120 Photoshop tips

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

120 Photoshop tips, tricks

and fixes to try today

From creativebloq.com

Improve your skills and speed up your workflow with these 120 expert Photoshop tips, tricks and fixes covering brush tools, layers, shortcuts and more.

Whether you're looking for tips on using layers, advice on mastering the pen tool, a guide to using RAW, or ways to improve your brush work, it's all here! And if you've just got hold of Photoshop CS6, then you'll have plenty to get your creative gnashers stuck in to!

Most of these tips were originally published in our sister title,Practical Photoshop magazine - the best resource for all your Photoshop insights, inspiration, and tips. If you want to get more in-depth tutorials and all the very latest helpful info, then we suggest you get hold of the mag!

Quick Photoshop tips

01. Rotating patterns

You can make amazing kaleidoscopic patterns with the help of a keyboard shortcut. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T lets you duplicate a layer and repeat a transformation in one go. To demonstrate, we’ve made a narrow glowing shape by squeezing a lens flare effect, but you can use any shape, image or effect you like. First, make an initial rotation by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+T and turning slightly, then hit Enter to apply. Next, press Cmd /Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T repeatedly to create a pattern.

02. Combine images with text

Photoshop tips: Combining images with text

When zoomed in close, hold down H and drag in the image to instantly dart out to full screen then jump back to another area. One of the best Photoshop tips for viewing work!

04. Quick full Layer Masks

You can Alt-click on the Layer Mask icon to add a full mask that hides everything on the layer.

05. Easier marquee selections

Hold down Alt to start a selection at the centre point with any Marquee tool, and then hold Space to temporarily move the selection around.

06. Funky backgrounds

Photoshop tips: Funky backgrounds

07. 1000 History states

08. Colour Code Layers

09. Close all images

10. Spring-loaded Move

11. Interactive Zoom

12. Lightning fast layer copies

13. Diffuse effects

Photoshop tips: Diffuse effects

14. Undo, Undo, Undo

15. Cycle Blend Modes

Shortcuts (16 - 43)

Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E will merge a copy of all Layers

F Cycle through workspace backgrounds

X Change your foreground and background colours

D Reset foreground and background colours to black and white

] and [ Change your brush tip size

Cmd/Ctrl+J Duplicate a layer or selection

Space Bar Hold Space and drag to navigate around the image

TAB Hides or shows all panels and tools

Cmd/Ctrl+T Transform a layer

Cmd/Ctrl+E Merge selected layer down, or merges several highlighted layers

Cmd/Ctrl/Ctrl+Shift+Opt+S Save for web & devices

Cmd/Ctrl+L Bring up levels box

Cmd/Ctrl+T Open Free Transform tool

Cmd/Ctrl+M Open Curves

Cmd/Ctrl+B Edit Colour Balance

Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt+C Scale your image to your preferred state

Cmd/Ctrl+Opt+G Create clipping mask

Cmd/Ctrl+0 Fit on screen

Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+>/< Increase/decrease size of selected text by 2pts

Cmd/Ctrl+Option+Shift->/< Increase/decrease size of selected text by 10pts

]/[ Increase/decrease brush size

Shift+F5 Fill the selection

}/{ Increase/decrease brush hardness

,/. previous/next brush

</> First/last brush

Cmd/Ctrl+] Bring layers forward

Cmd/Ctrl+[ Send layer back

Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+[ Send layer to bottom of stack

Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+] Bring layer to bottom of stack

Layers

Photoshop tips: Layer tricks

44. Converting Layer Styles

45. View one layer

46. Invert a Layer Mask

47. Unlink layers and masks

48. Quick copy

quickly duplicate it.

49. Convert the Background

50. Adjustments

51. Move query

52. Panel Options

53. Move layers up or down

54. Fill shortcuts

selection with the Foreground colour, Cmd/Ctrl+Backspace to fill a layer or selection with the Background colour, or Shift+Backspace to quickly access the Fill Options.

55. The 50% grey layer

56. Layer Group shortcut

57. Edit multiple type layers

Photoshop tips: Edit multiple type layers

58. Layer Mask views

Photoshop tips: Layer mask views

59. Select similar layers

layers, highlight one of them and then go to Select>Similar Layers.

60. Change Opacity

simply by pressing a number key. Hit 1 for 10%, 5 for 50%, and 0 for 100%.

61. Quick masking

62. Step-by-step Blend fire effects

A: Copy in the fire

Photoshop tips: Copy in the fire

B: Position and warp

Photoshop tips: Position and warp

Top Tool Photoshop Tips

63. Right-click for contextual menus

64. Speedy navigation

zoom in or out will speed up your workflow more than anything else. Use Cmd/Ctrl and + to zoom in, Cmd/Ctrl and – to zoom out. Hold the space bar to temporarily access the Hand tool and drag around the image.

65. Crucial selection shortcuts

66. Paste in place

67. Hide the Marching Ants

68. The amazing Cmd/Ctrl+click

69. Switch lasso

button to temporarily switch to the Polygonal Lasso tool.

70. Fixed Ratio selections