Photoshop® for Right-Brainers: The Art of Photo Manipulation, 2nd Edition
reviewed by Dr. Eric Flescher
Author: Al Ward Sybex Inc. 1151 Marina, Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501 1-800-227-2345 Booklink: http://www.sybex.com/sybexbooks.nsf/booklist/4313 Released: December 2005 Pages: 334 $40 USD, $70 CND, £35 GBP, 40€ EUR ISBN: 0782144306 Intermediate Strengths: This book is for the intermediate graphics user. Novice users might be able to improve their knowledge and understand after learning basic Photoshop application and options (especially using layers) and then using the book’s helpful information. Most helpful to the artistic process is the author’s inclusion of notes about the special stages; in the sidebars on each page, which involve “Concepts, Visualize and Realize.” Photoshop users will find the instructions and ideas most helpful for all sorts of artistic needs with images for helping improve their projects. “The Right Brain” and artistic way of learning in the book is a breath of fresh air in terms of providing instruction in a different manner that stresses visualization, imagery and creativity. The book uses Adobe Photoshop CS to take advantage of all the tools. If you don’t have that particular version, you can still model many, if not most of the instructions in the book, for your artistic purposes. Weaknesses: This book is best for intermediate to advanced users, but novices might find it useful if they find out more about the tools in Photoshop first. For example, you should know how to use layers before you try this book. Learning about the tools from the ground up is not a part of the instruction, so learn about the tools first and then try to tackle this book. |
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Computer users, who want to learn how to use their computer for a variety of projects, usually start with learning how to use the hardware and software. Many feel that this is the first place to start, as the focus for the user is the computer. But it is your brain that is doing the thinking and many times the books can be too structured in terms of lessons that can be learned. Not everyone learns in the same way. Suppose you want to learn in a different way. What can you do? One way is to try a book that helps you think in a different creative way. If that’s the case then try Photoshop® for Right-Brainers: The Art of Photo Manipulation.
What if are you more interested in the creative process of photo imaging? Possibly, you are more interested in learning about using software through the art of creative expression hailing from the right side of your brain (yes there are two sides called hemispheres and everyone has two sides but some people are more disposed towards intuitiveness and creativity, not structure.) This book offers a different perspective to look into your use of computer technological tools, in this case photographing imaging and manipulation. It is fresh way of using and applying your creative skills with computer tools from that point of view and the book takes you through the steps.
Al Ward, who has written for Photoshop User magazine, worked with the National Association of Photoshop Professional and is a featured writer for graphics and their Photoshop website and books. He has written this 340-page book to apply the use of Photoshop tools. But his focus is with visualizing the images first and then using this to enhance the techniques used in Photoshop. With this new knowledge that pervades the book, the reader has a chance to look at, see and use images in a different “light.” Using this method, the author hopes to convince you of a different way for graphic manipulation. Ward starts this process in the beginning of the book as the author outlines three ways to view learning.
The chapters help show how and why projects are developed. This includes the how the concepts are formulated to give the user a better idea how creative tasks are build. Each chapter is well laid out and outlines the three stages to accomplish what you would like to do in each chapter. The examples are well done and serve to give a good insight into the author’s technique of teaching through Photoshop use. Visualization and imagination is the key and the ‘tutorial type instructions’ help to sway you towards gaining a different perspective.
This is the second version of the book written by the author. There are once again, ten chapters but several of the chapters have been changed to focus on more precise methods, projects or techniques. The helpful project also helps you along the way. Once again, each chapter can be used as is, as a series of small or larger projects.
Chapter 1, “Tool for Building Your Masterpiece” focuses upon the tools that needed and the background to the techniques to explore throughout the whole book. The focus on this chapter includes extracting images from background, working with layers, adjustment layers and blending specific (colored) layers.
Chapter 2, “Techniques for Embellish,” introduces methods for making cosmetic corrections and enhancing portraits and your images. Whitening teeth, hiding and correcting blemishes and more highlighted more possibilities for your favorite photos. Enhancing eye colors, lip color and hair color as well as “face swapping” are now integrated in this chapter as well.
Chapter 3, is now called “ A Few Right- Brained Special Effects.” Creating glass spheres (with images inside), chromium sphere, and generating metallic colored text on backgrounds give one more opportunities for transforming more effects.
Chapter 4, is now renamed “ Textures, Colors, and Layer Effects.” Human subjects are still the main focus utilizing creative transformations that involve the images. Focusing on lightening, darkening and coloring images in this chapter demonstrated ways to change parts of the pictures. Also included are montages, adding color to black and white images, working with hand-tinted appearances, brush effects and more.
Chapter 5, is now “Effects in the Real World” and deals with landscapes sky and water (reflections). Changing the mood by using the curve tool had interesting and well-done instructions.
Chapter 6, “Animals” shows how to work with living creatures. Changing the eyes, working with bugs, and even transforming “cross-bred creatures” are covered here.
“ Digital Alterations and Manipulations now covers Chapter 7. covers techniques that deal with the creation of photo-realistic effects. The use of masking tools was an artistic method of extracting and pasting different objects into a different background that could then be used with text for advertising. This took a little more work but had potential as well.
Chapter 8, “Going Beyond Canned Filters” integrates working with Photoshop tools that need special techniques to use in the proper manner. Line- art sketching, portrait use, and “vector art” ( which included using Japanese anime art) are included. Working with the merging of photos, paint and texture was the most interesting part but these tasks will take much time.
Chapter 9, “People as Art-Digital Manipulation,” includes many ways to paint the human subject. Making a Zebra woman was also interesting.
Chapter 10, now is “ Digital Intensive.” Portrait collages are main stay in this chapter.
The Appendix now has information that includes saving images to web, building a web photo gallery, creating a presentation, creating a contact sheet, and creating a picture package and displaying work.
Overall, the book is easy to read. The examples and tutorials are well done and thorough, while the visuals give a better understanding concerning what can be done but also future potential. A CD, which accompanies the book, has lessons that include graphics for use with the lessons. All the photographs and computer screenshots help make the reading even more a pleasurable learning experience.
I could not help but feel the straightforwardness of the chapters because of the “right brain” emphasis of the whole text. You are eased into complex processes that do not seem complex once you start reading and trying the tutorials. Once you learn and use the tutorials, the methods can be used to create and visualize what you have learned previously; and many will feel that this is the “right way “ to learn. This book can help you discover new skill sets in a different way and take computer graphic use to even higher levels. Try this book to let your Right Brain relax and show you the way to use your imagination, creative and computer artistry.
