Customer Reviews

Creative Thinking in Photoshop: A New Approach to Digital Art

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm not sure how this book got 5 Star reviews from everyone who's reviewed it thus far, but to each his own, I suppose. This book wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I'd see some great photoshop art, learn some neat photoshop tricks, but I'm really not impressed by anything I've seen so far.

The artist takes photographs and uses various filters and photoshop tools to give them a painterly feel and to look more "artsy". Or she takes her own drawings and uses photoshop brushes to give them a more digital feel. Maybe this book would be fun for fine artists who want to play around with their images on the screen for the first time, but as a digital artist I haven't seen anything new or noteworthy in this book. I'm actually surprised that this was printed so recently (2002) because the artwork actually has that dated feel of digital art from the early 90s.

For a really beautiful Photoshop book that explores the artistic capabilites of Photoshop, read: "The Art of Photoshop" (slightly advanced).

I bought Creative Thinking in Photoshop after seeing Sharon Steuer on The Screen Savers. I must say that I am certainly impressed by Sharon's artistic ability, but after reading a few chapters I began to seriously doubt her ability to put into words exactly what process she took to reach the final result. There are of course plenty of screen captures showing and noting important steps in the process, but after careful inspection and recreation attempts, I was unable to reproduce her results using her directions. I instead had to carefully study the images and use my knowledge of photoshop to see what settings she really did use on the filters she mentions.

I certainly am not the type of person that would willingly insult any person, no matter how big the opportunity or reward may be. Instead I hope to inform readers and artists interested in this book that if they need step by step instructions for filters and tools in photoshop, you may be looking for something a little less intuitive. In order to fully understand how Sharon was able to produce the images that she gives as examples in her book you must already have a very good understanding of Photoshop. Luckily I do have many years of experience using Photoshop in commercial environments. Another warning that I must add, is that the flow of sentences in Creative Thinking in Photoshop sometimes strays from what most would consider to be proper or understandable grammar. The multiple use of words in the same sentence and the contradictory statements that surface in many areas of this book can be distracting to say the least.

I would not recommend that anyone decide not to buy this book based solely on this review or any other. I hope rather that anyone interested in this book should evaluate their own personal level of understanding of Photoshop, and also their willingness to ignore confusing grammar.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars based mainly on two factors; First, the quality of the art used as examples in the book and second, my ability to understand exactly from the text and graphics each step to take to reach the same results. If I were to use only the first factor, this book would have 5 stars for sure, but on the second I would give only 1 star.

After reading this book I had to wonder if the New Riders publishing company needs editors. I would of course be happy to help them out if this is the case.

I have taught hundreds of hours of Photoshop classes. This book is a terrific way to learn the program. Instead of memorizing: go to this menu, click this icon, move this here, Ms. Steuer shows how to "think" in Photoshop. How to look at the program the same way an artist would look at a blank canvas.

In just ten minutes leafing through the book I was inspired to try several different projects. Not because I memorized a new command, but because I was looking at the program in a whole new way.

Chapter 8, on collaborating, is well worth the entire cost of the book. Watching Ms. Steuer and her photographer friend work together is an amazing experience. Just that chapter alone will change how you approach Photoshop.

It's a great way to learn Photoshop.

I really like this book because of its emphasis on process, exploration and IDEAS. Too many instructional books I've used in the past (for CAD mainly, I'm a just-learning PhotoShop novice) seem to focus on mechanics and a dreary explanation of commands. Sharon Steuer's book is distinctly different - it gets right into showing the kinds of images & compositions that are possible to achieve with Photoshop, and then gives you examples via the artist's own explorations, hits & misses, of how to go about building images (and of course, which tools/commands will achieve the effects you are looking for). The examples are varied & interesting, and often mix digital tools with painting, printmaking, photography - fascinating stuff! It's really opened my eyes - and given me so many ideas - about working in Photoshop. I highly recommend this book!

This is a wonderful book for any artist working in hard media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.) who wonders how Photoshop might supplement their creative process. Likewise, those working in Photoshop will see possibilities for expanding into hard media. Steuer presents the material in a highly accessible manner. She does not overwhelm one with all the features of Photoshop, but concentrates on those of greatest relevance to the artist. You learn how to scan in a problematic painting and scale and move around the various elements to achieve a better composition. You can then use this as a reference, or in some instances you may switch to this digital image and refine it into your completed work. Likewise, you learn how to adjust the hues and brightness, how to add one image into another, even how to use filters to transform your artwork into something else entirely, which you then refine into a very different artwork. The possibilities are endless, and Steuer does an excellent job of presenting examples of each and showing how to experiment further. As an oil painter myself, this book has been a revelation, and I thank Sharon Steuer for having written it.

Unlike loads of other Photoshop books, Steuer's book teaches you how to use Photoshop like a creative tool. It's not full of recipes for effects that you have to memorize. Instead it teaches you how to explore and create your own style, technique and imagery.

You don't have to know much about Photoshop to get going and she teaches you how to experiment and improvise quickly and easily. Her wonderful examples show how Photoshop can be a personal, painterly and deeply artistic tool in the hands of an artist.

The "Techniques at a Glance" chapter was great to help me indentify projects that concentrate on specific tools and techniques I want to explore more, such as how to improvise with color. At the end of every chapter she offers more project suggestions as well.

This is a great book for artists and photographers who want to get to know Photoshop by learning it as an artistic tool, not a piece of software.

This book is also ideal for teachers who want project ideas that will inspire their students to delve in deeper and see Photoshop from a unique artist's perspective.

It is a fountain of inspiration!

Thank You Sharon Steuer!! In the past I have read books about Photoshop and I finally found one that makes sense. It really changes the way I use Photoshop. If you're going to buy ONE book about Photoshop I suggest this one. You will be very happy you did, trust me. If you teach Photoshop this is something your students NEED!

Sharon's Creative Thinking in Photoshop takes you behind the scenes and into how a creative digital artist-- in this case, award-winning Sharon Steuer-- thinks, creates, analyzes and improves her art. Simple line drawings are colorized and explored, photos are edited, swapped, and painted over-- all with the artist's gentle guiding hand. Great images, clear copy-- the only problem was that it kept me away from my work while I read it. Oh, well... a wonderful way to spend a few hours re-charging my creative energies.

For an amateur who has always wanted to fool around with photos, this book is ideal. Clear instructions, beautiful illustrations and step-by-step assistance coupled with more ideas than I can
handle just now. The author even prints out the computer page
I'm looking at, so I can't get lost. At last, an end to frustration and a great guide to having fun with my photographs.

I've read so many other Photoshop books that actually help you become more creative by simply explaining everything to you in a more creative manner. Creative Thinking in Photoshop really didn't do much for me because it felt like I wasn't learning anything new. Also, as much as the authoer was trying to make it seem like she was narrating to you what she was doing step by step, I needed more screenshots to see what she was doing rather than have to visualize it myself.
I finished this book in just a few days because it was easy reading but also a little too easy for my liking because a lot of the things she spoke about was something you'd find in almost any other photoshop book. The only difference here is that shes an artist talking about technical stuff rather than technical people talking about technical stuff.