Adobe Photoshop 5.5: Classroom in a Book

This is a good start if you are not familiar with ImageReady and Photoshop. It is because it covers all the basics. Therefore you won't miss a thing if you are serious to learn Photoshop. The examples are pretty easy to follow. I didn't find any problem with the CD.The Adobe Classroom in a Book series use a texbook approach that is different from others. There are review questions after each chapter. Some people may find the teaching style pretty dry since they can find more design tricks in other guides (e.g. Offical Adobe Photoshop 5 Studio Techniques from Adobe Press). I think this is a personal preference.The only thing I don't like is it's in black and white. The writing style is similar to the version 3 and 4 books. If you have the verion 5 Classroom in a book, you will not find this one useful for the main difference is only ImageReady. It is also a beginner to intermediate level book. This book is not for you if you want more advance techniques.

I purchased this book not knowing much about Photoshop but being a photographer I needed to learn and learn quick so I could perform my job. This book is the best thing I have bought in a long time. The instruction was simple and I was working away in just 4 hours. I could not reccomend a better book than this. You also can't find a better deal than this price!

This is a great book, but essentially the same book as the CIB Photoshop 5.0 book. There are two additional lessons, but all the other lessons are identical. I was very disappointed to have spent so much money on just two chapters that I needed. If all the lessons were identical to the previous book, why didn't they just issue an update (2 lessons only....) I felt gypped.

This book is easy to read and understand. Topics are well organized too. Is is a very good book for beginners and intermediate level users. It covers all the capabilities of PhotoShop 5.5. This book does lack the advance techniques coverage. If the Adobe Creative Team can publish two types of version to beginners and advance users, that will be great!

I've been searching for books on Photoshop 5.5, and this is the only one I have found. And boy and I really thankful. It delivers everything it promises and so much more. I really like the classroom approach to Photoshop because it Photoshop is such a robust program. The review questions at the end of each chapter really reinforce what you have learned. The color insert is incredible and worth the price of the book alone when you see how the end result should actually look. Chapter 9 on Special effects is great. I am really weak on mask and channels and Lesson (Chapter 5) really has allowed me to do things I never could before. Thanks again. The book is really dry as books go, but I'm okay with that because I really need some serious help when it comes to learning a program like Photoshop 5.5.