Whether you’re a seasoned professional or you’ve just cracked open the box for the first time , here a five tips that will make your Photoshop life a little easier and productive.
1. Cycle Through All Open Documents
If you are working with several image files at once for a photo composite or a design project, trying to find the document you need can be a bit of a chore. The easiest way to go thorough all your open image files is to type Control-Tab (on both Mac and PC) multiple times to cycle through all files that are currently open in Photoshop.
2. Clone on an Empty Layer
One of the most coolest tools in Photoshop is the Stamp “Clone” Tool. So don’t hurt or frustrate yourself cloning on the same layer your image information is on. Simply create a New Layer above the layer you want to clone. Once you have created this new layer, be sure to check the This Layer and Below box in the Option Bar. This way, if you screw up (and you will!) you only have to delete that “Clone" layer. Also when you Clone on this separate layer, you can turn that layer on & off to monitor your progress.
3. Navigating In a Zoomed In Document Window
When you have zoomed into an image to work on its details don’t use the scroll bars to move around the image. Instead, hold down the Spacebar. This will bring up the Grabber/Hand Tool. Now you can drag the image to the spot you want to work without moving the mouse or stylus from its original position mush easier.
4. Zoom From the Keyboard
When you need to zoom in or out, don’t use the Zoom/Magnifying Glass Tool. Simply hold the Ctrl key and the + or – keys on a PC, (Cmd key and + or – on Mac). To force the image to remain in the same position hold down the Alt key PC and Opt Key on a Mac.
5. Create a New Layer Below the Current Layer
Normally, when you create a new layer, it will always appear above the current selected layer. If you want to create a new layer below the current selected layer, simply hold the Ctrl key PC or Cmd key Mac when clicking on the New Layer icon on the Layer Panel.
These five tips will make your Photoshop work go faster by eliminating the need to move your mouse or stylus to the Menu Bar or leaving the tool you are currently using to perform another task. As a result your ability to think within the program will increase and make you a more creative user. So give them a try.
Comments