Last updated 5/08/2007

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom In A Books

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom In A Book
Authors: Andrew Faulkner and Judy Walthers von Alten
Publisher: Adobe Press / Peachpit Press
478 pages ... $54.99
ISBN: 13 978-0-321-49202-9
Includes training with Photoshop CS3 & CS3 Extended and 16 movie tutorials
CD-ROM included for Windows and Mac OS

This is the first book on Adobe Photoshop CS3 and The official training workbook from Adobe Systems. It is a high quality workbook.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom In A Book begins with a Getting Started section followed by 14 chapters each containing step-by-step instructions for completing projects. The accompanying CD-ROM includes font files and images organized by chapter for completing the projects and the accompanying movie tutorials.

In Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom In A Book, you learn by following the instructions and seeing how they work. As an example of the quality of the material, Chapter 9 Vector Drawing Techniques includes creating paths with the pen tool. You control the shape of a curve with the pen tool by clicking and dragging handles at the ends of the curves. To help you do it right, the image you use in this book already has red dots to show where you are to draw the handles.

You will probably want to begin with the chapter 1, Getting to Know the Work Area. Then you can do the chapters in any order you like.

You will probably use Adobe Bridge first in your normal workflow. In this book, Viewing and Editing Files in Adobe Bridge is not covered until page 412 in the Chapter 13 on Working with Scientific Images. Chapter 13 also covers Measuring objects and data using CS3 Extended.

Otherwise the chapters follow a logical sequence:

2. Basic Photo Corrections
3. Retouching and Repairing
4. Working with Selections
5. Layer Basics
6. Masks and Channels
7. Correcting and Enhancing Digital Photographs
8. Typographic Design
10. Advanced Layering
11. Advanced Compositing
12. Preparing Files for the Web
14. Producing and Printing Consistent Color

This could be an ideal book for use in a classroom with an instructor to provide motivation and background.

It could also be a good book for you if you supply the motivation to complete the exercises and do some exploring or experimenting to see how the processes work on your own projects.