:: Adobe Photoshop Tricks & Tips ::

::Adobe Photoshop Tricks & Tips ::

1. Open a temporary flattened version of a fileLet's say you have a really large, multi-layered document that you just want to look at really quick, you can open a flattened version of it by holding down Shift Alt/Opt as you open the file. This is opening a copy so you don't have to worry about overriding any changes to the original.

2. Shape Layers vs. Fill PixelsRemember that on fill pixels (when using the shapes tool, etc.) whatever shape you create will automatically fill on whatever normal layer you have selected in the layers palette. Often times you'll have to create a new blank layer before you can fill pixels with a shape. Shape layers keeps everything simpler by creating a new vector-based layer everytime you create a shape; otherwise they'll all end up on the same layer each time you fill pixels with the shape unless you create a new layer before each fill. Shape layers are vectors, fill pixels are rasters/bitmaps like normal layers. You can use layer effects on both.

3. Establishing a favorite folderYou can make a favorite folder as part of the pop-up location menu if you find yourself using a certain folder quite often in the file browser (in CS). In the file menu in the file browser, just choose 'add folder to favorites'. Now you can quickly reference your favorite folder from the pop-down/up menu.

4. Patch tool Source vs. DestinationWith Source' selected, wherever you drag the selected area of the patch it will bring these new pixels back into the selected area aka the source. For example if you select someone's eyeball with the patch tool and then drag the patch to the forehead, the forehead will patch into the selected area of the eyeball. Destination will take the selected area and patch it ONTO the destination or where you are intending it to go. Source: bounces back, Destination: drags with you.

5. Change the default order of the brushesIf you don't like the order in which the brushes, swatches or gradients, etc. show up in their respective palettes, just use the Preset Manager to change their display. In the edit: preset manager, choose the group you want to edit from the popdown menu and drag the items in the order that you want to. You can also use the Shift key to select multiple items and drag. Think of the preset manager as the mother ship, beaming its messages to it's alien underlings.

6. Fastest way to copy an entire multi-layered documentImage: Duplicate. Believe it or not I used to do it the old school way of copying the background layer to get the same image size and then dragging over the layers one by one (don't tell anyone, that was ages ago) and don't tell anyone if you do it or ever did it that way. Image: Duplicate will create an instant replica no matter the number of layers. There's many reasons for wanting to do this but keep in mind how you want to save it if you do at all (this process retains the original). It will ask you to make a temporary file name but you'll still have to save it if you want to keep it. You can hold down Alt/Opt when choosing 'duplicate' so it won't ask you to name the document.

7. Duplicate on the flyYou can duplicate layers on the fly by pressing Ctrl (which selects the topmost layer) and then Alt/Opt while dragging. This creates a duplicate on the zipper or fly without having to drag a layer to the new layer icon in the layers palette.

8. Faster file choosingWhen you are in a folder in the file browser you can jump to a specific alphabetically named image by typing a letter such as that of the file that you want to select (C for corkytheclown.jpg, etc.). And if you're like me, you figured this one out because you tried to select a tool with the browser open and it kept jumping to the respective filename and you couldn't get a tool..now you know why.

9. F5 is the shortcut to Refresh the file browser. Use this especially on a hot summer day or when your computer might be overheating.

10. Transforming TypeYou can do some basic Free Transform functions to type layers. To get all of the options you could Rasterize the type layer but this does risk losing quality as you increase the size or scale it larger. To retain maximum quality keep it a non-editable (text wise) vector by using Layer: Type: Convert to Shape. This will turn it into a traditional shape layer. Now you can do anything you want to it (skew, perspective, etc.) without loss of quality.