Customer Reviews

Sams Teach Yourself Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) 6 in 24 Hours

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book after reading the praise from the other reviewers, and now I feel I should warn anyone else who is interested in learning about Photoshop 6: this book lacks detailed explanations and, even worse, it contains no solid examples nor helpful exercises.

The author does a very good job of introducing the basic tools and features of Photoshop at a slow pace, which is good for a casual user or absolute beginner, but I was disappointed by the examples. The author actually points out what the program can do and then tells you to play with it to learn about it - I could have done that on my own. After finishing the book, I knew the purpose of each Photoshop tool, yet I did not know how to use them effectively to produce any decent work. I found that I had to go online to several sites to learn more about the program and gain a better understanding of how to apply my knowledge for some spectacular results. ...

If you are like me and want to delve into details right away, do not get this book. Also, if you want complete, concrete examples that really show you how to use a specific function of the program, you are better off with "Adobe Photoshop 6.0 Classroom in a Book", which does take the reader through step-by-step exercises unlike this 24-hour book. If, however, you would like to save some money and have time to spare to figure out how the tools work by yourself, go with this book - despite my disapointment over the exercises (or lack thereof), it is a pretty good introduction to the program.

The existing reviews say it all except for using this book for beginners with the Limited Edition version of Photoshop like me. When I got the PhotoshopLE software, I was totally lost. The manual was more confusing than helpful for someone as ignorant as me. I turned to SAMS, again, for help but was leery about this book because it was directed toward the full Photoshop, not my LE version. There have been a few problems using this book for the LE version and a few lessons do not apply but, overall, it was great. I just wish they would come out with an LE version. I bought 4 other books and this was the best for a beginner like me.

Being only able to fumble my way around PhotoShop, I really wanted a book I could work with to learn this program. I've been getting more and more involved with digital photography and wanted to be able to work with my photos using more expertise. This book is perfect. The author structures her lessons starting with the basics so you're never overwhelmed. The lessons are also short enough so that I don't get bored from overload. I can work on it when I have a just a little time without feeling like I'm stopping in the middle. Chapters end with a short quiz so you know right away if you've grasped the concepts or not. The images the book refers to in the lessons can be downloaded from the Sams web site so you can do the actual exercises while you read through them. You're able to absorb what you're reading and walk away knowing that you're really learning PhotoShop.

This is a pretty good book for the Photoshop 6 newbie, like me. But when it shows two pictures side-by-side for a before and after example of the Sponge tool, which is designed to brighten colors, it's really hard to see the change as the pictures are printed in black and white! I do recommend this book to get started and for the casual user, but for people that will need to get serious with the product, buy a more in-depth book after you have mastered this one.

Excellent book for the beginner. Takes reader step-by-step through Adobe Photoshop 6 covering the most basic to advanced functions. Easy to read and very easy to understand. I highly recommend this book to the new Adobe Photoshop 6 user. Its 450 pages are well organized in to 24 "Hour Lessons" plus an Appendix which are packed full of how-to information. I really liked Hour 18 --Special Effects and Useful Tricks and Hour 22 -- Photo Repair Color. My suggestion -- stop reading this review and buy the book -- you won't be sorry! Howard

The book is very easy to understand. It is written logically and is very comprehensive. It will definitely move you from a beginner to an intermediate or advanced Photoshop User. She uses gray boxes to highlight very helpful techniques based on her experience. My only wish is that she used color illustrations or better pictures to illustrate her "before" and "afters". Of course color would cost more so there would be a trade off there but overall I say it is a very worthy tool.

Very informative. Taught me a lot. Only complaint are the black and white illustrations. Many of the lessons can't be viewed in black and white so you are left to assume that a change was made.Other than that a great first timers book.

This was my first photoshop book and It got me very excited about the program. My one issue would be that although it gave a good overview, it wasn't completely thorough. After this book,I got Photoshop 6 Bible by Deke McClelland. I prefer the bible because it is written on the same easy to understand level, but is completely thorough. There is a separate version for Mac and Windows also.

This book is right for you if you do not know anything about Photoshop. It's quite easy to read.But a very important topic lacks in this book:Channels. I think the 'channels' is the most important part of Photoshop. The author should have devoted one chapter to channels.
'Photoshop for the web' chapter could be better.

I bought this book for my summer vacations, and i tough that because i didn't had my PC with me to do the exercises, i wouldn't learn a thing. WRONG, you learn either way, pc or no pc. I went from not understanding a thing about Photoshop from being almos an expertn at it, how? read those little secrets the author tells you and you will be an expert too. So, my advice is: if you don't know a thing about P6, buy it, it's a great book to start.