THE PHOTOSHOP WORK AREA
| Figure 1 shows the Adobe Photoshop work area. The work area includes the command menus at the top of your screen, the window containing the image you are editing, and a variety of tools and palettes that let you edit images and add elements such as masks, layers, and channels. You can also add commands and filters to the menus by installing plug-in modules, software programs designed to extend the functionality of Adobe Photoshop. |
Figure 1 - Screen Shot |
| Tools can be selected using the Tool Bar, or the Shortcut Keys (see
Figure 2 and Figure 3).
Clicking and holding on tools in the toolbar can access other
Hidden Tools. The Tool Bar and Palettes can be moved around the work area
as needed. In addition, the Palettes can be resized, collapsed, separated and reorganized as
needed.
The Info Bar at the bottom displays the current zoom value, file size information, and context-sensitive help clues. |
 Figure 2 - Menu Bar |
| PALETTES - By default, Photoshop palettes are arranged in three groups, stacked along the right side of the window. They include: |
 Figure 3 - Hidden Tools |
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Color / Swatches / Brushes group - contains options to select, create, and edit colors and to select different brush sizes and shapes. | ||
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Navigator / Info / Options group - contains options for viewing images and for measuring the color values in an image. The Options palette has additional controls for the currently selected tool. | ||
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Layers / Channels / Paths group - contains options for adding, deleting and assistance in editing these elements in an image. | ||
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Actions palette - contains options for recording repetitive tasks, which can then be "played back" on one or more files. | ||
| Each palette has a unique palette menu, from which you select additional options. | |||
SHORTCUT KEYS - Other shortcut key combinations abound, depending on the current context. They include combinations of mouse clicks and the <ALT>, <SHIFT>, and <CONTROL> keys on an IBM PC compatible (Windows), or the <COMMAND>, <SHIFT> and <OPTION> keys on a Macintosh. The list of shortcut keys is extensive, and can be accessed through the Photoshop on-line help.
CONTEXT-SENSITIVE MENUS are also available by using the right-click (Windows), or pressing <CONTROL> and clicking (Macintosh).
THE VIEW MENU - allows you to zoom in or out from .098% to 1600% of an image. From it, you can also control other optional types of views, such as Rulers, Guides, Grids, Selection Edges, Pen Paths, and such.
THE ZOOM TOOL - can be accessed from either the View Menu, the Toolbar, or typing in the Zoom Info areas of either the Info Bar, or the Navigator Palette. You can also drag a marquee with the zoom tool to magnify a specific area of an image.
SCROLLING AN IMAGE - is accomplished by dragging the hand tool over an image, or by clicking in the scroll bars below or to the right of an image. You can also drag the hand tool over the image's thumbnail in the Navigator Palette to scroll over an image.