Working with Panels

The right side of the Application Frame is dwelling house to a slew of modest windows called panels , which permit you work with oftentimes used features similar colors, adjustments, layers, and and then on. You lot're free to organize the panels notwithstanding you lot like and position them anywhere you want. Panels can be free floating or docked (attached) to the tiptop, bottom, left, or right sides of your screen. And y'all can link panels together into groups , which you can then move around. Each panel also has its very own menu, called (appropriately enough) a panel menu , located in its summit-right corner; its icon looks similar four petty lines with a downward-pointing triangle and is labeled in Effigy one-5, left.

Here you can see the difference between expanded panels (left) and collapsed panels (right). Double-click a panel's tab to collapse it vertically, rolling it up like a window shade; single-click the tab again to expand the panel.You can also collapse a panel horizontally by clicking the right-pointing double arrows in its top right (circled, right), at which point it turns into a small button. To expand one of these buttons back into a panel, just click the left-pointing double arrows circled here (circled, middle).

Figure 1-five. Here you tin see the difference between expanded panels (left) and collapsed panels (right). Double-click a panel'southward tab to collapse it vertically, rolling information technology upward similar a window shade; single-click the tab once more to expand the console. You can also collapse a panel horizontally past clicking the right-pointing double arrows in its top right (circled, correct), at which point it turns into a small push button. To aggrandize one of these buttons back into a console, just click the left-pointing double arrows circled here (circled, middle).

Take a peek at the correct side of your screen and you'll see that Photoshop starts you off with 3 docked panel groups filled with goodies information technology thinks you'll use a lot (there'southward more on docked panels coming up shortly). The first group contains the Color and Swatches panels; the second grouping contains Adjustments and Styles; and the tertiary contains Layers, Channels, and Paths. To work with a console, actuate it by clicking its tab.

Panels are similar Dizzy Putty—they're incredibly flexible. You can plummet, aggrandize, move, and resize them, or even swap 'em for other panels. Hither'due south how:

  • Plummet or aggrandize panels . If panels are encroaching on your editing space, you tin can shrink them both horizontally and vertically and then they expect and behave like buttons. To collapse a panel (or panel group) horizontally and then that it becomes a button nestled confronting the side of some other panel or the border of your screen, click the tiny double arrow in its top-right corner; click this aforementioned button again to aggrandize the panel. To collapse a panel vertically confronting the bottom of the panel to a higher place it, as shown in Figure 1-five, right, double-click the panel'southward tab or the empty area to its right; unmarried-click the tab or double-click the empty surface area to roll the panel back downwardly. To adjust a panel's width, point your cursor at its left edge and, when the cursor turns into a double-headed arrow, drag left or right to make the panel bigger or smaller (though some panels have a minimum width).

  • Add together and modify panel groups . You lot can open even more panels past opening the Window bill of fare (which lists all of Photoshop'due south panels) and clicking the proper noun of the 1 you want to open. When you do, Photoshop puts the panel in a column to the left of the ones that are already open and adds a tiny button to its right that you tin click to collapse it both horizontally and vertically (just click the aforementioned push again to expand it). If the new panel is part of a grouping, like the Character and Paragraph panels, the extra panel tags forth with it. If it'south a panel you lot expect to utilise a lot, you lot can add information technology to an existing panel group by clicking and dragging the dotted lines in a higher place its button into a blank area in the panel group, as shown in Figure 1-6.

  • Undock, redock, and close panels . From the manufactory, Photoshop docks 3 sets of panel groups to the right side of your screen (or Application Frame). But yous're non stuck with the panels glued to this spot; y'all tin can set them gratis past turning them into floating panels. To liberate a panel, take hold of its tab, pull it out of the group it's in, and so move information technology anywhere yous want (see Effigy one-7). When you allow go of your mouse push, the panel appears where y'all put it—all by itself.

    You can undock a whole panel group in nearly the aforementioned mode: Click an empty spot in the grouping's tab area and elevate it out of the dock. Once you release your mouse push, you tin drag the group effectually by clicking the same empty spot in the tab area. Or, if the group is collapsed, click the tiny dotted lines at the summit of the grouping, simply below the dark greyness bar.

    To redock the panel (or console group), elevate information technology dorsum to the right side of your screen. To preclude a panel from docking while you're moving it around, ⌘-drag (Ctrl-elevate) it instead.

Top: When you open a new panel, Photoshop adds it to a column to the left of your other panels and gives it a handy button that you can click to collapse or expand it, like the Info panel's button circled here. The tiny dotted line above each button is its handle; click and drag one of these handles to reposition the panel in the column, add the panel to a panel group, and so on. If the panel you opened is related to another panel—like the Brush panel and the Brush Presets panel—then both panels will open as a panel group with a single handle.Middle: When you're dragging a panel into a panel group, wait until you see a blue line around the inside of the group before you release your mouse button. Here, the Info panel is being added to a panel group. (You can see a faint version of the Info panel's button where the red arrow is pointing.)Bottom: When you release your mouse button, the new panel becomes part of the group. To rearrange panels within a group, drag their tabs (circled) left or right.If the blue highlight lines are hard to see when you're trying to group or dock panels, try dragging the panels more slowly. That way, when you drag the panel into a group or dockable area, the blue highlight hangs around a little longer and the panel becomes momentarily transparent.

Figure 1-half-dozen. Pinnacle: When you open a new panel, Photoshop adds it to a column to the left of your other panels and gives it a handy button that you tin click to collapse or expand it, like the Info panel'south button circled here. The tiny dotted line above each button is its handle; click and drag one of these handles to reposition the panel in the cavalcade, add the panel to a panel grouping, so on. If the panel y'all opened is related to some other panel—similar the Brush panel and the Brush Presets panel—then both panels volition open as a panel group with a unmarried handle. Heart: When you're dragging a panel into a console grouping, wait until yous see a blue line around the inside of the group before y'all release your mouse push. Here, the Info panel is being added to a panel group. (You tin can see a faint version of the Info console'southward button where the red pointer is pointing.) Lesser: When you release your mouse button, the new console becomes function of the group. To rearrange panels inside a group, elevate their tabs (circled) left or right. If the blue highlight lines are hard to see when you lot're trying to group or dock panels, effort dragging the panels more slowly. That manner, when you lot drag the console into a group or dockable area, the bluish highlight hangs around a little longer and the console becomes momentarily transparent.

To undock a panel (or panel group), click the panel's tab (or a free area to the right of the group's tabs), and then drag the panel or group somewhere else on your screen.To dock it again, drag it to the right side of your screen—on top of the other panels. When you see a thin blue line appear where you want the panel (or group) to land, release your mouse button.

Figure ane-7. To undock a panel (or panel group), click the panel's tab (or a costless area to the right of the group'south tabs), and so drag the panel or group somewhere else on your screen. To dock information technology again, drag information technology to the correct side of your screen—on top of the other panels. When y'all come across a thin blue line announced where you want the panel (or group) to land, release your mouse button.

Annotation

The Timeline console (which was chosen the Animation panel prior to Photoshop CS6) is docked to the lesser of your workspace, which is a docking hotspot, likewise. That said, Photoshop refuses to permit yous dock the Options bar down there.

To close a console, click its tab and drag it out of the panel group to a different surface area of your screen (Effigy one-seven); then click the tiny circle in the panel's height-left corner (on a PC, click the X in the panel's top-right corner instead). Don't worry—the panel isn't gone forever; if you want to reopen it, simply choose information technology from the Windows card.

Getting the hang of undocking, redocking, and arranging panels takes a little exercise considering information technology's tough to control where the little rascals country. When the panel you're dragging is about to join a docking expanse (or a different console group), a thin bluish line appears showing y'all where the panel or group will go.

Customizing Your Workspace

Once you adjust Photoshop'south panels just so, you can keep 'em that way by saving your setup as a workspace , using the unlabeled Workspace driblet-downwardly carte du jour at the right stop of the Options bar (encounter Figure 1-viii). Straight from the manufactory, this menu is set to Essentials, which is a good general-use setup that includes panels that most people use regularly. The menu'due south other options are more specialized: 3D is designed for working with 3D objects (see Chapter 21), Motion is for video editing, Painting is for (you guessed it) painting, Photography is for working with photos, and Typography is for working with text. To swap workspaces, simply click one of these presets (built-in settings), and Photoshop rearranges your panels accordingly.

Note

Gone in this version of Photoshop is the What's New workspace, which used to highlight all the menu items that included new features. However, all is not lost: you tin can choose Help→What's New to visit Adobe's site and come across a handy summary of features, listed by the year they were released (for example, Photoshop CC June 2014, and so on).

Most of the built-in workspaces are designed to help you perform specialized tasks. For example, the Photography workspace puts the Histogram and Navigation panels at the top right. Take the built-in workspaces for a test drive—they'll undoubtedly give you customization ideas you hadn't thought of!If you don't see the Workspace menu and you've got the Application Frame turned on, point your cursor at the right side of the Photoshop window and, when it turns into a double-headed arrow, click and drag rightward to increase the frame's size.

Effigy 1-8. Well-nigh of the built-in workspaces are designed to help you perform specialized tasks. For instance, the Photography workspace puts the Histogram and Navigation panels at the top right. Have the built-in workspaces for a test bulldoze—they'll undoubtedly give yous customization ideas y'all hadn't thought of! If you don't come across the Workspace bill of fare and you've got the Application Frame turned on, point your cursor at the right side of the Photoshop window and, when information technology turns into a double-headed arrow, click and elevate rightward to increase the frame's size.

To save your own custom workspace, first open up and conform the panels you desire to include. Side by side, click the Workspace menu and choose New Workspace. In the resulting dialog box, give your setup a meaningful name and plough on the checkboxes for the customizations you want Photoshop to relieve. In addition to panel locations, you tin save whatever keyboard shortcut and menu settings you lot've changed (see the box on Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus for more on changing these items)—simply be sure to plough on the options for all the features you lot changed or they won't exist included in your custom workspace. When yous click Salve, your workspace shows up at the top of the Workspace card.

If you've created a custom workspace that you lot'll never use over again, you lot can send it packin'. Kickoff, brand sure you aren't currently using the doomed workspace. Then, from the Workspace menu, choose Delete Workspace and, in the resulting dialog box, choice the offending workspace and then click Delete. Photoshop will ask if yous're sure; click Yes to finish it off.

The Tools Panel

The Tools panel (Figure one-nine, left) is home base for all of Photoshop'southward editing tools, and information technology's included in all the built-in workspaces. Until you lot memorize tools' keyboard shortcuts, you lot can't do much without this panel! When you starting time launch the programme, you lot'll come across the Tools console on the left side of the screen, only y'all can drag it anywhere y'all want by clicking the tiny row of vertical dashes near its peak (Figure one-ix, right).

There's not enough room in the Tools panel for each tool to have its own spot, so related tools are grouped into toolsets. The microscopic triangle at the bottom right of each toolset's button lets you know it represents more than one tool (the Move and Zoom tools are the only ones that live alone). To see the other tools, click the tool's button and hold down your mouse button (or right-click the button instead); Photoshop then displays a list of the other tools it harbors in a fly-out menu, as shown here (left).Photoshop starts you off with a one-column Tools panel (left), but you can collapse it into two columns (right) by clicking the tiny double triangles circled here (click 'em again to switch back to one column). To undock the Tools panel, grab the dotted bar labeled here and drag the panel wherever you want it. You can dock the Tools panel to the left or right edge of your screen, or leave it floating free.

Figure 1-9. There'due south not enough room in the Tools panel for each tool to accept its own spot, so related tools are grouped into toolsets. The microscopic triangle at the bottom correct of each toolset's button lets y'all know it represents more than one tool (the Motion and Zoom tools are the just ones that live solitary). To see the other tools, click the tool's button and hold downwardly your mouse push button (or right-click the button instead); Photoshop then displays a list of the other tools it harbors in a fly-out bill of fare, as shown here (left). Photoshop starts you off with a ane-column Tools console (left), only you tin can collapse it into two columns (correct) by clicking the tiny double triangles circled hither (click 'em again to switch back to one cavalcade). To undock the Tools panel, grab the dotted bar labeled hither and drag the panel wherever you lot want it. You can dock the Tools panel to the left or right edge of your screen, or leave it floating free.

Once you expand a toolset as explained in Effigy 1-nine, you lot'll meet the tools' keyboard shortcuts listed to the correct of their names. These shortcuts are great timesavers considering they let you switch between tools without moving your hands off the keyboard. To access a tool that's hidden deep within a toolset, add the Shift key to the tool'south shortcut key, and yous'll cycle through all the tools in that toolset. For instance, to activate the Elliptical Marquee tool, press Shift-M repeatedly until that tool'due south icon appears in the Tools panel.

Tip

If you need to switch tools temporarily —for a quick edit—you can use the spring-loaded tools feature. Just press and concur a tool'southward keyboard shortcut to switch to that tool, so perform your edit. As soon every bit you release the fundamental, you'll bound dorsum to the tool you lot were using before. For example, if you're painting with the Brush and of a sudden make an error, printing and hold E to switch to the Eraser and fix your mistake. One time you release the Due east key, you're dorsum to using the Castor tool. Sweet!

You'll larn about the superpowers of each tool throughout this book. For a brief overview of each tool, check out Appendix C, which you can download from this book's Missing CD page at www.missingmanuals.com/cds.

Tip

If you can't call back which tool an icon represents, bespeak your cursor at the icon for a couple of seconds while keeping your mouse perfectly yet. Afterwards a 2nd or two, Photoshop displays a handy tooltip that includes the tool's proper noun and keyboard shortcut.

Foreground and Groundwork Color Chips

Photoshop tin can handle millions of colors, but its tools permit you lot work with only two at a time: a foreground colour and a background color. Each of these is visible as a foursquare color chip near the bottom of the Tools console (labeled in Figure 1-9, where they're blackness and white, respectively). Photoshop uses your foreground color when you paint or make full something with color; it's where about of the activeness is. The program uses your groundwork color to exercise things like set the second color of a gradient (a smooth transition from one color to another, or to transparency) or erase parts of a locked Groundwork layer (Restacking Layers); this color is also helpful when you're running special effects like the Clouds filter (Pixelate).

To change either color, click its colour chip once to open the Color Picker (Choosing Private Colors), which lets yous select another colour for that particular bit. To swap your foreground and background colors, click the curved, double-headed pointer just above the two chips or press X. To ready both color chips to their manufacturing plant-fresh setting of blackness and white, click the tiny chips to their upper left (in a two-column Tools panel, they're at the lower left) or press D. Remember those two keyboard shortcuts (10 and D); they're extremely handy when you work with layer masks, which are covered in Chapter iii.

Common Panels

As mentioned earlier, when y'all outset launch Photoshop, the programme displays the Essentials workspace, which includes several useful panels. Here's a quick rundown of why Adobe considers these panels so of import:

  • Color . This panel in the upper-correct part of your screen includes your current foreground and groundwork colour chips and, from the factory, a trio of sliders and a rainbow-colored bar that you can utilise to option a new color for either chip. As you lot'll learn on The Colour Panel, yous can at present use this console as a color picker that'south always open!

  • Swatches . This panel holds miniature color samples, giving you lot like shooting fish in a barrel access to them for use in painting or colorizing images (and new in Photoshop CC 2014, the most recent swatches yous've used testify up in a handy row at the top of the panel). Information technology also stores a variety of color libraries similar the Pantone Matching System (special inks used in professional printing). You'll learn all about the Swatches panel in on The Swatches Panel.

  • Adjustments . This panel lets you create adjustment layers . Instead of making color and brightness changes to your original epitome, you can use adjustment layers to make these changes on a separate layer, giving you all kinds of editing flexibility and keeping your original paradigm out of harm'southward style. They're explained in detail in Chapter three, and yous'll see 'em used throughout this book.

  • Styles . Styles are special effects created with a variety of layer styles. For example, if you lot've created a drinking glass-button look by adding several layer styles individually, you tin can save the whole lot of 'em as a unmarried manner so y'all can utilise them all with one click. You can also choose from tons of built-in styles; they're discussed starting on The Styles Panel.

  • Layers . This is the single well-nigh of import panel in Photoshop. Layers let you work with images every bit if they were a stack of transparencies, so you can create one prototype from many. Past using layers, you can suit the size and opacity of—and add layer styles to—each item independently. Understanding layers is the key to Photoshop success and nondestructive editing; you'll learn all about them in Chapter 3.

  • Channels . Channels are where Photoshop stores the color information your images are made from. Channels are extremely powerful, and you can use them to edit the private colors in an image, which is helpful in sharpening images, creating selections (telling Photoshop which function of an image you want to work with), so on. Chapter 5 has the scoop on channels.

  • Paths . Paths are the outlines you make with the Pen and shape tools. Only these aren't your average, run-of-the-mill lines: they're fabricated upward of points and paths instead of pixels, so they'll always expect perfectly crisp when printed. Y'all tin can also resize them without losing any quality. Yous'll conquer paths in Chapter thirteen.

  • History . This panel is like your very ain time motorcar: Information technology tracks nearly everything y'all do to your image (the last fifty things, to be exact, though you can modify this number using preferences [see Changing How Far Dorsum You lot Can Go]). Information technology appears docked as a button to the left of the Color panel group. The next section explains how to utilise it to undo what you've recently washed (if only that worked in real life!).

  • Properties . This console, which is also docked to the left of the Color panel group, is where you access the settings for private aligning layers, shape layers, linked smart objects, and layer masks. You'll dive headfirst into masks in Affiliate three; for now, think of them as digital masking tape that lets you hide the contents of a layer.

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