Learn Adobe Photoshop CS4 by Video: Core Training in Visual Communication [DVD-ROM]

Gabriel Powell (Author), Mikkel Aaland (Author), video2brain (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321634934 | ISBN-13: 978-0321634931 | Publication Date: May 23, 2009 | Edition: 1

Learn by Video offers you a refreshingly new and fun way to learn Adobe Photoshop CS4 and will help you get certified along the way!

This innovative new product from Adobe Press combines hours of interactive video and a printed reference to teach you the basics of Photoshop CS4. As the official training for the Adobe Certified Associate exam,  Learn by Video teaches you not only the fundamentals of Photoshop, but also how to use the program to create effective forms of digital communication.

You’ll get an incredible 19 hours of video, presented by experienced instructors Gabriel Powell and Mikkel Aaland, as well as lesson files, assessment quizzes and review materials. The DVD is bundled with a printed booklet that provides a topic-by-topic guide to the video. The video is wrapped in a unique interface that allows the viewer to jump to any topic, and to bookmark individual topics for later review. Project files used in the lessons are included on the disk so the students can practice what they’ve learned, and review questions help to reinforce freshly gained knowledge. Other key features of Learn by Video include:

• Watch-and-Work mode: shrinks the video tutorials into a small window so you can work in Photoshop and watch the videos at the same time.
• Tutorials to Go!: Transfer selected videos to your iPhone, iPod or compatible cell phone
  

Learn Adobe Photoshop CS4 by Video presents basic principles of graphic design, including copyright, file formats, project planning, and file importing and exporting. Most of the video is devoted to fundamentals of Photoshop, introducing the user to the program’s interface, how to use essential tools and commands, and how to use the Layers feature. Image manipulation is covered, including color and tone adjustment, as well as retouching and combining images. More advanced topics include creative work such as the use of filters to achieve special effects, applying styles to layers, and combining type with imagery. Students also learn how to prepare images for a variety of uses, whether on screen or in print.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Video2Brain, located in Graz, Austria, is a company focused on producing high-quality video training content for software, photography and programming topics. Customers include ambitious professionals, educational institutions and global corporations as well as home users. Crucial to the flexible training are optimized teaching methods, practical tips from wellknown industry experts and the focus on 'learning-by-doing' with project files. Video2Brain is an Adobe Certified Training Provider.

Product Details

• DVD-ROM: 120 pages
• Publisher: Adobe Press; 1 edition (May 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321634934
• ISBN-13: 978-0321634931
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for learning the basics of Photoshop!, June 30, 2009

By 

V. Hutson (Duluth, MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learn Adobe Photoshop CS4 by Video: Core Training in Visual Communication (DVD-ROM)

(What's this?)

I've watched a lot of videos on using Photoshop and I think these are among the best I've seen for teaching the basics. The lessons are presented clearly and they are easy to understand and follow.

The author doesn't inject a lot of his own personality into the videos, which I think is okay since the focus is on a clear presentation of how to use the software. I thought his video on using "Curves" to be one of the best I've seen.

Here is a basic list of the index showing the 10 major areas and the number of videos in each.

1. Getting Started with Photoshop (27 videos,)
2. Image Editing Concepts (9 videos)
3. Importing and Organizing Images (14 videos)
4. Tools (1 video, 1 interactive Toolbar)
5. Making Selections (10 videos)
6. Layers and Masks (19 videos)
7. Color Correction and Retouching (14 videos)
8. Working with Type (7 videos)
9. Preparing, Saving, and Printing Images (7 videos)
10.Color Management (4 videos)

I think 19 hours of video for this price is a VERY GOOD DEAL!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every now and then you come across something really cool!, June 28, 2009

By 

Jeffrey E "jeffinaustintx" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Learn Adobe Photoshop CS4 by Video: Core Training in Visual Communication (DVD-ROM)

(What's this?)

I use Photoshop. I had CS3 and upgraded to CS4. The biggest problem with Photoshop is the same thing that makes it so great -it is so darn powerful! If you are familiar with PS you know what I am taking about.

I bought a training book on how to use it and the thing is larger than the Austin phone book (no joke). PS has so much to offer that it is hard to know where to start.

The beautiful thing about this video is that is does not try to teach you how to take better shots or guide you as to what makes a good photo. That is another topic all together. Rather this video shows you what is available in PS, where the stuff is located and how it works. The instructors do this one time through and then they move on. It is up to you to figure out how to make it work for your situation. I like this method a lot. They cover a lot of ground fast and then it is up to you to discover how to use it for your own personal situation.

It is a lot like giving you a detailed map to all the hot spots in NYC but then leave it up to you to find your own adventure.

This is a great introduction into PS. It is by no means exhaustive because there is just so much you can do with it. Get one of those PS Bible books and you'll see what I mean. The nice thing is it is relatively inexpensive (let's see CS4 Extended is $990 and this user guide is $39 - do the math) and you will learn something new within a few minutes of watching it; I did.

I know that I will be going back to this video guide many, many times over the next few months and my photo's will be all the better for it.

Buy it - it is money well spent if you are serious about learning the essential skills for your PS software investment.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Visual learning makes it easier, July 16, 2009

By 

Mike Birman (Brooklyn, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Learn Adobe Photoshop CS4 by Video: Core Training in Visual Communication (DVD-ROM)

(What's this?)

Adobe Photoshop CS4 is the industry standard for a full featured creativity suite in digital photography. If you are serious about digital photography then sooner or later you will probably be tempted to try it. However, learning to use its numerous features can be a daunting task. I have often attempted to translate the words of some dense instruction book into something that resembled a working Photoshop feature only to give up in sheer confusion. This was usually because of a lack of clarity or because there had been a subtle change in a Photoshop feature that the author was unaware of. Photoshop's more advanced features can be particularly frustrating to learn. I've often hoped for an easier, more merciful way to learn the more advanced techniques. I think I may have found it.

The Learn Photoshop CS4 Video contains some 19 hours of visual instruction. It is clear, concise and to-the-point. Logically organized, watching these carefully designed videos (I watched each one twice) I found myself passively assimilating information that reading the attached, rather slender 120 page instruction manual then fortified and solidified. I was able to turn to the actual suite with greater confidence, making fewer errors and working with much increased speed. Each video and its accompanying section in the manual really did induce improved precision with much less groping in the dark when using Photoshop's more interesting features. The book is very clear and includes a fascinating and rather lengthy section on Copyright law that is probably a little over optimistic for amateur photographers like myself.

The video instruction provided hands-on experience with using Photoshop that made learning faster and that was often fun to complete. Occasionally, I had to repeat a section that I found a bit opaque. A second viewing was usually sufficient to clear-up my confusion. One of the key features was the ability to transfer a selected video to my iPod. This gave me much needed flexbility, especially when repeating a lesson. The Watch-and-Work mode enables you to shrink the video into a small window while you work Photoshop. I found this feature extremely helpful. Each lesson with your accompanying work is given its own file, keeping everything well organized. The video player remembers where you left off even if you don't, something that can easily happen if you take a hiatus from the training program.

I enjoyed using this instruction program immensely. If you find Photoshop as arcane as I frequently do, you will consider this video instruction set a blessing if not a necessity. I strongly recommend it.