The Extrude filter, as one of the group of Stylize filters, projects the photo onto a series of extruded shapes that seem to explode from the middle of the document.

By altering the settings in the filter’s dialog you can choose the shape of the extrusions - blocks or pyramids (1). The size (2) and depth (3) of the extruded shapes can be set in pixels. Partly completed blocks can be masked or shown as part of the final image (4).

The Eyedropper tool is used to sample colors in a picture. After selecting the tool click on the color in the picture to set a new foreground color and Alt-click (Option-click for Macintosh) for a background color. The size of the area sampled can be adjusted using the options in the Sample Size menu in the options bar. Large pixel samples average the color and tone of the areas they select.

The Facet filter, as one of the group of Pixelate filters, simulates the look of a hand-worked painting by recreating the photo with blocks of color.

The filter contains no controls to alter the strength or appearance of the effect. Some changes in end results are possible by altering the image size before applying the filter. The filtering process produces more dramatic results when applied to low resolution files than when used with pictures with large pixel dimensions.

As the filter doesn’t have an image preview option it may be necessary to filter the picture several times with different resolution settings before deciding on the best values to use. Use Edit > Undo to reverse the last filter change.

The Fade command allows any filter or color change to be reduced in strength using this Fade control.

In its standard mode the slider in the feature gradually applies (or takes away) the filter’s effect. Another approach is to use the Fade option in conjunction with a blend mode selection (also included in the dialog) making the filter appear as though it’s on a separate layer to give a completely different feel. Definitely one to experiment with.

The Fade command moved to the Edit menu in version 6.0. Users of earlier versions will find it in the Filter menu.

In the example shown here the Fresco filter from the Artistic menu has created a moody oil painting (1). The Fade command, set to Luminosity blend mode, gives added sparkle in the greens which is further enhanced by increasing brightness and contrast (2).

Some font families include several different versions of the typeface that you can use in conjunction with the Type tool. Typically the typeface options or styles include Bold, Italic and Bold Italic as well as the standard Regular faces (1). Each of the font faces shares the same basic letter design but a different alphabet is installed for each face option (i.e. a different set of letters for Bold, Italic and Bold Italic options).

For fonts that don’t have these face or style options Photoshop has several ‘faux’ font choices (2) (available from the Character palette) that can be used as a substitute.

Faux fonts simulate the look of different font faces and include Bold (3), Italic (4), Underline (5) and Strikethrough (6).

The Favorites panel, like all Bridge panels, is located on the left-hand side of the window.

Along with the standard My Computer, Adobe Stock Photos, Version Cue, Collections and Bridge Center (Creative Suite only) options you can optimize the list of entries included in the panel to store your own selections. This is a handy place to position entries for regularly used folders of images or project directories. Rather than repeatedly searching for often used locations through the Folder panel add these folders to your Favorites list for quicker file access.

Two quick ways to add locations to the Favorites panel are:

• 1. Locate the directory in the Folders panel and then click-drag the folder to the Favorites panel. Once the folder is dropped on the panel Bridge will automatically create a new entry (1).
• 2. Again locate the directory in the Folders Panel and then right-click the folder name and select Add to Favorites from the options in the pop-up menu (2).

By default most selections are created with a sharp edge that marks the parts of the picture that are included within the selection and those areas that are outside. When changes are made to a photograph via these sharp-edged selections the distinction between edited and non-edited sections of the image is very obvious.

The Feather command softens the transition between selected and nonselected areas.

The example shows a vignetting or edge darkening effect created with a sharp selection (1) and then the same effect repeated with a feathered selection (2). You can feather a selection in two ways:

Before making a selection - Add a feather amount in the options bar of the Selection tool before drawing the selection.

After a selection is created - To feather an existing selection, draw the selection and then choose the Select > Modify > Feather (3) command and add a feather amount in the dialog that appears. Alternatively CS3 users can use the Feather slider control in the new Refine Edge (4) feature (Select > Refine Edge). This feature provides a preview of the feather effects on the image or mask and so is preferable to use than the straight Feather command located in the Select > Modify menu.

The greater the value used for the Feather Radius the smoother the transition will be.

A useful background creating filter, introduced with Photoshop CS, that produces a fiber style effect from the foreground and background colors. Once created you can adjust the pattern using blur and transform tools, as seen here. The filter was been upgraded to work in 16 bits per channel mode in CS2.

It may come in useful for producing scratched metal effects, worn wood and various cloth styles, making it suitable as another background creator.

The filter contains two slider controls - Variance (1) that controls the contrast of the final results and Strength (2) that alters the extent of fibers in the picture. The Randomize produces a variety of variations of fiber designs (3).

The filter does not use any of the picture information in open documents to create its effect, instead the results are based solely on the current foreground and background hues and the settings in the filter dialog.

Once you have created your Fibers picture go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and add a Horizontal Blur. Then soften the whole composition with a slight Gaussian Blur and add some texture with the Add Noise filter to create a weather look.

The File Browser was first introduced in Photoshop 7.0 and with the release of CS2 was replaced with the Bridge application. The File Browser in its original form looked much like a Windows Explorer interface, with folders on the left that open up on the right when you double-click on them to view the contents. Selecting a folder displayed the contents as easy-to-view thumbnails that could be changed in size and layout.

The layout options included viewing small, medium or large thumbnails and text alongside the pictures. Clicking a thumbnail created a larger preview and information about the photograph was shown on the left.

It was possible to rename thumbnails in the browser; this altered the name of the original in its folder. In addition the orientation could be changed from horizontal to vertical or vice versa and when you next opened the image in Photoshop it would automatically rotate to the correct format.

Compression is a file format option that reduces the size of images so that they can be more easily transmitted on the web or take up less space when stored.

Two types of general compression are available when saving picture files - Lossy and Lossless.

The Lossy option reduces file sizes dramatically but removes image detail in the process. The JPEG format uses this type of compression to optimize the size of files for internet use. The TIFF format in contrast makes use of lossless compression which makes the file smaller but without the loss of any of the original picture detail.

Photoshop files, or any other files that can be opened in the program, can be converted into other formats suitable for different uses.

When you save an image, select File > Save As and pull down the Format menu (1) in the dialog to see a list of file formats to choose from. Then select the one you want to save in that format and choose any other format options from the section at the bottom of the dialog.

Photoshop can open and save files in a multitude of different file formats.

The format you use will be determined by the end use of the photo. If the picture is destined for the internet then the JPEG format is the best option. In contrast, photos used in publishing are often saved in the TIFF format.

For most editing and enhancement work the Photoshop, or PSD, format should be used. It provides the best combination of features and image quality. Pictures in the PSD format can be duplicated in other formats for specific uses by resaving the file via the File > Save As option.

A file extension is the three letter abbreviation (2) of the file format that is added after the file’s name (1). Windows programs use the extension as a way of recognizing the content of the file as well as the way that it is structured.

For example, if you save a file named ‘Image1’ in the TIFF format then the full filename would be ‘Image1.tif’ and a JPEG version of the same file would be ‘Image1. jpg’.

Most programs automatically add an extension to the file as it is being saved. This occurs even if the extensions are hidden from view when viewing filenames in the browser.

In Windows the extension is hidden by default. To view the extension in any folder, choose Tools > Folder Options > View, and deselect ‘Hide extensions for known file types’.

A feature available in Bridge 1.0 (ships with Photoshop CS2) is the ability to collate open files in Photoshop into a single easily accessible file group (1). The files can then be located and opened quickly by selecting the group heading in Bridge.

To group pictures that are currently open in Photoshop, switch to Bridge and then select the Bridge Center option from the Favorites panel. Now choose the ‘Save open files into a file group’ text heading and enter a name for the group in the dialog that pops up. To reopen the pictures saved in the group into the Photoshop program simply select the group title from the Saved File Groups area of the Bridge Center workspace and then press the Folder icon. All the photos will then be opened and displayed in Photoshop (2).

The Bridge Center feature and therefore the File Group option are only available for users of the Creative Suite 2 group of programs. The version of Bridge that is shipped with Photoshop CS2 doesn’t contain this feature.

The File Info command displays the metadata associated with the currently open picture.

This includes data recorded from the camera (EXIF) at the time the picture was created as well as any copyright information, description and authorship details (1).

The dialog also lets you add customized information to the picture such as adding a document title, description and copyright notice but no changes can be made to the Camera Data 1 or Camera Data 2 sections. Repetitive file information can be added, saved after the first time of entry and then loaded and applied to new files via the options in the side-arrow menu located in the top right of the dialog (2).

The File Info dialog is displayed by selecting File > File Info or by right-clicking a thumbnail in Bridge and then choosing File Info from the Context menu. The details displayed in the File Info dialog can also be seen in the Metadata panel of the Bridge (3).

You should always optimize pictures when saving them for web use.

The idea is to remove any color that can’t be seen by a web browser as well as resizing to suit the viewing conditions (usually Mac or PC monitor) and saving it all in the most suitable, web-friendly, format (usually JPEG or GIF).

Ensuring that you balance all these concerns and still maintain image quality is a job made easier when you use the Save for Web option in Photoshop.

When first installing Photoshop you get a choice of the file types that are associated with both Photoshop and ImageReady programs. After installation is complete, double-clicking the associated file types will automatically open the document in Photoshop (or ImageReady).

To change the files type associations for the Adobe suite of products, alter the programs that are attached to different file types in the Edit > Preferences > File Type Associations dialog. Click on the down-arrow on the right of the Program entry to select from a list of suitable applications or to browse for software not listed.

When there is no active selection in the open picture the Fill command overpaints the contents of the whole layer with a selected color or pattern. When a selection is active the Fill command paints the color in the area of the selection only.

The content of the fill is selected from the drop-down Use menu (1) where the choices include Foreground, Background Colors, Black, White, 50% Gray or a Pattern. You can also select a specific color by choosing the Color option and then selecting the hue from the Color Picker dialog that is displayed.

Other options in the dialog include the ability to apply the color via a range of blend modes (2) and an adjustment for the opacity (3) of the fill paint that is applied to the layer.

The Solid Color adjustment layer works in a similar way to the Fill command but applies the color in a separate editable layer (4). This option has the advantage of not destroying the contents of the original layer when the fill is applied.

Photoshop contains the options to create three different types of fill layers (1, 2):

Solid Color - Creates a new layer filled with a color selected from the pop-up Color Picker (3).

Gradient - Creates a new layer filled with a gradient that gradually changes from one color to another or to transparency. Pick from preset gradient types or create your own (4).

Pattern - Creates a layer filled with a pattern that you choose from the palette (5).

A fill layer is created by selecting the specific fill type from the list available under the Layer > New Fill Layer menu, or by clicking the New Fill or Adjustment Layer button in the Layers palette. The new fill layer is always created above the current active layer in the layer stack.

When the Edit > Fill option is applied whilst a selection is active the feature works like the Paint Bucket tool and drops color into the selection area only (1).

Choose to fill using the foreground or background color in the palette.

You can also adjust opacity and select a blend mode to vary the result. The same approach can be used with the Solid Color Adjustment layer. Make a selection of the area to be filled first and then add a Solid Color adjustment layer to the picture. The selection will be used as the basis for a layer mask that is linked to the Adjustment layer. The mask can be edited (painted on or erased from) to adjust the area that the color is applied to.

When filling a selection, use the Feather control first to get a softer fill effect (2).

Press the Ctrl/Cmd Delete keys to fill the canvas or selection with the foreground color.

Press the Alt/Opt Delete keys to fill the selection or canvas with the background color.

The Film Grain filter, as one of the group of Artistic filters, simulates the texture that was typical of ‘grainy’, high-speed films of old.

The three settings in the dialog provide control over the grain strength and how it is applied.

The Grain slider (1) alters the strength and size of the grain that is added to the picture. A higher value produces a more pronounced result with less of the detail in the photo being retained.

The Highlight Area control (2) alters the amount of highlight tones, with higher values producing a lighter and more posterized result.

The Intensity slider (3) works like a contrast slider, creating more defined results as the control is moved to the right.

The Filter Gallery is an extended filter dialog that is designed to allow the user to apply several different filters to a single image or the same filter multiple times to the same photo.

The dialog consists of a preview area (1), a collection of filters that can be used with the feature (2), a settings area with sliders to control the filter effect (3) and a list of filters that are currently being applied to the picture (4).

Multiple filters are applied to a picture by selecting the filter, adjusting the settings to suit the image and then clicking the New Effect Layer button at the bottom of the dialog. Filters are arranged in the sequence they are applied.

Applied filters can be moved to a different spot in the sequence by click-dragging them up or down the stack. Click the Eye icon to hide the effect of the selected filter from preview. Filters can be deleted from the list by selecting them first and then clicking the Dustbin icon at the bottom of the dialog.

Most of the filters that can’t be used with the Filter Gallery feature are either applied to the picture with no user settings, or make use of a dedicated filter dialog that contains a preview area and several slider controls.

Filters can also be accessed via the Filter menu.

The new Filter panel in Bridge 2.0 (1) contains a selection of file attributes that can be used as ready-made search criteria in order to quickly display a subset of photos in the content area.

Clicking on any of the entries in the palette automatically filters the pictures in the content area to display only those images that contain this attribute. A tick is placed to the left of the selected filtering attribute (2).

To change the sequence in which thumbnails in the content area are displayed, select a Sort option (3) from the pop-up menu on the top right of the panel. To view all items in the selected folder and subfolders click the Folder icon in the top left of the panel (4). To clear all filters, click the Stop icon at the bottom right of the panel (5) and to maintain filter settings while browsing click the Map pin icon (6).

The concept of non-destructive editing is ever growing in popularity and acceptance. Now, many dedicated amateurs are working like professionals by embracing ways of enhancing and editing that don’t destroy or change the original pixels in order to produce an end result.

Masking techniques, adjustment layers and the use of Smart Objects are the foundation technologies of many of these techniques. But try as we may, some changes have just not been possible to apply non-destructively.

Filtering is one area in particular where this is the case. For example, applying a sharpening filter to a picture irreversibly changes the pixels in the photo forever. For this reason many photographers have been applying such filters to copies of the original document rather than altering the original photo.

With the introduction of the Smart Filters technology in Photoshop CS3, these filtering tasks can now be applied nondestructively, removing the need to filter copied versions of our photos. Smart Filters are based on the Smart Object technology that became available in CS2.

Smart Filtering is a two-step process. First the picture is converted to a Smart Object (Filter > Convert for Smart Filters) and then the filter is applied to the Smart Object layer.

As the filter operation is applied to the photo via a layer mask it is also possible to localize the effects of the filter by editing the mask.

Digital filters are based on the traditional photographic versions, which are placed in front of the lens of the camera to change the way the image is captured. Now, with the click of a button it is possible to make extremely complex changes to our images almost instantaneously - changes that a few years ago we couldn’t even imagine.

Most filters in Photoshop can be found grouped under a series of subheadings based on their main effect or feature in the Filter menu. There are four specialized filters that sit apart from these groups which, because of their complexity, warrant a single entry for themselves. They are Extract, Liquify, Pattern Maker and Vanishing point.

Selecting a filter will apply the effect to the current layer or selection. Some filters display a dialog that allows the user to change specific settings and preview the filtered image before applying the effect to the whole of the picture. This can be a great time saver, as filtering a large file can take several minutes.

Other filters are incorporated into a Filter Gallery (Filter > Filter Gallery) feature that provides both preview and controls in a single dialog.

Photoshop CS3 introduces the option of applying many filters and their blend modes non-destructively via the Smart Filter technology.

The Filter Gallery as well as the new Smart Filter option is designed to allow multiple filters to be applied to a single picture. Each filter is layered in a stack similar to that found in the Layers palette (1).

With the Filter Gallery multiple filters are applied to a picture by selecting the filter in the Filter Gallery dialog, adjusting the settings to suit the image and then clicking the New Effect Layer button (2) at the bottom of the dialog. Filters are arranged in the sequence they are applied. Applied filters can be moved to a different spot in the sequence by click-dragging them up or down the stack. Click the eye icon (4) to hide the effect of the selected filter from preview. Filters can be deleted from the list by selecting them first and then clicking the dustbin icon (3) at the bottom of the dialog.

Applying additional filters when using Smart Filters is as simple as selecting a new filter option from the Filter menu. Each filter is added in a stack below the Smart Filter layer entry and all filters use the same mask settings. As the position of a filter in the stack dictates how it interacts with the other filters try click-dragging filter entries to a new position for different effects.

Ctrl/Cmd F – To apply the last fi lter with the settings used.

Ctrl/Cmd Alt/Opt F – To open the dialog for the last fi lter used.

One of the great benefits of organizing your pictures in the Bridge workspace is the huge range of search options that then become available to you.

Selecting Find from the Edit menu displays the Find dialog (1). Here you will be able to nominate what you want to search for

(2), the criteria for the search (3), which folder (4) you want to search in, what type of metadata (5) to search for and, finally, what to do with the pictures that match the search criteria (6).

A word-based feature that was introduced with version 7.0. This is used to search through text and replace one word, punctuation or sentence with another.

Just key in what you want to replace in the ‘Find What’ box and what you want to change it to in the ‘Change To’ box. Then click ‘Find Next’. The program searches for the words and highlights the first example it comes to. You then can change just the found words or change all occurrences, or change the found one and then let it find the next.

The Find Edges filter, as one of the group of Stylize filters, searches for and highlights the edges in a picture. The feature classifies edges as being picture parts where there is a major change in tone, color and/or contrast.

The feature outlines the edges it locates with dark lines against a lighter colored background. There are no extra controls of slider adjustments available for this filter.

An automated feature that resizes the image so that it will fit within a certain predetermined canvas space.

If, for example, you have the dialog measurements set to 680 x 480 pixels and apply the Fit Image command to a 600 x 600 pixel picture, it would reduced it to 480 x 480 pixels.

This feature helps when you need to resize pictures to suit a newsletter or catalog format with predetermined picture boxes and works well when incorporated into actions.

The aspect ratio or Constrain Proportions option is usually found in dialog boxes concerned with changes of image size and refers to the relationship between width and height of a picture.

Fixing an image’s aspect ratio means that this relationship will remain the same even when the image is enlarged or reduced.

For example, selecting the Constrain Proportions option in the Image > Image Size dialog will result in pictures where the aspect ratio is maintained when resized.

The Fixed Size option is available in the options bar of both the Marquee (1) and Crop tools (2). This feature allows you to set the size of the selection or cropping area before drawing the shape on the picture’s surface.

The size can be nominated in pixels (px), inches (in) or millimeters (mm).

The Flag option in the File Browser that was available in Photoshop versions 7.0 and CS was used to distinguish selected images from within the browser workspace. Flags are attached by either clicking on the Flag icon (1) in the File Browser options bar or by selecting the Flag option from the right-click menu (2).

Typically, photographers would attach flags as part of the editing process. Successful images would be flagged and rejected photos would be left without a flag. Flag pictures could then be displayed in isolation from other pictures in the folder by selecting the Show > Flagged option from the drop-down menu in the top right of the File Browser window.

Flags are replaced by Labels in the Bridge workspace for CS2/CS3.

In Photoshop CS3, ImageReady is no longer included as a partner application. To output an animation as a flash file in CS3 choose File > Export > Render Video and then select Flash Video as the QuickTime export file format. This option is only available when an FLV QuickTime encoder is installed on your computer.

For CS2 users ImageReady contained an export option to save the file in the Macromedia Flash format. After creating the animation select the Macromedia Flash SWF option from the File > Export menu (1). Adjust the options in the Export dialog that displays (2) and then press the OK button. Although Photoshop CS2 contained an Animation palette the Export to Flash format option is only available from inside the ImageReady application. To transport images from Photoshop CS2 to ImageReady in order to export as a Flash file click on the Edit in ImageReady button at the bottom of the Photoshop toolbar (3).

The Flatten Image command combines the detail of all visible layers into a single layer. In the process transparent areas are filled with white and hidden layers are discarded.

After flattening, text, shape and adjustment layers are no longer present nor are their contents editable.

The file size of the flattened picture will be much smaller than the layered version. To flatten your image select the option from the Layer menu (1) or from the menu that pops out from the side-button at the top right of the Layers palette (2).

As a general rule you should not flatten the layers in Photoshop documents unless you are absolutely sure that you do not want to edit the picture further. If you are unsure, make a copy of the layered file and flatten the copy, keeping the original safe for editing later.

The Flip Canvas Horizontal command rotates the picture (and all its layers) from left to right and creates a result similar to a refl ection of the photo in a mirror.

The Flip Canvas Vertical command rotates the picture (and all its layers) from top to bottom and produces a result similar to the view of the picture if it was fl ipped upside down.

The Flip Horizontal command rotates the selected layer from left to right and creates a result similar to a view of the refl ection of the layer contents in a mirror.

The Flip Vertical command rotates the layer from top to bottom and produces a result similar to the view of the layer and its contents when it was fl ipped upside down.

The Focus tool group contains the Blur and Sharpen tools. The tools are used like a paintbrush but instead of laying down color on the canvas the image is blurred (1) or sharpened (2).

The Size (brush tip), Mode (blend mode) and Strength settings for the tool are all controlled in the options bar.

When using these tools most professionals apply repeated low strength strokes to build up the effect rather than a single application using a high strength setting.

The Folders panel (1), on the left-hand side of the Bridge workspace, allows you to navigate through the directories and drives that are resident on your computer. A small sideways arrow icon (3) appears on the left of drives and folders that contain extra folders, called subfolders. Clicking the button reveals the hidden content and replaces the sideways arrow with a downwards arrow icon. To hide the subfolders again simply click the down arrow icon.

Right-clicking any folder in the panel displays a pop-up menu with the following options (2):

Open in New Window - Displays contents in a new Bridge window.

Copy - Copies the selected file or folder.

New Folder - Creates a new folder.

Sort - Change the sort order of the selected folder.

Reveal in Explorer - Displays the selected folder in the system’s default file browser.

Add to Favorites - Makes the selected folder an entry in Bridge’s Favorites panel.

Delete - Moves the folder and its contents to the recycling bin.

Rename - Use for renaming files or folders.

From CS2, the font menu located in the options bar of the Type tool displayed the word ‘Sample’ in the actual font design. This addition to the menu list acts as a preview of the letter shapes and style of the typeface.

The menu list also displays a small icon indicating the base structure of the font. Most fonts are structured as either Postscript (3), TrueType (2) or OpenType (1).

The size of the text you place in your image files is measured as pixels, millimeters or points.

I find the pixel setting most useful when working with digital files, as it indicates to me the precise size of my text in relation to the whole image. Millimeter and points values, on the other hand, vary depending on the resolution of the picture and the resolution of the output device.

Some of you might be aware that 72 points approximately equals 1 inch, but this is only true if the picture’s resolution is 72 dpi. At higher resolutions the pixels are packed more closely together and therefore the same 72 point type is smaller in size.

To change the units of measurement used for type, go to the Units & Rulers option in the Preferences menu and then select the Type measure unit you want from the drop-down Type menu (1).

To set the size of your font before adding the text to the picture, input the value in the Font Size section of the options bar.

To change font size of existing type select the type and then alter the font size value.

The font family is a term used to describe the way that the letter shapes look. Most readers would be familiar with the difference in appearance between Arial and Times Roman. These are two different families each containing different characteristics that determine the way that the letter shapes appear (1).

The font style refers to the different versions of the same font family. Most fonts are available in Regular, Italic, Bold and Bold Italic styles (2).

Both font characteristics, family and style, can be altered via the items on the Type tool’s options bar.

You can download new fonts from specialist websites to add to your system. After downloading, the fonts should be installed into the Fonts section of your system directory. Windows and Macintosh users will need to consult their operating system manuals to find the preferred method for installing new fonts on their computer.

You can select the typeface or font family to apply to your text in one of two ways:

• 1. Before adding the text to the picture, by choosing the family along with other type characteristics in the options bar.
• 2. Alternatively you can select the existing text and then choose a different typeface (1).

Photoshop bases many of its drawing, painting and filter effects on two colors -the foreground and background colors.

The currently selected foreground and background colors are shown towards the bottom of the toolbox as two colored swatches. The topmost swatch (1) represents the foreground color, the one beneath (2) the hue for the background.

The default for these colors is black and white but it is possible to customize the selections at any time. Double-click the swatch and then select a new color from the Color Picker window (5).

To switch foreground and background colors click the double-headed curved arrow at the top right (3) and to restore the default (black and white) click the mini swatches bottom left (4).

The Fragment filter, as one of the group of Pixelate filters, breaks the picture into smaller sections and slightly offsets these parts.

The change is often very subtle and only obvious at high magnification or when applied to a low resolution file.

There are no extra controls for altering the look or strength of the effect.

The Rotate option allows you to freely spin the contents of a layer around a pivot point.

After selecting the command a bounding box surrounds the layer and the mouse pointer changes to a curved arrow to indicate that it is in Rotate mode. When you click-drag the mouse the layer rotates (1).

By default the pivot point is in the center of the layer, but you can select a new position for this point by clicking onto one of the corner or side boxes in the reference point diagram (2) in the options bar.

The Edit > Transform menu contains four options that allow you to change the shape of your pictures from their standard rectangle format. The Free Transform feature listed close by in the Edit menu is similar, but is unlike the other transform options, which tend to only allow one style of change. In contrast, Free Transform can be used to scale, rotate, distort, skew or even apply a perspective change to your picture.

Background layers can’t be transformed and so need to be changed to a standard layer before the option becomes available on the menu. Do this by double-clicking the background layer and then naming the layer in the New Layer dialog that pops up before clicking OK.

Use the following key stroke combinations to change the shape of your layer:

Scale – Click-drag any of the bounding box handles. To scale proportionately hold the Shift key down whilst dragging.

Rotate – Move the mouse pointer outside the bounding box and click-drag to rotate.

Distort – Ctrl/Cmd-click-drag a bounding box handle to distort.

Skew – Shft-Ctrl/Cmd-click-drag a bounding box handle to skew.

Perspective – Ctrl/Cmd-Alt/Opt-Shftclick- drag to apply perspective changes.

Macintosh users should substitute Command for Control keys and Option for Alt.

When completed either double-click on the transformed layer or press the Enter key to ‘commit’ the changes.

To cancel press the Esc key.

Freehand selection is another term for the style of selection created with the Lasso tool, as the effectiveness and accuracy of the selection is largely dependent on the drawing (mouse moving) abilities of the user.

It was for this reason that Adobe developed the Magnetic Lasso, which is designed to stick to the edges of picture parts as you draw.

Professionals whose work regularly requires them to make freehand selections often use a Stylus and Graphics tablet as they find the approach more natural and more akin to drawing with a pencil.

Full Screen mode is one of the four screen modes that are available for use with Photoshop. With this option the menu bar disappears and the workspace is colored gray, black or a user defined custom color(1). Photoshop CS3 includes two versions of the Full Screen mode: one with and one without the menu bar. When the non-menu bar version is selected the menu options can be accessed via the small down-arrow at the top right of the toolbar.

The options bar, toolbar and any open palettes can be hidden as well by pressing the Tab key. This is a good mode to use to preview your images without the distractions of menus, palettes and toolbars. Switch to this mode by selecting the entry from the View > Screen Mode menu (2), or pressing the Full Screen mode button on the toolbar (3). Alternatively you can cycle through the four screen mode options by pressing the F key.

Alter the background color by right-clicking the background and selecting one of the options from the pop-up menu (4).