Photoshop knowledge

[jameshudson45]

to all members who wants to share some secrets [Smile]

what kind of plugin, actions or standalone software you use to get the best result ?

i try now many things and want to know your knowledge.

for black and white pictures i use the most time

Nik Silfer Efex Pro

[Medley]

There are no secrets, only those processes you haven't learned yet.

There are precious few plug-ins out there that do things better than PS itself is capable of doing.

That said, I use Blow Up for enlarging images, and Neat Image for noise reduction.

- Joe U.

[Frog]

I dunno but are those california medical marijuana cards good in Washington state?

[Rocket_Scientist]

I dunno but are those california medical marijuana cards good in Washington state?

Huh? ...never mind... I don't even wanna know...

[paok]

Second on Neat Image.

[jetrim]

One of the things I like about the KelbyTraining tutorial DVDs is that they generally include a couple of very useful actions and customized stuff like swatches, brushes, etc.

The other thing that has been an IMMENSE help to retouching, for me anyway, is the Wacom Bamboo pen & touch tablet I recently snagged off e-bay for $50. This single item has cut my retouch time by more than 50% and I haven't even gotten it fully customized with all the programmable actions yet.

[Frog]

Jetrim, which model did you get? http://www.academicsuperstore.com/pr...ocode=0D6J099C


I've been wondering if a pen would help with fine editing.
I have difficulty sometimes using the mouse.

[BlueRob]

Jetrim, which model did you get? http://www.academicsuperstore.com/pr...ocode=0D6J099C


I've been wondering if a pen would help with fine editing.
I have difficulty sometimes using the mouse.

I second that...I have been thinking on getting a tablet also...

[BlueRob]

Looking at the specs, the one I would prefer is the Bamboo Fun...since the active area is larger than the others, but yes its the most expensive from the line.
Now the Intuos seems more powerful thought the prices go up.

[jetrim]

Frog, the one I got was this brand & model:

Wacom Bamboo pen & touch tablet

I think they go for @ $99 new - still well worth it. I have to say, I took to this thing like a duck to water and the programability is very cool. For recurring tasks you can program a button to access *pop-up* commands so you can execute them right there on the spot without moving the pen (my favorite for photoshop is Ctrl+Alt+Z - go back one step).

Rob,
Bigger is NOT better, I'd actually like this one to be a bit smaller so there was less hand movement - of course I use a trackball all other times so I'm not used to darting all over the desk anyway. But seriously, this is plenty big enough to do everything I want to do on a 24" monitor. Hard to articulate properly, but it works very intuitively and you'll understand after using it for 5 minutes.

[gahspidy]

One of the things I like about the KelbyTraining tutorial DVDs is that they generally include a couple of very useful actions and customized stuff like swatches, brushes, etc.

The other thing that has been an IMMENSE help to retouching, for me anyway, is the Wacom Bamboo pen & touch tablet I recently snagged off e-bay for $50. This single item has cut my retouch time by more than 50% and I haven't even gotten it fully customized with all the programmable actions yet.

I was about to go for a Kelby training video, think I'll give it a go.
I am looking for a tablet too, and now you have me seriously considering it.


this thread started out as spam really. . .maybe we'll just get rid of the links at the bottom of his post.

[BlueRob]

Frog, the one I got was this brand & model:


Rob,
Bigger is NOT better, I'd actually like this one to be a bit smaller so there was less hand movement - of course I use a trackball all other times so I'm not used to darting all over the desk anyway. But seriously, this is plenty big enough to do everything I want to do on a 24" monitor. Hard to articulate properly, but it works very intuitively and you'll understand after using it for 5 minutes.

I see your point Jet. BTW can you have both a mouse and a tablet at the same time...the mouse for other stuff outside PS and the tablet for PS? Without plugging and replugging devices?

[Medley]

The Intuos line ( I use an Intuos3) actually comes with a mouse for use with the tablet. In this case, the tablet simply acts like a mouse pad.

- Joe U.

[jetrim]

Rob,
I currently use the tablet in conjunction with a logitec USB trackball and have had no coflicts either works all the time - just don't try to use both at the same time. The only mouse funtion the pen won't do by default is right-click, but you can program that function. I often set the pen down and use the trackball to sort through menus and sliders then pick it back up to use the brushes.

[OldClicker]

I talked to a Wacom rep at a local Photography School and he said that mouse users generally have a hard time with the pen at first- especially if they go back and forth. He recommended disconnecting the mouse for a month. - TF

[SmartWombat]

I've gone totally pen.
Sorted out the pain in my wrist for mousing completely.

If you want fine control I'd recommend an A4 tablet even though they are more expensive.
Don't think that the small A5 tablets are economical.
They are a mouse replacement, nothing more.

[gahspidy]

I just ordered the Bamboo Pen & Touch directly from Wacom. $99.00 and free shipping.
The Intuos4 line is just too expensive right now, and I'd rather get my feet wet first.
Talking to the reps, the Bamboo has exactly the same specs as the Intuos3 line. The pad sensitivity was increased to the specs of the Intuos3. The only difference is it does not have pen rotational feedback as the Intuos line does, but that really benefits graphic artists more than photographers using pen to select and work on photos.
It also comes bundled with Nik Color FX Pro software, so a pretty good deal overall.

[Medley]

Does it retain tilt control Gary? Again, that's mostly a graphics thing, but there have been a few places where altering the shape of the brush according to tilt helps get into tighter spaces. I suppose you could just zoom in and change brush size though.

And don't even get me started on the airbrush! That tool alone is worth the upgrade.

- Joe U.

[Frog]

When I read about the intous 4 I had to have a talk with myself about budgeting.

[gahspidy]

Does it retain tilt control Gary? Again, that's mostly a graphics thing, but there have been a few places where altering the shape of the brush according to tilt helps get into tighter spaces. I suppose you could just zoom in and change brush size though.

And don't even get me started on the airbrush! That tool alone is worth the upgrade.

- Joe U.

Joe, the tilt control is what I was speaking of, although the rep called it something like rotational recognition. Thats exactly right, the Bamboo model does not recognise the angle at which your holding the pen.
The way I figured, the pressure sensitvity was the important thing for the work I'm doing, and stepping up and away from the mouse (which is insane really when you think about using it to do intricate selections and brushing/masking) is going to be good regardless of whether I get with the best tablet or not at this point.

[BlueRob]

Rob,
I currently use the tablet in conjunction with a logitec USB trackball and have had no coflicts either works all the time - just don't try to use both at the same time. The only mouse funtion the pen won't do by default is right-click, but you can program that function. I often set the pen down and use the trackball to sort through menus and sliders then pick it back up to use the brushes.

Thanks Jet....now I´m seriously considering a tablet. The fine detail in PP is what gives me headaches well not headaches but would like to be more precise on the matter.

[Medley]

Joe, the tilt control is what I was speaking of, although the rep called it something like rotational recognition. Thats exactly right, the Bamboo model does not recognise the angle at which your holding the pen.
The way I figured, the pressure sensitvity was the important thing for the work I'm doing, and stepping up and away from the mouse (which is insane really when you think about using it to do intricate selections and brushing/masking) is going to be good regardless of whether I get with the best tablet or not at this point.

I agree completely Gary. However (and this is probably academic), there are two types of controls that the 6D pen gives you over the regular pen, and I think you may be getting them confused. There is a "barrel rotation", which can alter the brush dynamics by physically spinning (rotating) the brush, and there is a "tilt control" which alters the brush dynamics according to the angle of the pen vs. the tablet.

Regardless, the Bamboo is a good choice, and one that Wacom is constantly improving. When I got my Intuos3, the Bamboo hadn't come out yet, so it wasn't an option. I had tried tablets with less sensitivity, and in general wasn't persuaded to go that route.

- Joe U.

[gahspidy]

I agree completely Gary. However (and this is probably academic), there are two types of controls that the 6D pen gives you over the regular pen, and I think you may be getting them confused. There is a "barrel rotation", which can alter the brush dynamics by physically spinning (rotating) the brush, and there is a "tilt control" which alters the brush dynamics according to the angle of the pen vs. the tablet.

Regardless, the Bamboo is a good choice, and one that Wacom is constantly improving. When I got my Intuos3, the Bamboo hadn't come out yet, so it wasn't an option. I had tried tablets with less sensitivity, and in general wasn't persuaded to go that route.

- Joe U.

Thanks for the insight, Joe. The website tech specs is referring to this as only "tilt rotation".
Actually, the Intuos 3 is still available on places such as Amazon.com from 3rd party suppliers, new, and might have been the smarter choice as it is the same price as the Bamboo tablet of the same size. I just wanted to go with the newer product and the software that was thrown in with the Bamboo.

[gahspidy]

Really lovin the Bamboo Pen and Pad. Have been using it for nearly a week now and I'm getting more and more comfortable with it. At first, it seemed a little awkward and I kept wanting to reach for the mouse to do certain things, such as scroll down on the browser, and even some things in photoshop. I decided that it would be best to completely remove the mouse from the scene and be forced to do everything with the pen and pad. Its been great.
As for the surface area of the pad, I can't imagine wanting more. I have even set the pad up so that I'm using less of its usable surface area. I do not have a wide screen monitor so i have made the usable surface area of the pad a more square like dimension and even reduced the size of that a bit as well. i have it so that I need only flex my wrist to be able to write on the entire screen as opposed to having to move my arm if the area were larger.
The pressure sensitivity is a fantastic asset to my editing and really is beginning to makes things easy.
Certainly a good investment.