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Photoshop in a Nutshell (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) [Paperback]

Donnie O'Quinn (Author), Matt LeClair (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)


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There is a newer edition of this item:
Photoshop in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) Photoshop in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) 4.5 out of 5 stars (15)
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Book Description

January 8, 1997 In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)

Photoshop 4 is reknowned for its powerful painting and selection tools, along with its color adjustment controls, multiple layer and channel capabilities, and special effect filters. These features make Photoshop the standard for desktop image design and production -- enthusiasts in all graphics industries turn to Photoshop again and again to refine the images that define our world.

These same features make for an extremely complex product. Photoshop is sprawling and immense, catering to an incredible quantity of graphic-editing needs. Even experienced designers familiar with most of the features can have trouble remembering every detail.

Unlike most Photoshop books -- which try to teach Photoshop -- Photoshop in a Nutshell is a detailed reference that will enable Photoshop 4 users to make informed choices as they work, eliminating time spent searching for just the right combination of filters and effects, and reducing the risk of incorrect editing decisions.

This book defines and describes every tool, command, palette, and sub-menu in Photoshop 4. Each item is accompanied by a list of its most common uses and misuses, as well as production-oriented background information. Where appropriate, the common uses contain step-by-step techniques, and the common misuses include experience-based advice and solutions.

There are four sections:

  • Photoshop's toolbox, including the Options Palette settings for each tool
  • The menu commands, including every item of every dialog
  • The floating palettes, including the function that each palette provides, as well as the ramifications of every value and palette submenu

The information in this book is organized in an encyclopedic reference fashion, following the structure of Photoshop itself. All topics are easy to find and fully cross-referenced, allowing you to intuitively explore the cause-and-effect relationships of each command.

Any serious Photoshop 4 user will find Photoshop in a Nutshell an invaluable guide.


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This book does well what it purports to do, providing a quick reference to the myriad tools in Adobe Photoshop 4 for Windows and Macintosh. It doesn't try to take you through broad procedures, such as applying filters and color-correcting images, as many other Photoshop books do. Rather, it defines and describes each option so you'll know when and why you'll need it. The book first delves into tools--those items on the toolbar, such as selection, paint, type, view, color control, and quick-mask tools. Next the writers explore all options on the menus, from the File menu to the View menu. The third and final section covers options on the Navigator, Info, Color, Swatches, Brushes, Layers, Channels, Paths, and Actions palettes. Several screen shots of dialog boxes and images help you understand the tool under discussion. An appendix covers techniques in applying some of the tools, such as transforming type and creating curved lines. Another offers Photoshop keyboard shortcuts for both Macintosh and Windows users.

Photoshop in a Nutshell is best suited for those who already know the basics, and it provides a wealth of documentation-like detail that even expert users may not necessarily have at their fingertips. In addition to outlining the correct use of a particular tool, each section focuses on common problems and errors, something that can be a huge time saver. All in all, this is a no-nonsense book that does an excellent job of deepening the reader's understanding of this complex program. --Kathleen Caster

About the Author

O'Quinn is a graphic arts consultant, on-site trainer, and author.


LeClair has been involved in the computer graphics industry for more than a decade as a designer, artist, and educator. He is also a fashion model for Gallagher International and is a yellow belt in tae kwon do.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 610 pages
  • Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (January 8, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1565923138
  • ISBN-13: 978-1565923133
  • Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,348,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
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4 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An extremely useful book., December 9, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Photoshop in a Nutshell (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) (Paperback)
If you haven't used Photoshop before, this isn't the book for you. It (thankfully) assumes that you have a decent grasp of the software. I've used Photoshop for four years, and I thought I knew all there was to know -- but this book showed me how foolish I was! Photoshop is one of the most twisted, convoluted, and counter-intuitive programs ever. This book knows it, and presents the most complete and organized item-by-item descriptions I have ever seen. The Common Uses section puts every tool and command into its right context. The Common Errors clarified many mistakes that until now I had no idea how to address (it's like the author had been looking over my shoulder). The Special Notes section is filled with life-saving tidbits. Any of the step-by-step items in the 100-page Techniques Appendix is worth the price of the book alone. True, there are many, many cross-references ("to do this, see this, but to do that, see that...") But that's how Photoshop works! You can't do one thing without knowing another! Anyone looking for an easy way out should stick to their old MacPaint program. Anyone looking for serious, hardcore info should buy this book. Highly recommended.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Reason enough to use Photoshop - for the advanced, though!, February 17, 2000
By A Customer
(From Amazon.co.uk) 6 crowns! Not really a Photoshop fan, me! As a web-designer I don't need the power (whatever the "cleverer" folk tell you!). I come from PhotoPaint and there is one big problem - lack of decent "look-up" literature! This book is good enough to make me a convert!

Detailed descriptions of all functions, menu by menu (tutorials kill me), is what I need next to my keyboard when a deadline is making me sweat - and this book provides it all! Not for beginners, but then neither is Photoshop (and if you're sensible get Paint Shop Pro to learn imaging, then switch). Like other books in the Nutshell series, this is comprehensive, to the point and ONLY! a few hundred pages (not 1301) - a real desktop reference. I'll keep you posted if I DON'T find something in it ;-)

Highly recommended for users familiar with Photoshop or other professional packages who know already what they are looking for and want to know where to find it - fast! If O'Reilly do a Nutshell on PhotoPaint I might switch back...

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars If you only buy 1 Photoshop book, get this one! (from UK), February 10, 2000
By 
After buying >£30 books on Photoshop and lots of other computer subjects I've changed my mind on all those padded monsters - you don't need them. This book is simply the best Photoshop book I've seen. Its so handy I keep it right on my desk and dip in and out when I get stuck - which is often. There's so much information here written in a tight style and small font which I love. If you're a beginner then it probably isn't the best choice and Donnie O'Quinn's short, sharp and to the point method of writing (typical of O'Reilly books) is great for the intermediate/expert who doesn't want the hand holding just the good stuff. They should do more of these 'Nutshell' books they are simply all you need after you have some experience of the product.
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