Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book

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5 responses to “Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book”

1. 

   ghibli99

   August 11, 2010

   Review by ghibli99 for Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book
   Rating:
   Like many people out there, I’ve been using computers for decades, and while I’ve dabbled with Photoshop over the years to do layer-based image touch-ups, enhancements, resizes, and related simplistic tasks (making tape/CD covers, greeting cards, etc.), I’ve never taken the time to work through a book to learn the other features of the program.Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book (CIAB) is a worthwhile starting point for users who know how to use their computers, but might only know how to use some of the functions of Photoshop. This book spends most of its time on layers, masks, pen tools, and webpage basics (slices, animation, and image maps). I found the pen tool chapter to be the most useful, since I had never really understood how vector-based drawing worked, and I am now eager to learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator CS as well.The webpage chapters are also good for those who have lots of ideas in their mind about how their webpage should look, but don’t have intuitive tools to do it. ImageReady CS (included with Photoshop CS or Adobe Creative Suite) makes creating precise web graphics, image maps, etc. almost too easy.I found several errors in the book that occur in later chapters, but none of them prevented me from completing the lessons. There are some spelling, grammatical, and formatting errors throughout the text. However, these will not prevent the average user from running into roadblocks. The biggest error occurs in Lesson 15, where the image references in the sample HTML file do not correspond with the actual image filenames. Basic HTML/text editing can fix this, but as an official Adobe product, this should have been found before duplicating the CD-ROM which accompanies this book.Otherwise, the lessons are presented well and are very easy to follow. The text is clear and easy on the eyes. I was able to complete all 20 lessons in about 4 days. To get the most out of this book, it would be wise to complete a lesson, and then apply what you learned to your own project to help with retention of the material.Overall, a good first step to other more in-depth texts. I’d like to see full-color in future installments, as well as more detailed descriptions on why certain selections and options are chosen. Also, I think the monitor and color calibration chapters should be moved to an earlier part of the book. It’s odd that these are the last topics covered, especially since topics like levels and color correction precede it.

2. 

   V. Maciulski

   August 11, 2010

   Review by V. Maciulski for Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book
   Rating:
   In addition to the Lessons folder (which contains the art source files for 20 lessons), there is a Folder with 35 Fonts, so that you can do the lessons.It starts by telling you how to navigate the application, such as understanding the tools and palettes, using the image browser, defining and saving work spaces, and jumping to Image Ready and back. (Photoshop comes with a powerful application for making image maps, animated GIFs, rollovers for the web, etc. Chapters 14 – 18 cover Image Ready and its Photoshop features.)

   It tells you how to use the automated features for output. You can create a PDF presentation from the File Browser, save photos into a Web Gallery, make a Photo Package or a Contact Sheet.Lesson 6 is all about masking and its many variations, such as gradient masks. Hidden in this chapter is the Extract command, showing you how to extract an image from its background.It covers retouching and repairing photos, painting and editing, which includes blending images into a background and use of the History Palette.Advanced layer techniques (Lesson 11) include creating clipping paths, adjustment layers, knock-out masks, importing layers from other files, using the liquify tool and more.ThereÕs even a pretty good discussion of Camera Raw (page 64) and the stuff you should know about it.

3. 

   Digital Enthusiast

   August 11, 2010

   Review by Digital Enthusiast for Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book
   Rating:
   For the price of a boxed Photoshop CS, the Classroom In a Book (CIB) for Photoshop CS should have been included as a free guide inside the box. While it teaches the basics of photoshop cs, the writing of the CIB is really devoid of style and humor. It makes for a passable alternate user’s manual. (That’s because the Photoshop CS Visual Quickstart Guide does a much better job of getting to the point.) If you are just beginning the CIB for Photoshop CS might be a useful introduction. Just be aware you have other, much better PS CS Guides.

   It is so easy to get frustrated in Photoshop and to give up on this amazing piece of software if you start learning it with the wrong tools. “Wrong” is of course relative and so as far as Im concerned, the CIB is not the ideal first book on Photoshop to use.

   Get yourself a lively, entertaining book on the subject. Instead of the CIB, I highly recommend the clear, and fast-paced Teach Yourself Photoshop CS in 24 Hours, and the highly entertaining, well organized Photoshop CS for Dummies (get the 10-books-in-one version!)

   When you’ve learned the ropes you can go on to more advanced techniques using Photoshop CS Artistry or Real World Adobe Photoshop CS.

   Just remember your FIRST book on Photoshop will set the “color and texture” of your own feelings towards the software. It can spell the difference between starting right or getting frustrated in Photoshop! Therefore it’s best if you can browse the contents of the books yourself to see which really feels right for you before you buy it.

4. 

   M. A. Filippelli

   August 11, 2010

   Review by M. A. Filippelli for Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book
   Rating:
   PhotoShop cs classroom in a book provides new users of PhotoShop good step by step lessons and will help a user build a good PhotoShop foundation. The book covers the more basic functions of PhotoShop but does not go into some of the more detailed aspects of PhotoShop that experienced users would be looking for. It also does not really explore how to use it in conjunction with other Adobe products like Illustrator or Go Live. Those that are trying to learn how to build web pages or design ads will be disappointed by this. Those that are more advanced users of PhotoShop will be disappointed. The book never really states intended PhotoShop user ability level but it is mostly for the beginner to intermediate level user.

5. 

   Sheri

   August 11, 2010

   Review by Sheri for Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book
   Rating:
   I’ve been working with Photoshop for a few years now, but I was self-taught. When I got CS, I decided to work through a course book to catch up on anything I was missing.I did not get as much out of this book as I hoped. It really is aimed at the newbie who wants to create & edit projects ASAP, with little explanation surronding the tools they’re using. For example, you’re directed to go to a tool in the Filter menu, check off these two boxes and enter 70% here, then click ok. There’s little explanation for why you’d want to check those boxes, or why you’d enter 70 and not 38.I think this is a good beginner’s course, especially for someone who will take the time to go beyond what’s presented in the book, and play with the tools to figure out what they do.