Photoshop CS4: Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks

#12 Name and Color-Code Layers to Organize the Layers Panel.

#13 Duplicate and Change the Background Layer for More Options.

#14 Adjust a Photo with an Adjustment Layer.

#15 Blend Two Photos Together with a Layer Mask.

#16 Add a Design with a Custom Shape Layer.

#17 Accentuate a Sky with a Gradient Fill Layer.

#18 Make a Selection with the Quick Selection Tool.

#19 Use Refine Edge to Make All Selections Better.

#20 Paint a Quick Mask to Make a Detailed Selection.

#21 Add Layers as Smart Objects for Flexible Changes.

#22 Apply Filters as Smart Filters for Dynamic Adjustments.

2 Customizing Photoshop for Your Projects.

#1 Select the Color Settings for Your Projects.

#2 Set the Preferences for the Way You Work.

#3 Move the Panels and Tools to Customize Your Workspace.

#4 Personalize Your View of Bridge.

#5 Add a Keyboard Shrtcut for a Favorite Filter.

#6 Create a Custom Action to Increase Your Efficiency.

#7 Design a Customized Brush with Your Settings.

#8 Make a Special Gradient to Suit Your Design.

#9 Calibrate and Profile Your Monitor for Better Editing.

#10 Turn on the Full Power of Photoshop with a Pen Tablet.

#11 Change Your Window Views.

3 Straightening, Cropping, and Resizing.

#23 Crop Your Images to Improve Composition with Photographers’ Rules.

#24 Create a Level Horizon.

#25 Expand the Canvas with a Reverse Crop.

#26 Crop and Straighten in Camera Raw.

#27 Straighten Crooked Scans Quickly.

#28 Create Multiple Images from One Original.

#29 Change Your Perspective with the Crop Tool.

#30 Straighten Buildings with One Filter.

#31 Create a Panorama from Multiple Photos.

#32 Resize Your Image with Minimal Visible Loss.

4 Retouching Photographs.

#33 Remove Blemishes to Improve the Skin.

#34 Reduce Wrinkles with a Soft Touch.

#35 Remove Red Eye to Quickly Improve any Photo.

#36 Change Eye Color Digitally.

#37 Add a Gradient Layer to Lighten the Irises.

#38 Brighten the Eyes by Lightening the Whites.

#39 Add Depth to the Eyes to Emphasize Them.

#40 Add a Catch Light to Make the Eyes Come Alive.

#41 Sharpen Just the Eyes to Add Focus.

#42 Whiten Teeth to Add a Youthful Look.

#43 Add a Soft-Focus Effect to Make a Portrait Glow.

5 Changing and Enhancing Colors and Tone.

#44 Improve an Underexposed Photo in Two Steps.

#45 Improve an Overexposed Photo in Three Steps.

#46 Remove a Colorcast to Improve the Overall Color.

#47 Colorize a Black-and-White Photograph.

#48 Change a Color Photo into a Custom Grayscale Photo.

#49 Add a Creative Touch with a Little Color.

#50 Dodge and Burn with a Special Layer.

#51 Increase Saturation Subtly Using a Vibrance Adjustment Layer.

#52 Use Camera Raw to Visually Adjust Any Photo.

#53 Recover Highlights with Camera Raw.

#54 Improve a Sky with the Graduated Filter in Camera Raw.

#55 Create a Split Tone for a Special Effect in Camera Raw.

6 Making Magic with Digital Special Effects.

#56 Apply a Photo Filter for Dynamic Adjustments.

#57 Add a Quick Dark Vignette Effect to Direct the Focus on the Subject.

#58 Add Action with a Simulated Motion Blur.

#59 Blend Separate Photos for the Best Group Shot.

#60 Merge Multiple Raw Photos to 32-Bit HDR.

#61 Apply a Split-Neutral Density Filter Using Smart Objects.

#62 Adjust Depth of Field with a Lens Blur Filter.

#63 Use the Auto Blend Tool to Create Greater Depth of Field.

#64 Create a Silhouette for a Custom Design.

#65 Become a Digital Architect with the Vanishing Point Filter.

#66 Erase Items in Perspective with the Vanishing Point Filter.

#67 Add a Simulated Reflection to an Object with the Clone Stamp Tool.

#68 Blend One Image into Another with a Displacement Map.

7 Designing with Text Effects.

#69 Paint Different Colors into a Text Title.

#70 Add a Double-Neon Glow to Text for a Unique Design.

#71 Create a Custom Watermark to Protect Your Images.

#72 Fill a Shape with Text to Create Unique Effects.

#73 Warp Type for a Fun Effect.

#74 Add Perspective to Type and Keep It Sharp.

#75 Make Your Text Follow Any Path.

#76 Create an Photo-Filled Title.

#77 Blend Text into a Photograph Creatively.

#78 Create an Amazing Colored Shadow.

#79 Weave Text and Graphics for Intriguing Designs.

8 Creating Digital Artwork from Photographs.

#80 Make Any Photo Appear Sketched on the Paper.

#81 Add Your Own Signature to Any Artwork.

#82 Create a Digital Pen-and-Ink Drawing.

#83 Give a Photograph a Woodcut Look.

#84 Convert any Photo to a High Contrast Stylized Image.

#85 Turn a Photo into a Colored-Pencil Illustration.

#86 Posterize a Photo for a Warhol-Style Image.

#87 Change a Photograph into a Pen-and-Colored-Wash Drawing.

#88 Compose a Photo Collage.

#89 Turn a Photo into a Hand-Painted Oil Painting.

#90 Paint a Digital Watercolor.

9 Giving Your Images a Professional Presentation.

#91 Frame a Photo with Photo Corners.

#92 Make a Line Frame from within a Photo.

#93 Apply a Filter to Give a Photo an Artistic Edge.

#94 Create Your Own Custom Edge.

#95 Create a Custom Slide Template.

#96 Create a Custom Color Background.

#97 Make a Photo Look like a Gallery Print.

#98 Make a Contact Sheet of Your Photos.

#99 Create a Slide Show Presentation.

#100 Create a Web Photo Gallery.

10 Plugging in to Photoshop CS4.

#101 Embellish a Photo Effortlessly with Graphic Authority.

#102 Enlarge Images with Maximum Quality with Alien Skin Blow Up.

#103 Change Your Photos into Art with Alien Skin Snap Art.

#104 Colorize a Black-and-White Photo with AKVIS Coloriage.

#105 Make a Selection and Remove the Background with Vertus Fluid Mask.

#106 Control Digital Noise with Nik Dfine.

#107 Sharpen Photos with Finesse Using Nik Sharpener Pro.

#108 Apply Photo Filters Digitally Using Nik Color Efex Pro.

#109 Enhance Colors and Light Selectively with Nik Viveza.

#110 Create a Dynamic Black-and-White Image with Nik Silver Efex Pro.

#111 Transform an Image with an Action from Kubota Image Tools.

#112 Explore Colors Visually with AutoFX Software.

#113 Enhance Your Portraits with Imagenomic Portraiture.

#114 Travel Beyond Bridge with Extensis Portfolio.