Customer Reviews

Photoshop CS3 Layers Bible

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What I really like about this book is that it doesn't assume you're either a novice or an advanced photoshop user. It explains clearly what the various features do and offers loads of practical examples to help you get the most out of them.

The first three parts of the book act as a comprehensive reference, but where this book really stands out from the crowd is in the fourth part - "Using layers in real world situations". For me, non-destructive editing is a revelation which has made a world of difference to my work.

I have learned LOTS from this book, both new ideas for making my work look more professional, and small tips from the reference chapters that allow me to work much more productively.

I found this book really useful. I've used Photoshop for a couple of
years already, but I learnt lots of new techniques from reading the
book. Who would've thought there was so much to layers.

The book is clearly written, with many useful examples. In fact the
whole of the last section of the book contains long real-world
examples, which were a big help with understanding the concepts.

Highlights of the book for me include the masks chapter (first time
I've properly understood layer masks in Photoshop), the shape layers
chapter, and the chapter on adjustment layers - particularly the
detailed descriptions of the Levels and Curves adjustments. The
montage and photo retouching examples at the end of the book also
have some great techniques in.

Highly recommended.

The book lets me to get into the nuts and bolts of all Photoshop layer features. Authors have produced a superb work giving a wealth of useful layer-based tips, examples, and techniques. The reader is not bombarded with tedious jokes, the style of writing makes the book enjoyable. I really want to express my appreciation to the authors for a well done job.
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The authors have produced a very comprehensive and readable guide to an area of Photoshop that can be daunting to novice users. Eschewing the jokey and simplistic tone of some series of guides that are available, this book is well written and laid out, making it easy to find the sections that you need for quick reference and enticing you to carry on through the book and find out more uses of layers that will improve your photoshopping. It avoids the usual pitfall of simply regurgitating the Photoshop manual and stands as a worthy reference guide and recommended reading in its own right.

First, I have resisted learning any photo editing or graphics program since MS PhotoDraw 2000 v2. Yup, I looked at GIMP, Freehand, you name it and even a demo of some previous version of PS. But, they all frustrated me no end. So, unless it was automagically done, well, I did not try it out. I think there are many like me out there.

This past fall of 2008 I finally broke down and bought a copy of Photoshop CS3 Extended. Of course I was completely and utterly LOST at accomplishing anything but the most basic photo editing.

Then I found two book. First was Photoshop CS3 Bible and then I found this gem, Photoshop CS3 Layers. I found the first book was written in a style I enjoyed reading, so I bought the Layers book.

To say this book revealed the true power of Photoshop CS3 and gave me a look at how to harness that power is an absolute understatement. I am about 2/3 of the way through the book and already am able to make adjustments I never would have dreamed I might ever be able to. It opens with discussing the use of non-destructive changes to your images and graphics using Smart Filters then gives a general overview of other ways to use layers complete with examples you can try or simply read along.

I love this method of introducing subjects which I find complex and somewhat overwhelming. I had a nice grasp of where I was being led by the authors after reading the first chapter and did not feel overwhelmed anymore. In fact I have gone off on my own tangents to see how to do smoothing, various methods of sharpening, using layer masks and other effects all by understanding that if I used Smart Filters with a layer for each effect everything was organized as well as very easily removed from the original.

I do not usually feel this good about a manual for software, in fact I find the vast majority of reference books on software to be tedious and never buy them or if I do, I toss them aside after the first couple chapters as they all seem to start the same way. You know, as in opening chapters that are the "...this is a computer, here is the power button, here is the cup-holder..." redundant information. But this book really put things out there in a very direct no nonsense but still quite literate fashion.

I make one suggestion though...know the basics of how to use PS if you want to get the most out of what this book is trying to teach us. Just the simple things like opening files, using the different file formats, how to arrange the workspace and what is under each menu. That way you are not trying to learn two things at the same time, which I find can distract me. To that end, I found The Photoshop CS3 Bible an excellent and through companion and precursor to this book. I did, however, buy them at the same time.

Bummer if some do not find the writing up to par, but remember this, many people put the cart before the horse by not knowing how to get around in PS CS3 before trying to add more on top of understanding what I feel is the core of getting the most out of PS CS3. They just jump directly into this book before they have spent any significant time just becoming familiar with PS.

I know I will refer to this text many times over the years as, I really do not imagine I will buy a new version of PS for a good 5-10yrs. So, I guess you can say I really recommend this book if you are the "...lets just get to it..." sort of person and do not need to be seduced into reading further.

Last and this has been a pet peeve of mine for so many reference books. The book was printed with the sole idea it will be referenced frequently so the binding is durable yet flexible. And the paper is not a reflective shiny paper. It is more of a matte non-reflective/glare sort of paper. I appreciate that small thing a great deal. There are only a few color plates in the center of the book, all other images are presented in black & white/grayscale. I know that might seem wrong for a book about graphics, remember the point of the book is not simply to make you images prettier, it is to impart the understanding of the techniques to make those changes that transform your so-so image into something special.

Advanced Photoshop CS3 users know that layers is one of the most attractive - and challenging - aspects of the program, so having a book entirely devoted to this - rather than just a chapter or two in an overall Photoshop guide - is special. PHOTOSHOP CS3 LAYERS BIBLE comes with a cd-rom of over ninety stock photos for use and source images from the book, and covers all the basics and advanced-level uses, from how to create a smart object from an image file to using layers in other applications outside of Photoshop. Any library specializing in Photoshop guides will find this a popular lend indeed.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is poorly written. It is the worst book on photoshop that I have ever encountered. I have read at least a dozen photoshop books. Don' waste your time on this book. There are too many good ones out there.