Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by
Adobe System for windows. It can edit and compose raster images in
multiple layers and supports masks, alpha composting and several color
models including RGB, CMYK, Lab color space, spot color and duotone.
Photoshop has vast support for graphic file formats but also uses its own PSD
and PSB files.
Photoshop files have default file extension as .PSD which stands
for “Photoshop Document”. A PSD file stores an image with support for most
imaging options available in Photoshop. These include layers with masks,
transparency, alpha channels, spot colors etc. Photoshop files sometimes
have the file extension .PSB which stands for “Photoshop Big”. A PSB file
extends the PSD file format, increasing the maximum height and width to
300000 pixels.
THE PHOTOSHOP WORKSPACE
When we first open Photoshop, the workspace consists of a set of default or
standard menus, panels and tools. Photoshop’s menu appear at the top of the
screen, the Application bar is below the menus, the Tool Options bar below
that, the panels are placed on the right side of the screen and the tools are
located in a toolbox on the left.
1. Application bar: - The application bar provides access to the Bridge,
navigation functions, and window viewing controls. Under windows,
the application bar is located to the right of the menu bar. We can
customize the layout and functionality of the photoshop workspace by
using the workspace switcher. The default workspace is called
Essentials.
2. Menu bar:- Click a name in the menu bar to display a list of commands.
A command followed by three dots displays a window of options called
a dialog box.
a) File: - The File menu contains options to create new images, load
existing images, save images, acquire images from scanner, print
images, automate functions, set color settings and exit the
program.
b) Edit: - The Edit menu contains options to copy, cut and paste
entire images or parts of images, fill areas of an image, create
strokes or outlines around image elements, transform or modify
images and set preferences.
c) Image: -The Image menu contains options to modify color depth
or mode, manipulate or adjust color and other image properties,
modify image size, canvas size and orientation, examine color
information and extract areas of an image from backgrounds.
d) Layer: - This menu contains options to modify and manipulate
layers. To summarize, a Photoshop image can contain a number
of separate levels, that contain image information.
e) Select: -The Select menu contains options to create, modify and
manipulate photoshop’s selections. Selections are areas of an
image that we choose to isolate from the rest of the image.
f) Filter: - Filters or special effects are contained in this menu.
Applying a filter to an image will modify the image based on the
filter’s pre-defined instructions.
g) Analysis: - This menu provides options for measuring, counting
objects and placing markers in our image document.
h) View: - The view menu contains options to change our view of
an image i.e zooming in and out. This menu also houses the
ability to show/hide rulers and guides which will aid in editing
our image.
i) Window: - Window contains options to show/hide the toolbox
and panels as well as options to organize images within
Photoshop’s workspace.
j) Help: - Online help, information about plug-ins and information
about the version of Photoshop we are using are located in this
menu.
3. Options bar: - The settings modify the behaviour of the active tool.
The options bar is context sensitive, so we can see a different set of
options each time we switch to a different tool.
4. Cursor: - The cursor also called pointer is the on-screen
representative. It moves as our mouse moves and changes to reflect
the active tool or operation.
5. Panels: - A panel or palette is a window of options that remains visible
regardless of what we are doing. Many of the panels are grouped
together in panel groups because their functions are related.
6. Toolbox: - The toolbox or tools panel contains a wide range of tools
used to create and manipulate images. Some tools are arranged in
groups with only one tool shown for each group and the other tools in
the group hidden behind that tool.
Steps to create an image: -
1. Choose File New
2. In the New dialog box, type a name for the image.
3. Choose a document size from the Document Type menu.
4. Set the width and height by entering values
5. Select a Background Contents option
6. Click ok button.
Steps to open a file: -
1. Choose File Open
2. Select the name of the file you want to open
3. Click open button.
Steps to save a file: -
1. Choose File Save
2. A dialog box appears.
3. Select the required destination and give a proper file name
4. Click save button.
