Using columns (Photoshop)

The New, Image Size, and Canvas Size commands let you specify image width in terms of columns. Using columns is convenient when you plan to import an image into a page layout program, such as Adobe InDesign®, and you want the image to fit exactly within a certain number of columns.

To specify columns for an image:

1. Do one of the following:
• In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Units & Rulers.
• In Mac OS, choose Photoshop > Preferences > Units & Rulers.
2. Enter values for Width and Gutter.

Using rulers

When visible, rulers appear along the top and left side of the active window. Markers in the ruler display the pointer's position when you move it. Changing the ruler origin (the (0, 0) mark on the top and left rulers) lets you measure from a specific point on the image. The ruler origin also determines the grid's point of origin.

To display or hide rulers:

Choose View > Rulers.

To change the rulers' zero origin:

1. To snap the ruler origin to guides, slices, or Document bounds, choose View > Snap To, then choose any combination of options from the submenu. 
(Photoshop) You can also snap to a grid in addition to guides, slices, and Document bounds.
2. Position the pointer over the intersection of the rulers in the upper left corner of the window, and drag diagonally down onto the image. A set of cross hairs appears, marking the new origin on the rulers.
To make the ruler origin snap to the ruler ticks (Photoshop), hold down Shift as you drag.
Note: To reset the ruler origin to its default value, double-click the upper left corner of the rulers.
Dragging to create new ruler origin and result

To change the rulers' settings (Photoshop):

1. Do one of the following:
• Double-click a ruler.
• In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Units & Rulers.
• In Windows, right-click the ruler and then choose a new unit from the context menu.
• In Mac OS, choose Photoshop > Preferences > Units & Rulers.
2. For Rulers, choose a unit of measurement.
Note: Changing the units on the Info palette automatically changes the units on the rulers.
3. For Point/Pica Size, choose from the following options:
• PostScript (72 points per inch) if you are printing to a PostScript device.
• Traditional to use printer's 72.27 points per inch.
4. Click OK.

Put type on a path

Put type on a path.

You can draw a path with the Pen, Line, or Shape tool and then type text along that path. A path has no pixels associated with it. Think of it as a stencil or guide for the type. For example, to have text outline a globe, you could draw a path around the globe using the ellipse tool, and then type the text on the path.

Select the appropriate tool: the Pen tool , the Line tool , the Freeform Pen tool , or one of the shape tools.

In the options bar at the top of the work area, select the Paths button , and then draw the path you want the text to follow.

Note: When you create a path using a pen or line tool, the type flows in the direction you draw, wrapping around the line when it reaches the end of the line. Draw left to right to see the type right side up. Draw right to left to see it upside down.

In the Character palette, select the font and other type attributes for the text.

Select the desired type tool in the toolbox. Horizontal type will be perpendicular to the path. Vertical type will be parallel to the path. The pointer changes to an I-beam intersected by a line . The line marks the type baseline, the imaginary line on which letters rest.

Position the pointer so the baseline of the I-beam is on the path and click. An insertion point appears on the path.

Type the text you want.

When you are satisfied with the text, press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Command + Return (Mac OS).

Fill type with an image

Fill type with an image.

Open the file containing the image you want to show through the text.

Select the Horizontal Type tool in the toolbox.

Click the Character tab to bring the Character palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Character.

In the Character palette, select the font and other type attributes for the text. Large, bold, thick letters work best for this technique.

Click an insertion point in the document window and type the desired text. When you are satisfied with the text, press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Command + Return (Mac OS).

Click the Layers tab to bring the Layers palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Layers.

In the Layers palette, drag the image layer so that it is immediately above the text layer.

With the image layer selected, choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask. The image displays within the text.

Select the Move tool , and then drag the image to adjust its placement within the text.

Change the font on multiple layers

Change the font on multiple layers at the same time.

In the Layers palette, select one of the text layers you want to change.

Click the link column of any additional text layers you want to change. (The link column is just left of the layer.) Photoshop links these layers with the layer you selected in step 1 and displays the link icon in the column next to the layer.

In the Character palette, hold down the Shift key while selecting from any of its pop-up menus.

To change a numeric setting, type the value, and press Shift + Enter (Windows) or Shift + Return (Mac OS).

Change the color of individual letters

Change the color of individual letters.

Select the Horizontal Type tool in the toolbox.

In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the type.

In the document window, select the characters that you want to change.

In the options bar at the top of the work area, click the color swatch.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half.

Click OK. The new color replaces the original color in the options bar and in the selected characters. (You won't see the new color in the characters until you deselect them or select something else.)

Bend type

Bend or warp type.

In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the type you want to warp.

Choose Layer > Type > Warp Text.

Position the Warp Text dialog box so that you can see the text you want to warp.

Choose a warp style from the Style pop-up menu.

Select the orientation of the warp effect--Horizontal or Vertical.

To adjust how much warp is applied to the layer, drag the slider for Bend until you achieve the desired effect.

To change the perspective of the warp, drag the sliders for Horizontal Distortion and Vertical Distortion until the perspective is as you want it.

When you are satisfied with the text, click OK.

Add a drop shadow

Add a drop shadow to give depth to text in an image.

In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the text to which you want to add a drop shadow.

Click the Layer Styles button at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose Drop Shadow from the list that appears.

If possible, position the Layer Style dialog box so that you can see the layer and its drop shadow.

Adjust the settings to your liking. You can change various aspects of the shadow, including how it blends with the layers below it, its opacity (how much the underlying layers show through), the angle of the light, and its distance from the text or object.

When you are satisfied with the drop shadow, click OK.

To use the same drop shadow settings on another layer, drag the Drop Shadow layer in the Layers palette to the other layer. When you release the mouse, Photoshop applies the drop shadow attributes to the layer.

Unlock the background layer

Unlock the background layer.

Nontransparent background layers are locked. To change the stacking order, color, blending mode, or opacity of a locked background, you must unlock it by converting it to a standard layer.

Double-click the Background layer in the Layers palette.

In the New Layer dialog box, type a name for the layer.

Set the layer options as desired, and click OK. Photoshop converts the Background layer into a new, editable layer. 

Soften the edge of a selection

Soften the edge of a selection using the Feather command.

When you combine two images, touch up an area, or apply a filter, you often want a soft transition. The Feather command softens or blurs the edge of a selection, making changes you apply blend in more naturally with its surroundings. Feathering is centered on the selection edge and blurs both in and out from the boundary. You control the width of the feathering by setting its radius value in pixels.

If anything is currently selected, choose Select > Deselect.

In the Layers palette, select the desired layer or layer set.

Using a selection tool, select an area in the image.

Choose Select > Feather.

Type a value for Feather Radius, and click OK. For a very subtle softening, you can type a value less than one pixel (for example, .5). The larger the value, the larger the feathered or blurred transition.

Note: Although the selection marquee still appears as a dotted line, its edge has softened to include pixels on both sides of its boundary.

Apply a filter, or move, cut, copy, paint, or fill the selection. Photoshop feathers the edge.

You can also soften the edges of a selection by switching to the Quick Mask mode and using a soft-edged brush to adjust the edges. 

Replace a color in an image

In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the color you want to replace.

If you want to replace color in only a specific area in the image, use a selection tool to draw a selection marquee around the area you want to change. The selection marquee limits the changes to that area.

Choose Image > Adjustments > Replace Color. Arrange the Replace Color dialog box so that you can see as much of the image as possible.

In the Replace Color dialog box, make sure Selection is selected under the preview window.

In the image, click the color you want to change. The preview displays the areas that match the color you selected.

If you need to expand or refine the areas to be replaced, click the Add to Sample button  or the Subtract from Sample button , and then click another area in the image.

In the Replacement area of the Replace Color dialog box, click the Result color swatch.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, then click the desired replacement color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK. Photoshop displays the new color in the image.

If you need to replace additional colors, select the Add to Sample button , and then click the colors in the image.

When you are satisfied with the color replacement, click OK.

How to Work with Color

Convert a color photo to black and white

Convert a full-color photo to black and white.

Open the photo you want to convert to black and white.

Choose Image > Mode > Grayscale.

If asked to discard color info, click OK. Photoshop converts the colors in the image to black, white, and shades of gray.

If you are familiar with adjusting hue, saturation, and lightness, you may prefer to convert the image yourself using the Image > Adjustment > Hue/Saturation command. While this command can produce a black-and-white image, the color information is not lost.

Resize an image for printing

Resize an image for printing.
1. Choose Image > Image Size.
2. If Resample Image is selected, click to deselect it.
3. Enter a value for either Width or Height. Photoshop adjusts the other value to keep the image proportional and resets the resolution.
4. If the image resolution is lower than 240 pixels per inch (ppi), select Resample Image and increase the resolution by typing a higher value for Resolution. For best results on a desktop printer, set the resolution to between 240 and 300 ppi.
5. Click OK.

How to Print Photos

Print multiple photos on a page

Print multiple photos on a single page using the automated Picture Package command.

Open one of the photos you want to print, and choose File > Automate > Picture Package. The Picture Package dialog box displays the currently active image in the default layout.

In the document area of the Picture Package dialog box, choose a Page Size and Layout option.

Enter a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (ppi), or use the recommended setting for your printer.

To add a photo, click the photo that you want to replace in the layout. Then, in the Select an Image File dialog box, locate the file you want to add to the layout, and click OK.

Replace additional photos as needed.

When you are satisfied with the layout, click OK. Photoshop creates a new document with a photo layout that you can print.

You can design and save your own layouts to use any time you need to print multiple images on a page.

Put Photoshop artwork into Adobe Illustrator

Put Photoshop artwork into Adobe Illustrator.

Adobe Illustrator can both open or place Photoshop files; you do not need to save or export your Photoshop image to a different file format. If you place an image into an open Illustrator file, you can incorporate the image as if it were any other element in the artwork, or you can maintain a link to the original file. While you won't be able to edit a linked image within Illustrator, you can jump back to Photoshop using the Edit Original command to revise it. Once saved, any changes you make will be reflected in the version in Illustrator.

If the image file is open in Photoshop, save it as a Photoshop (PSD) file, and close the file.

In Adobe Illustrator, do one of the following:

• To open the file directly in Illustrator, choose File > Open. Locate the image in the Open File dialog box, and click OK.
• To incorporate the image into an existing Illustrator file, choose File > Place. Locate the file in the Place dialog box, make sure the Link option is not selected, and click OK.
• To place the image into a file but maintain a link to the original, choose File > Place. In the Place dialog box, locate the file, select the Link option, and click OK. Illustrator centers the image in the open illustration. A red X through the image indicates it is linked and not editable.

If you opened or placed the image without linking, the Photoshop Import dialog box appears. Choose the appropriate option as follows, and click OK:

• Convert Photoshop Layers to Objects to convert the layers to Illustrator objects. This option preserves masks, blending modes, transparency, and (optionally) slices and image maps. However, it does not support Photoshop adjustment layers and layer effects.
• Flatten Photoshop Layers to a Single Image to merge all the layers into a single layer. This option preserves the look of the image, but you can no longer edit individual layers.

Put Adobe Illustrator artwork into Photoshop

Put Adobe Illustrator® artwork into Photoshop.

You have two options for putting Adobe Illustrator art into Photoshop: exporting or copying. You can export an Adobe Illustrator file using the Photoshop file format. Exporting as a Photoshop file retains layers, masks, transparency, compound shapes, slices, image maps, and editable type where possible. If your Illustrator file contains elements that Photoshop does not support, Illustrator preserves the appearance of the artwork by merging the layers or by rasterizing the artwork. Photoshop can open a file exported as a PSD file as it would any file created directly in Photoshop.

If you set the clipboard preferences in Illustrator to copy as PDF and AICB, you can copy your artwork in Illustrator and paste it directly into a Photoshop file. The AICB option lets you choose to preserve the appearance of the artwork or to copy the selection as a set of paths.

Do one of the following:

• To export the illustration so that Photoshop can open it, choose File > Export. In the Export dialog box, choose Photoshop for File Format, and click OK. The file is ready to open in Photoshop.
• To change the preferences so that you can copy the illustration and paste it into Photoshop, choose Edit > Preferences > Files & Clipboard. In the Preferences dialog box, select AICB (No Transparency Support). Then select one of the AICB options, and click OK. You can now copy all or a portion of an illustration, switch to Photoshop, and paste it into a Photoshop image.

Export to Macromedia® Flash™ (SWF)

In ImageReady, you can export a document as a SWF file that can then go directly to the Web or be imported into Macromedia Flash. When creating a SWF file, ImageReady converts animation frames to SWF animation frames. Slices, image maps, and rollovers are lost.

In ImageReady, choose File > Export > Macromedia Flash SWF.

In the Macromedia® Flash™ (SWF) Export dialog box, select from the following Export Options:

• Preserve Appearance to retain the appearance of the PSD file and rasterize a text or shape layer if they cannot be exported natively to SWF. If Preserve Appearance is not selected, effects are dropped from all layers except raster layers during export.
• Generate HTML to generate HTML in addition to the SWF file.

Leave Enable Dynamic Text unselected unless the Photoshop file contains text variables. If the file contains text variables, and you are going to use the SWF file directly on the Web (rather than first importing into Flash), select Enable Dynamic Text. Then specify which characters to embed by choosing None, Full Set, or Partial Set from the Embed Fonts menu. If you choose Partial Set, click any of the following buttons to designate the characters of the partial set, and type specific characters in the Extra text box if necessary:

to include all uppercase characters

to include all lowercase characters

to include all numbers

to include all punctuation

Under Bitmap Options, leave the Format menu set to Auto Select and JPEG Quality set to 80.

Type a name for the SWF file and choose a destination. Click Save.

Click OK.

To export individual layers from a Photoshop file as separate SWF files, choose File > Export > Layers as Files. To export individual animation frames as separate SWF files, choose File > Export > Animation Frames as Files. 

Use a clipping path to create transparency

Use a clipping path to create transparency that layout programs can recognize.

Some page layout programs display and print the transparent portions of an image as white unless you define those areas using a clipping path. A clipping path lets you isolate the nontransparent portion of your image so that layout programs print the image as expected. A clipping path masks anything outside its boundary, through all layers of the image, making those areas transparent.

In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the area you want to be transparent.

Using a selection tool, select the nontransparent portion of the image. If it is easier, you can select the transparent area (or the area you want to be transparent) and choose Select > Inverse to reverse the selection.

Click the Paths tab to bring the Paths palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Paths.

Click the Make Work Path button at the bottom of the Paths palette. Photoshop converts your selection to a path and displays it in the palette.

Double-click the Work Path name. In the Save Path dialog box, type a name for the path, and click OK.

Click the menu arrow on the top-right corner of the Paths palette and choose Clipping Path from the menu. In the Clipping Path dialog box, make sure the path you just created is listed for Path, leave Flatness blank, and click OK. The path name in the palette changes to bold type (Windows) or outline type (Mac OS) to indicate that the path is a clipping path. You see no other indication that the area will be clipped.

Save the file.

If the page layout program cannot place PSD files, choose File > Save As.

In the Save As dialog box, choose the appropriate format from the Format menu. For printing to non-PostScript printers, choose TIFF. For printing to PostScript printers, choose Photoshop EPS. Then click Save.

In the TIFF Options or EPS Options dialog box, set the options as noted below. Leave any remaining options at their default setting, and click OK.

• TIFF Options dialog box: set Image Compression to None.
• EPS Options dialog box (Windows): set Preview to TIFF (8 bits/pixel) and Encoding to ASCII85.
• EPS Options dialog box (Mac OS): set Preview to Mac (8 bits/pixel) and Encoding to ASCII85.

Note: If the layout program displays transparent areas as white, try printing the document. Some layout programs do not display clipping paths properly, but print them as expected.

If you experience printing errors, choose Clipping Path again, choose the same path, and set a Flatness value between 8 and 10 for high-resolution printers (over 600 dpi), and between 1 and 3 for low-resolution printers (600 dpi and lower).

Stroke a path

Stroke a path to add it to your image.

A path created with the pen or shape tools does not become an image element until you stroke or fill it. The stroke uses the current attributes of the Brush tool, so before stroking a path, you need to select the Brush tool and set its characteristics.

Click the Path Selection tool in the toolbox (it may be hidden by the Direct Selection tool ), and select the path. (If the path is not currently visible, select it in the Paths palette. If you haven't saved the path, it will be the Work Path.)

Click the Brush tool .

In the options bar at the top of the work area, choose a brush size and style from the Brush pop-up palette.

Click the Foreground color to open the Color Picker dialog box.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.

In the Paths palette, choose Stroke Path from the palette menu.

In the Stroke Path dialog box, select Brush from the Tool pop-up menu and click OK. Photoshop applies the stroke to the shape you drew.

Set options for the shape tools

Set options for drawing shapes and paths using the shape tools.

When you select a shape tool in the toolbox, the options bar at the top of the work area gives you three shape options: Shape Layer, Paths, and Fill Pixels. Shape Layer and Paths are both vector options and give you more freedom to manipulate the shape before you commit it to pixels on the page. You can resize a vector shape, modify its contours, and transform it (for example scale, rotate, or skew it). It is important to understand the difference between these shape options, because the shapes they create have very different characteristics.

Shape Layer  Creates a layer mask. The layer has two components: the shape, which defines the boundary of the mask, and a fill, which appears only within the shape. The Layers palette displays thumbnails for both the shape and fill. The shape is like a window over the fill. If you delete the shape from the layer, the fill fills the entire layer.

Paths  Creates a path, which has no pixels associated with it and which is independent of the current layer. Think of the path as a stencil. While you can use its shape to add a stroke or fill to the image, the path remains separate from those pixels. If you move the path, the stroke or fill stays where it was drawn. You can stroke or fill the same path again and again in different locations and on different layers. Paths are stored in the Paths palette; each path you draw gets added to the Work Path. You can save and name paths to make them easier to select and use.

Fill Pixels  Creates a shape filled with pixels. Once you release the mouse, you can modify the shape only after drawing a selection boundary around it using a selection tool. It is a good idea to draw new shapes on separate layers. This allows you to more easily select, modify, and move them without disturbing other elements in the image.

Set brush pressure sensitivity for digitizing tablet

Set brush sensitivity if you are using a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet, such as the Wacom® tablet.

Select the Brush tool , the Pencil tool , or other painting tool in the toolbox.

Click the Brushes tab to bring the Brushes palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Brushes.

To make the tool tip size change with pressure, select Shape Dynamics (be sure to click the word, not just the check box) in the Brushes palette. Then choose Pen Pressure from the Controls pop-up menu under the Size Jitter slider control.

To make the opacity change with pressure, select Other Dynamics. Then choose Pen Pressure from the Controls pop-up menu under the Opacity Jitter slider control.

Note: You can set Pen Pressure for other brush characteristics as well. The Brush palette contains controls that vary the angle, flow, scatter, texture depth, and roundness of the stroke depending upon the pen pressure. 

Get the brush cursor back

Get the brush cursor back.

The painting tools have three possible cursors: the standard cursor (the icon from the toolbox), a cross hair , and a cursor sized to match the currently selected brush tip. The Caps Lock key toggles the cursor for pen and brush tools from the standard cursor to a cross hair. Press the Caps Lock key to return the cursor to its standard shape.

To change the default shape of cursors for painting and other tools, choose Edit > Preferences > Display and Cursors. Select the desired cursors in both the Painting Cursors area and the Other Cursors area. The sample cursors changes to reflect your choices. Click OK.

Edit a brush

Edit a brush using the Brushes palette and the New Brush Preset command.

You cannot directly edit a brush preset. However, you can select a preset, change the settings, and create a new brush based on those settings. Photoshop adds the new brush preset to the Brushes palette.

Select the Brush tool in the toolbox.

Click the Brushes tab to bring the brushes palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Brushes.

Select Brush Presets at the top of the Brushes palette. Then, select the brush preset that you want to change.

Select Brush Tip Shape and change the settings as desired. To view additional settings, click the option name on the right side of the palette.

When you are satisfied with the brush settings, click the Create New Brush button at the bottom of the palette.

In the Brush Name dialog box, type a name for the brush, and then click OK. Photoshop adds the new brush preset to the Brushes palette, using the new settings.

Draw a path

Draw a path using the Pen tool.

To draw a path with the Pen tool, you click to set anchor points for the path, and Photoshop draws lines between the points (called segments). To draw a curve, you click and drag, which both sets a point of the path and adjusts the shape of the curve. Unlike elements you draw with the Brush or Pencil tool, a path has no pixels associated with it, so you must fill or stroke it before it becomes part of your image.

Select the Pen tool in the toolbox.

In the options bar at the top of the work area, click the Paths button .

In the document window, click to set the first point of the path for a straight line. To set the first point of a curve, drag in the direction you want the path to curve.

To create a straight line, click where you want the endpoint of the line. To create a curve, move the pointer to the location for the next point, and drag away from the point. The curve changes shape as you drag. Notice the direction lines that appear and move with the mouse.

Click or drag to continue adding points. To delete the point you just added, press the Backspace key (Windows) or Delete key (Mac OS).

To close a shape, position the pointer over the first point. When a circle appears next to the pointer, click (for a straight segment) or drag (for a curve).

To adjust a curve, click the Direct Selection tool in the toolbox (it may be hidden by the Path Selection tool ). Then select the curve. The direction lines of the anchor points on either side of the curve appear. Drag the endpoints of the direction lines until you are satisfied with the curve.

You can add or delete points using the Add Anchor Point and Delete Anchor Point tools (found under the Pen tool). 

Draw a doughnut or wheel shape

Draw a doughnut shape using the Subtract from Shape button.

The Subtract from Shape button lets you cut out a shape within an existing shape so that the layers underneath show through. While this procedure shows you how to create a doughnut-like shape, you can duplicate this technique using any combination of the shape tools, including custom shapes.

Select the Ellipse tool in the toolbox. It may be hidden by one of the other shape tools or the Line tool .

In the options bar at the top of the work area, select the Shape Layer button .

Drag in the document window to draw the shape. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the ellipse to a circle.

In the options bar, select the Subtract from Shape Area button .

Drag within the new shape to create the cutout. Once you release the mouse, the image underneath the new shape shows through.

To reposition either shape, click the Path Selection tool in the toolbox (it may be hidden by the Direct Selection tool ), and select the path. Drag it to its new location or use the arrow keys on the keyboard to nudge it a pixel at a time.

Draw a custom shape

Draw using a custom shape.

Select the Custom Shape tool in the toolbox. It may be hidden by another shape tool or the Line tool .

In the options bar at the top of the work area, select the Shape Layer button .

Select a shape from the Custom Shape pop-up palette in the options bar. If you don't find a shape you want in the palette, click the arrow in the upper right corner of the palette, and choose a different category of shapes. When asked to replace current shapes, click either Replace to view only the shapes in the new category or Append to add to the shapes already displayed.

Click the color swatch in the options bar.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.

In the document window, drag to draw the shape. To maintain the proportions of the original shape, hold down the Shift key while dragging.