Photoshop CS4 Channels & Masks One-on-One [Paperback]

Deke McClelland (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0596516150 | ISBN-13: 978-0596516154 | Publication Date: January 15, 2009 | Edition: Pap/Dvdr

Coming to terms with alpha channels (or masks) is the most sure-fire way to boost the quality of your work in Photoshop. But masking isn't easy-in fact, the elusive alpha channel has been described as the least understood feature in Photoshop's enormous arsenal.

Now, you can master masking with Deke McClelland's unique and effective learning system. Through step-by-step text lessons, DVD-video demonstrations, and real-world projects, you'll learn how to select and composite highlights, shadows, clouds, fabric, feathers, glass, flame, lightning, eyes, all varieties of hair, and then some. Deke's expert advice and guidance is like working with a personal coach. With this book, you will:

• Learn at your own speed with 12 self-paced tutorials
• Try out techniques and best practices with engaging real-world projects
• Get more than 850 full-color photos, diagrams, and screen shots that illustrate every key step
• See exactly how it's done in real time with five hours of all-new video instruction
• Test your knowledge with multiple-choice quizzes in each chapter

And more. Photoshop CS4 Channels & Masks One-on-One simulates a classroom environment that provides one-on-one attention as you proceed from lesson to lesson. You'll learn to use Photoshop faster, more creatively, and more efficiently than you thought possible.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Electronic publishing pioneer Deke McClelland is a popular lecturer on Adobe Photoshop and the larger realm of computer graphics and design. He has hosted the interactive "Video Workshop" CD that shipped with Photoshop Versions 7, CS, and CS2, as well as hundreds of hours of tutorial-style video training for industry leaders lynda.com and Total Training. In addition to his video work, Deke has written 84 books translated into 24 languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. One of the most award-winning writers in the technology market, Deke received the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Computer Book in 1989. Since then, he has garnered more than 20 honors, including seven independent citations from the Computer Press Association. In 2002, he was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame.

In 2004 Deke created the One-on-One™ book series, which uses video, step-by-step exercises, and hundreds of full-color illustrations to provide readers with the closest thing possible to private instruction from a recognized expert. These ambitious, self-paced guides include the bestselling Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One and Adobe InDesign CS2 One-on-One. Late in 2006 Deke teamed up with vanguard online training company lynda.com to bring the One-on-One training strategy to a line of video products, beginning with Photoshop CS3 Beta One-on-One Preview, the first series available for the public beta of Photoshop CS3. In addition to the full 20-plus hour Photoshop CS3 One-on-One, his plans include Illustrator One-on-One and InDesign One-on-One. Among Deke's current lynda.com videos are Photoshop Elements 5 Essentials and the #1 ranked Photoshop CS2 Channels and Masks (available for immediate viewing at www.lynda.com/deke).

Deke is an Adobe Certified Expert, a member of the PhotoshopWorld Instructor Dream Team, and a regular speaker for the Photoshop Fling cruise seminars. Deke lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two super-powered boys.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; Pap/Dvdr edition (January 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596516150
• ISBN-13: 978-0596516154
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deke McClelland is a popular lecturer on Adobe Photoshop and the larger realm of computer graphics and design. He has hosted the interactive "Video Workshop" CD that shipped with Photoshop Versions 7, CS, and CS2, as well as hundreds of hours of tutorial-style video training for industry leaders lynda.com and Total Training. In addition to his video work, Deke has written 84 books translated into 24 languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. One of the most award-winning writers in the technology market, Deke received the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Computer Book in 1989. Since then, he has garnered more than 20 honors, including seven independent citations from the Computer Press Association. In 2002, he was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deke is the king, January 26, 2009

By 

M. Meyer "mike meyer" (Springfield, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Photoshop CS4 Channels & Masks One-on-One (Paperback)

I bought this book because I like Deke's style of teaching. Not too goofy and not too serious. Deke teaches the building block basics of Photoshop so you can apply your knowledge to any image. Many tips and tricks books show you something that only works if the sky is blue and the grass is green. This book, and all of Deke's training material shows you why something works and not just to apply this filter or use that channel. The enclosed DVD is also very helpful. Deke speaks in a clear and concise voice that is easy to understand and absorb. And if you enjoy the videos then you definitely need to check out all his videos at lynda.com. This book is not for a new beginner to Photoshop but if you have the basics down and are looking for more in depth training then definitely buy this book.

mike meyer

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Intermediate Photoshop Book, February 3, 2009

By 

Mark Bailey (Indianapolis IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Photoshop CS4 Channels & Masks One-on-One (Paperback)

Channels and Masks are often avoided by beginners because they never take the time to learn them. Deke walks you through the process in an easy to understand and enjoyable way. The DVD is worth the price by itself. There are several very high quality videos on the DVD that walk you through all the steps. If you want to learn in a relaxed and fun way, Deke is your guy. I have a few of his other books and DVDs and I think he is one of the best. The pages of the book are colorful and high quality. If you are a beginner, you may want to try Deke's Photoshop book first. Also first-rate.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars disapointing, October 6, 2009

By 

Jose Luis Garcia (Caracas, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Photoshop CS4 Channels & Masks One-on-One (Paperback)

This book was supposed to teach the different techniques for masking in Photoshop. It doesn't. The book reads like a cookbook . The author shows step by step, like a recipe, what to do to mask complex sample images but he fails to tell you the basis behind those steps. So if you try the recipe on your own images, you will find that it doesn't work and the reason is that in reality you didn't learn a thing.

The author instead of teaching you masking using simple examples, he goes into fairly complex tasks that shows how much he knows about the subject and how little he knows about what you need to learn the technique.