Top 5 Creative Cloud Tips (and Benefits) from Dave Cross

Our team noticed Photoshop trainer, author, speaker and photographer, Dave Cross (@DaveCross) sharing Creative Cloud tips on Twitter, so we tapped him to see if he’d be up for sharing his insights with our Creative Layer readers. Dave told us that in the relatively short time that he’s been an Adobe Creative Cloud member, he’s already benefited in some unexpected ways, and continues to see additional opportunities where he can take advantage of Creative Cloud features. Here are Dave’s top 5 Creative Cloud tips (and really some benefits), written by the pro himself:

Tip #1: Apps

Of course, having access to all the Adobe applications is pretty sweet. But there’s a “hidden” benefit: Adobe Creative Cloud members get access to new features before they are released to everyone else. There have already been exclusive new features added to Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Muse and more, and I expect that will continue in the future with other apps.  

Tip #2: Storage of Important Files

Adobe Creative Cloud members get 20 gigabytes of storage, making it a great place to back up important files. I use it as a place to store things like presets for Photoshop and Lightroom, color swatches for client projects and Photoshop and Illustrator Actions. That way if I ever need to access them from another computer, all I have to do is log in.

Tip #3: Looking “inside” Files

This is huge! Upload files from Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign and get information about the file: what fonts were used, the colors in the document and more. In the case of an InDesign file, you can even look at the pages within a multi-paged document. And, you can download the swatches from within a file to use in another application, as well as add comments to the file information.

Tip #4: Working with Touch Apps

I can work on a file on my iPad in Photoshop Touch, add some layers and effects and save the file. Photoshop Touch is synched with my Creative Cloud account so that as soon as I save a file it is uploaded to my account. Then I can download that .psdx file and open it in Photoshop CS6 – with the layers intact. It’s a great way to “sketch out” some ideas and then work on the file later.

Tip #5: Sharing Files

I see tremendous possibilities in this one: upload a layered Photoshop document and email an invitation to someone to view the file. They can view the file and turn layers on and off – online, without having to own Photoshop! Watch this video for an example of how you can use this idea.

Adobe Creative Cloud Tip from Dave Cross on Vimeo.

Bio on Dave Cross

For 25 years, Dave Cross has been helping photographers and creative professionals get the most out of their Adobe software. As an Adobe Certified Instructor and a Certified Technical Trainer, Dave has taught at Photoshop World, the Texas School of Photography, the Santa Fe Workshops and Imaging USA. Visit Dave Cross Workshops for more ways to fine tune your craft.