[Holigen]

Does anyone have any tips for someone whos interested in using Photoshop for creating images (ie interfaces for OS X themes, websites, etc. and possibly other images)? I havent found any books that cover in any depth how to create these kinds of graphics. Any help from someone who works with Photoshop and who makes graphics with it (not image manipulation, which so many books on Photoshop seem to cover) would be greatly appreciated.

[chris v]

3 steps to brushed metal:

1. Fill with 20% grey.

2. Filter> noise> add noise... 4-5%, gaussian, monchromatic.

3. Blur>motion blur... 30-40 pixels.

Voila!

Edit: The Adobe Classroom in a Book series is good, as are the Sam's Teach Yourself in 24 Hrs. series. As is Inside Photoshop, from New Riders Publishing.

CV

[Holigen]

Thanks

Ill check out those books you recommended too.

[designbc]

Try to find books by Scott Kelby, like "Down & Dirty Tricks". He is awesome!

[STAT]

Russell Brown has some interesting tips at http://www.russellbrown.com/tips/photoshop.html. He kind of talks down to you though and I feel like I'm watching the Bill Nye the Science Guy of Adobe Photoshop.

[Thorzdad]

One of the best things you can do is get Illustrator as well. Those two work great in tandem. For example, you can do some pretty elaborate type work in Illustrator and then simply copy/paste the art into a Photoshop file, ready for extra goodness.

I would also suggest a Wacom tablet.

[chris v]

Originally posted by Thorzdad:
One of the best things you can do is get Illustrator as well. Those two work great in tandem. For example, you can do some pretty elaborate type work in Illustrator and then simply copy/paste the art into a Photoshop file, ready for extra goodness.

I would also suggest a Wacom tablet.

Both good points. I love my Wacom tablet.

CV

[joelcpa]

Originally posted by STAT:
Russell Brown has some interesting tips at http://www.russellbrown.com/tips/photoshop.html. He kind of talks down to you though and I feel like I'm watching the Bill Nye the Science Guy of Adobe Photoshop.

....but I like Bill Nye the Science Guy. Especially the rhyming thing...

[demograph68]

www.pixel2life.com Good Luck

[STAT]

I also HIGHLY recommend Photoshop User magazine. It can be found at bookstores and while it's kind of expensive, I believe the lessons included in it are invaluable. Much more approachable than an entire Photoshop for Dummies-esque book, IMO. I probably learned half or more of what I know about Photoshop from those bloomin Photoshop User tutorials back in the day.

[fiesta cat]

Scott Kelby has a Photoshop book for digital photographers, but I would recommend it in general - it has a lot of all-around good info for manipulating photos. Lots of how-tos.

[Holigen]

Awesome, thanks for the input guys!