Commercial Photoshop with Bert Monroy (VOICES) (Paperback)

by Bert Monroy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Bert Monroy's demonstrations on the cable channel TechTV's The Screensavers are so popular that he was their roving reporter at the 2004 Photoshop World conference. Monroy is impressive at showing, step-by-step, how he performs his Photoshop "magic," sleights of hand that can seemingly create images out of air, or in this case, pixels. As in his previous books, each section begins with one of his amazing Photoshop "paintings" and walks readers through some of the techniques used to create it. Here, though, Monroy is emphasizing his production process as a commercial artist, from working with client sketches to organizing his work.

The first chapter covers some of the more under-utilized weapons in the Photoshop arsenal (channels, adjustment layers, the pen tool, and clipping paths), and is worth the cover price alone. From there, the book focuses on case studies, each featuring different techniques. Mini-cases include compositing for a Chevron brochure, using Illustrator with Photoshop to create a Las Vegas-style marquee for a magazine cover, and creating a 3D cityscape for an online game. Going into greater detail are the more complete, step-by-step case studies for a realtor magazine (moldy bathtub, slippery walkway, peeling lead paint), a medical magazine (some birth control pills), and a Broadway poster (neon lights). These examples showcase Monroy's mastery of layers, clipping groups, layer effects, brushes, and filters.

At the end are two of his most popular demos from TechTV. In the first, he creates an underwater scene out of a garden path using Hue/Saturation, the gradient tool, Glass, Crystallize, Add Noise, and Ripple filters, layer masks, a few fish from another photo, and a couple of other easy-to-copy steps. The other example is one you'll run to show your friends: piecing together two scans for artwork that's too big to fit on a scanner. I won't give the secret away, other than to just say that it's a lot better than slowly sliding one layer over another, trying to look at all the points in the image to see if they line up. And, it involves the difference mode (hint, hint).

Although there's no companion CD with project files, you won't have any trouble recreating his methods with your own artwork. Professionals will pick up new skills; basic users will feel empowered. Bert Monroy is popular because he's just that good. --Angelynn Grant

Product Description

You know Bert Monroy's personal portfolio - now get to know his commercial work. Case studies take you step by step through Bert's client work for Apple, AT+T, Logitech, and more. Glean creative and Photoshop-specific insights from the guy Adobe goes to for information. Includes a behind-the-scenes look at working as an artist when someone else is calling the shots.

Bert Monroy has long enjoyed successes as a digital artist, as evidenced by his credentials and his books: Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Techniques with Photoshop and Illustrator and Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy. Well-known and highly regarded expert in the Photoshop community, he has received heavy exposure on TechTV in the past year and his reputation as a master teacher of Photoshop and digital illustration has grown dramatically as a result. In this newest book, Bert switches from sharing the secrets behind his personal portfolio to unleashing the Photoshop tips he uses when working on commercial projects. This book is complete with case studies that walk readers step by step through the commercial design process--including concept creation, digital editing, production, and working one-on-one with clients. Whether you're looking to better your Photoshop skills, break into the field, or are simply a fan of Bert's work, this book will not disappoint.

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• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: New Riders Press (December 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073571388X
• ISBN-13: 978-0735713888
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review:
   

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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #748,930 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
  
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