/Customize
2. Choose the best Layout for your photo.
3. Click on Insert description of photo and type Date, Place or whatever else you want.
4. Print.

How can I add text in Photoshop? The text comes out jagged and “artifacty.”

1. Open the image in Photoshop.
2. Check Image=>Image Size to see what it is. Choose a standard size for output.
3. Check Resolution to make sure it is 300.
4. Using the Text Tool in Photoshop. Check size of type for proper size.
5. Type the text you want to display on the image.
6. Select the text.
7. Grab the Move Tool and move the text to proper place on the photo.

Remember that text produced in Photoshop will never be as  sharp and crisp as text in Microsoft word processing. This is because Photoshop exhibits text as bitmap image; Microsoft exhibits text as a Vector image.

The best way to marry images with text is by using a page layout program, like Adobe InDesign. Create your text in Microsoft. Edit your photos in Photoshop. Then integrate the text and images into your page layout program. This will yield the best professional publication.
 
This is the second-to-the-last edition of Ask The Retoucher. It's been a great run of almost 10 years. Thanks to those that believed in what I had to share and gave me a chance to teach it (especially all the genealogical societies that carry the column). You've got one more on it's way. My adventures in photo retouching continue from here to my new Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course Series. If you've been following the blog, you've seen them. It doesn't replace my Photo Restoration Basics video course. It is only a supplement.

If you find this article useful, please return the favor! Share it or Like it using any of the share buttons below. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA). He's taught hundreds through the methods of his Photo Restoration Basics course. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems. 

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—Edited by Judy Bond. Copyright 2012 Photo Grafix, All Rights Reserved.

Quick Course - Get Close For Good Selections

Do you like the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course? Please share it or click one of the buttons to show your approval. It's all I ask for in return!

In episode 10 of my Photo Restoration Quick Course, I offer advice for an important function in photo editing: Selections. Zoom in close on the area you want to select. It makes a much more accurate selection than with a small area in which you can zoom in closer.

If you are close in by 100% or 200%, you should be able to quickly create an accurate selection with just a little bit of editing.

Try it out and post a comment with your results.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

Photo Restoration Quick Courses are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the Photo Grafix email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Quick Course - Close All Windows in Photoshop

If you benefit from the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course, please share it or click one of the buttons to show your approval. It's all I ask for in return!

In this ninth episode of the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course, I show you how easy it is to close multiple windows in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Even if you choose a keyboard shortcut to close one window at a time, it's still one-window-at-a-time. With 20 images open, you can save almost 10 seconds just closing one window while holding down the alt/option key on your keyboard.

Try it out and post a comment with your results.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

Photo Restoration Quick Courses are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the Photo Grafix email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!