When a scientist is looking for the answer to a problem, he/she uses the scientific method to find a solution. When using Photoshop to create special effects, you must use a similar procedure. Maybe that is why art and science seem
to be so similar in many ways.
Think of it, the people who write the programs that we use now, including Photoshop, had to have some incredible minds. I often wonder how they came up with the number of controls and filters they wanted to include. Think of the features they probably left out because they could not resolve the bugs.
Think of the millions of lines of code someone had to check and recheck. Then, like the scientific method, they had to “Beta” test the program. Placing the program in the hands of users to find out if there are any additional problems or suggestions that might make the program function better.
Problems would be discovered and then resolved. It might change the way the program worked. Test and retest would occur.
Finally a functional program would emerge that would allow you and me to do things that literally could not have been done before... or, at least not as easily
or economically as now.
Let’s face it, desktop publishing has changed the field of a graphic designer. If you don’t believe me, then just look at the classified ads in the newspaper. All of them require some sort of computer experience and a good working knowledge of Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc. The drawing board is now an electronic drawing board. The drawing table has become an antique.
Whoops!, I have strayed a bit from my subject. Sorry...
Photoshop is a wonderful program. Probably one of the best ever developed for the Macintosh or the PC. With it we can scan photos or line art, manipulate photos, apply special effects and even use Photoshop as a paint program.
One of the most confusing features for some people is the view resolution in Photoshop. You can find it in the window bar at the top of the image window and it will display a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 or 2:1, etc. This ratio is based upon pixels per inch. (Remember your monitor resolution is 72 dpi). That is the best it ever gets. So, when you scan a photo at 300 dpi, and view it at a 1:1 ratio, one inch of the image in Photoshop looks to be a bit over four inches long.
Many times we reduce the image to see the entire image and then adjust that image’s color, etc. This is a BIG mistake. Why?, because when the image is reduced, you may not be seeing accurate color.
Hint #1:
ALWAYS adjust your color when looking at a view ratio of 1:1. You may only be able to see part of the whole image, depending on how big your monitor screen is, but this is the only time you can see the full color accurately. This is especially true when the colors are subtle, such as a light repeatable pattern.
Note: I am assuming you are using a 24-bit color card with your monitor.
Hint #2:
If you are going to be applying Unsharp Mask, you should also apply it when viewing a ratio of 1:1. There is less of a chance of over sharpening the image.
Also, apply your Unsharp Mask in small increments. It is better to apply in small amounts and re-apply if necessary than to over sharpen the image.
Many people like the new Photoshop 3.0, but are using the older version 2.5.1. This is in part due to the additional memory requirements for the new 3.0 1 program. This is especially true with the Power Mac version... 13megs minimum. Note: All the programs take more RAM when used on the Power Mac . Others claim they like the 2.5.1 interface better, and the composite control feature better than layers feature. Personally, I use both programs depending upon what I want the program to accomplish.
Hint #3:
When using filters in Photoshop,
it is important to write down the steps and the number of times you applied a filter. If you don’t follow this simple rule, you might not remember the exact steps you used to achieve a certain effect and end up with a less than desirable result.
Hint #4:
In Photoshop 2.5 you can program your Function Keys on the extended keyboard through the Preferences under the file menu. So you can effectively have 30 (if you use the shift key) macros to eliminate going to the menu bar and digging through the sub menus for a particular function. Once programmed, all you do is use the particular function key or shift-function key to apply a filter, function or even to call up your scanning module. Any of the items in the program’s menu bar can be programmed and accessed with a function key. In Photoshop 3.0, they took this feature out of the Preferences and provided it with it’s own palette called the “Commands” palette.
Version 3.0 has the Commands palette with a basic set of commands programmed into the basic set of function keys. You can load a few additional sets that come with Photoshop, or program your own. The new Commands palette is nicer in 3.0.
Hint #5:
A confusing Photoshop file format is the EPS (Encapsulated Post-script). When should I use it?... The answer is there are two times you must save in the EPS format.
One is when you have created a “Clipping Path.” A clipping path is when you create an outline perimeter around an object in Photoshop and you tell it to ignore everything outside the path. When you bring it into your page layout program, it brings in just the area within the clipping path.
Where and when we load a clipping path depends upon which version of Photoshop you have. In Photoshop 2.5, you load the clipping path in the Paths palette. In Photoshop 3.0, you load the clipping path when you save the image as EPS.The other time you need to use the EPS format is when you create a Duotone, Tri-tone, or Quad-tone image. Then you must save in the EPS format.
Hint #6:
When you finally save as an EPS file, you will be confronted with a dialog box that asks you about preview, format, halftone screens and transfer functions.
1. Always check for an 8-bit preview.
2. Always check the format as Binary. DO NOT check ASCII for the format. This will work, but, it will create a huge text file that describes the document and will take a long time to run out at the Service Bureau. The Binary format is preferred and the computer reads it quickly. Remember, speed is everything to the Service Bureau. The more film run, the more they can bill.
3. In most cases, DO NOT CHECK Halftone Screen and Transfer Functions. Let your page layout program set the line screen. Why?, because if you forget to set the line screen in Photoshop when you save as EPS, checking both Halftone screens and Transfer Functions, you will only get the DEFAULT 53 line screen... no matter what you asked for in the page layout program. The reason is that when those two items are checked when you save in Photoshop, it overrides what everyou request in the page layout program.
Hint #7:
Some people think that when you use the “Save Page as EPS” in Quark, that that is the same as creating a pure PostScript EPS file. It is not. It is only a hybrid EPS file. You still need the fonts and graphics along with that image to have the file run out properly. A true EPS file has all the information contained within the EPS file. But, you can open a “Save Page as EPS” in Photoshop. All type and graphics will be converted to bitmapped graphics.
Hint #8:
Sometimes when you are scanning line art in Photoshop it is easier to scan as a grayscale image. Then adjust the brightness and contrast to eliminate any of the gray areas around the image or in the background and adjust to get the blackest black areas. Next, go to Mode in the menu bar and convert from grayscale to bitmapped. The result is a nicer, sharper image than if you had scanned the image as straight black and white line art.
Hint #9:
If you have ever wanted a really neat stippled image that looks like you spent hours completing, then try converting a grayscale (under Mode in the menu bar) to Bit-mapped. Adjust your brightness and contrast prior to converting. Select Diffusion Dither, then select a resolution high enough (100, 150, 200) and hit the enter key. You will be amazed at the results.
Hint #10:
The last subject I want to tackle in this article is resolution. For scanning photos, you can use a simple ratio… 2:1. That means 2 dots per inch to every line per inch. So, if you are going to be printing a 133 line screen, double it, and that is the resolution you need at final size. A 150 line screen would convert to 300 dpi. Simple.
Now if you are scanning a large photo, saving it, and then putting it into your page layout program at a reduced size, resize it first in Photoshop. The rule of thumb is to size the photo to the size you are going to use in the page layout program.
Why?, because when you resize photos in the page layout program, it takes a very long time for the film to run out at the Service Bureau. The imagesetter device has to refigure where to put dots, and where not to put dots… And at 2400 dpi or 3600 dpi, it takes a long, long time. The Service Bureau is likely to call you and say “Instead of charging you by the page, we are going to charge you by the HOUR.” Ouch!
With every rule there is an exception, and this is true with the 2:1 ratio. If you are going to scan a very small image and plan on using it really large, then scan it at a higher resolution/ratio. The reason is you want to hold as much of the detail when it is resized up in Photoshop. After you have taken it to size, then adjust, under the Image Size window the final resolution to the 2:1 ratio.
Quark Note/Alert:
Did you know that Quark sets the screen angles in 4-color process and you can not alter those default screen angles without one of the extra Quark Extensions you can buy. If you are like me it must be set at your local Service Bureau.
As long as you are doing 4-color process, you have no problem. But if you decide to do a 3-color job with 3 of the 4-color process colors, say Magenta, Yellow and Black, you must have the Yellow set to a different screen angle. NOT the default 90°. It should be reset to 105°. The reason is if the screen angle is set to the default, you will see a moire pattern. Resetting the screen angle on the yellow will eliminate the unsightly moire. The rule of thumb is to have the screen angles on colors set at 30° apart to avoid moires. If they are set to 15°, a moire will appear to some degree.
Note: 4-color process does have an inherent moire pattern, but with all 4 colors, you don’t see it...
I hope these few tips help you in your quest for digital perfection.
