Photoshop Most Wanted: Effects and Design Tips [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Al Ward (Author), Colin Smith (Author), Scott Kelby (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The best, most requested effects that you've seen on the Web and elsewhere, explained by two Photoshop Experts: Al Ward and Colin Smith. In response to feedback from their popular web sites and magazine articles, Al and Colin have teamed up with friends of ED to answer your questions. They've packed in lots of useful information, not just how to create a certain effect, but other tips too, like how to improve your workflow, variations on effects, and creative suggestions to help you express yourself further.

This book is for both the enthusiastic amateur and experienced pro alike - it's full of techniques and advice that will help Photoshop users from intermediate to advanced. This book will help you to stock up your armoury; you'll have a range weapons for all occasions and be able to deploy them faster and more effectively.

The book is divided into three main sections; the first two are Al and Colin working individually to create the most wanted effects, and in the third section, Al and Colin combine their skills in three different design projects. These projects were selected to demonstrate how designers tackle a variety of tasks when working with others; the questions and issues that may arise, and how the final product is achieved.

The focus is on tutorials and how to create effects rather than lengthy descriptions of individual tools. The majority of requests that Al and Colin receive are about producing stunning images, not explaining the tools, so that's what they've concentrated on. We've kept one thing in mind during the making of this book: what do our readers really want?

From the Publisher
Al and Colin found they didn't have the space or time on their sites (actionfx.com and PhotoshopCafe.com) to pass on all their knowledge to visitors - people kept asking them for more, more, more... so here it is: more information, more effects, more tips... and lots more!

Photoshop has helped to create an army of devoted followers, not by being relatively easy to pick up, but by having a huge range creative options available to you once you have learned the basics. You can then let your imagination run wild...

With Foreword by Scott Kelby:

"One of the most powerful features of Photoshop, may be the effect it has on the people who use it. People who use Photoshop are hungry for information, they're hungry to learn the latest tricks, the hot new techniques, and that common interest has an amazing way of bringing like-minded people together."

From Reviewers on the book:

"This will prove invaluable to everyone who uses the program as it will improve productivity and increase their use of the program as will the entire book. This really is going to be a must have item in any designers/students/serious enthusiasts bag."

"...the lessons are very applicable to real world design issues."

"This is good nuts and blots information that enables us to get inside the program. I cannot imagine having too much of this kind of info."

"This is a fascinating trick, that you could spend ages with. It is really powerful and again explained really well. It makes you want to use it just because you can"

"Brilliant time saver. This book gets better and better"

As with all Friends of ED books, we offer efficient, comprehensive email support absolutely free.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Wrox Press; illustrated edition edition (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903450551
• ISBN-13: 978-1903450550
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,170,255 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for beginners, December 22, 2002

By A Customer

I really find it especially unfair that many people are knocking down the score of this very excellent book because they say that this book isn't for newcomers. I quote from the editor's note right on this website:
"This book is for both the enthusiastic amateur and experienced pro alike - it's full of techniques and advice that will help Photoshop users from intermediate to advanced."

So, please, if you are going to bash this book for its difficulty, think twice, ok?

As for my own review: 4/5 because some of the effects I really don't see why they are wanted at all....

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, May 14, 2002

By	Keith Winter (Oklahoma City, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This is a great book covering how to do many different effects in Adobe Photoshop. Among the included effects are wood, metal, glass, lighting, 3D, changing colors such as eye color, video effects, and many other interesting effects.
The book is a simple step by step guide that anyone can follow and even as a web designer I picked up some interesting tricks in this book. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to add to their photoshop "bag of tricks."

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding New Book!, April 4, 2002

By	Camy "Camy" (North Providence, RI United States) - See all my reviews

Have been a member of Al Ward's website for years and purchased this new book. Just received my copy and I have found it probably THE best supplemental book on Photoshop 6.01 that I have - and I've got about 7-8 of them in addition to the User's Manuals. Very easy reading and the step-by-step instructions to create some fantastic Photoshop images are OUTSTANDING!

Where's the next book, Al, Colin????