After adding a layer mask to hide portions of a layer, it can sometimes be difficult to determine if there are any small bits of the layer that have been accidently left behind. In this case, it might be helpful to temporarily add a layer effect such as a bright red stroke ( Layer > Layer Style > Stroke and click the color swatch to choose a vibrant color) . The stroke will now appear around any small areas of the mask that you may need to clean up. When finished, simply remove the layer effect by dragging the "fx" icon on the Layers panel to the Trash icon).

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 6:58 AM | Permalink

To help designers create images that convey meaning for the widest audience possible, PSCS4 can soft proof for both Protanopia and Deuteranopia type color blindness using built-in Color Universal Design Organization profiles. Simply choose View > Proof Setup and select them from the list. Note: these profiles are available in both Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 6:48 AM | Permalink

To change the default settings for soft proofing to something other than the default (CMYK), close all images and select View > Proof Setup > Custom. Enter the desired Proof Condition, click the Save button, give your custom setting a descriptive name and click Save. Your newly created settings will automatically be at the top of the Custom Proof Condition drop-down menu. Click Ok to exit the Customize Proof Condition dialog and return to View > Proof Setup and select your settings. Now, when you open your file and choose View > Proof Colors (Command (Mac) / Control (Win) + Y), your custom setting will be the default device to simulate.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 5:44 AM | Permalink

Another way to increase the speed at which you use Photoshop (beside using keyboard shortcuts) is to learn to take advantage of the "context sensitive" menus. Control (Mac) or right mouse -click in the image area (or on a panel etc.). Notice that the context sensitive menus change depending on the tool selected and the area clicked on. For example, when the Move tool is selected, the context sensitive menus list the layers under the area in the image that was clicked upon. When the Brush tool is selected, the context sensitive menus display brush attributes such as diameter, hardness and brush tip. Speedy!

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 4:40 AM | Permalink

Positioning your curser over the text or icon next to a numeric entree field in the Options bar (and in most panels and dialog boxes) displays the "Scrubby Sliders" icon (a hand with small arrows pointing to the left and right). When the Scrubby Slider icon is visible, clicking and dragging decreases/increases the value as you drag left/right. Option (Mac) / Alt (Win) + dragging will make the values that they control move 10 times as slowly, while holding the Shift key will make them move 10 times as fast.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 6:24 AM | Permalink

For almost all text/numeric entree fields in a panel, dialog box or in the Options bar, clicking on the icon or text next to the text field will highlight the numeric values associated with it . For example, with the Lasso tool selected, Clicking on the word "Feather" in the Option bar will highlight the text entree field making it easier to simply type in your desired values/text.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 5:23 AM | Permalink

While in (almost) all dialog boxes, holding the Option (Mac) / Alt (Win) key will change the Cancel button to Reset. Clicking this Reset button is much easier than exiting out of the dialog and then having to reenter it!

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 5:04 AM | Permalink

I have always wanted a shortcut for Flattening all layers, but there isn't one by default. This is the perfect example of when the ability to create custom keyboard shortcuts is valuable. Simply select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts, set the "Shortcuts For" pull-down menu to Application Menus, Click the disclosure triangle for "Layers" and add your own custom shortcut.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 4:01 AM | Permalink

Command + Option (Mac) / Control + Alt (Win) + Shift + E does one of two things. If the top most layer in the Layers panel is an empty (blank) layer, Photoshop will create a flattened copy of all visible layers and place the merged/flattened information onto the top layer. If the top layer in the Layers panel has content (is not empty/blank), then Photoshop will create a new layer and merge a copy of all visible layers onto the newly created layer.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 5:00 AM | Permalink

Command (Mac) / Control (Win) + Shift + E will merge all visible layers (hidden layers will remain untouched).

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 6:59 AM | Permalink

Command (Mac) / Control (Win) + E will merge the selected layer with the layer below.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 5:58 AM | Permalink

Option (Mac) / Alt (Win) -click on any brush or swatch in a Panel that you want to delete. (The icon swaps to a pair of scissors) . Of couse you can also delete items using the Preset Manager.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 6:54 AM | Permalink

To reorder the brushes in the Brushes panel, select Edit > Presets Manager. Select Brushes for Preset Type, then drag and drop the brush icons into the correct order. Note: this shortcut also works with any of the preset lists in the Preset Manager

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 5:52 AM | Permalink

Option (Mac) / Alt (Win) -drag with the Smudge too, to smudge with the foreground color (instead of the colors in the image).

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 4:47 AM | Permalink

The Dodge and Burn tools have been improved in Photoshop CS4, allowing better control in the shadows and highlights as well as the addition of the Protect Tones features (accessible via the Options Bar). Protect Tones maintains more detail when lightening and darkening regions in images.

Posted by Julieanne Kost at 6:45 AM | Permalink