How to Wow Photoshop CS2 for the Web [With CDROM]

This is an extraordinary book. I have to completely disagree with the naysayer reviews below. I've been building web sites for a long time, and I've been using Photoshop for the past couple of years (including CS2 since it first came out). But until I read this book, I could not get the hang of all these new web-specific features in Photoshop, nor could I fully utilize ImageReady. I have now read this book from cover to cover, and it completely explains, with stunningly attractive examples (included on the enclosed CD-ROM), how to use Adobe Photoshop and ImageReady to make web sites with world-class appearance, navigation, remote rollovers, and even built-in Flash animations. The book itself is beautifully crafted, with just enough explanation of everything (very complete, but no irritating fluff). It is like the veil has been lifted. My web sites no longer need to look like 1999 -- they can look like 2009. I am deeply impressed. If you want to learn how to design web sites with amazingly professional graphics, either as a business or just because you want to build the best, even if you are not artistically inclined, pick up this deceptively slim volume. It will make an enormous difference in your web site efforts.

I've been using Photoshop to develop web pages for 6 years. I thought I was efficient and competant. I was mistaken. This book covers everything and is layed out in functional, logical way. It starts from the basics of the Photoshop file to optimizing and slicing. The sections on animation and automation are going to save me hundreds if not thousands of hours of development time saving me time, money and stress. This book is a great resource for users of all experience levels. It takes you step by step with explanations and information all along the way. The accompanying CD is such a great addition to the training and teaches the user an efficient manner of organizing and structure. This is a great resource book for any designers library!

The book has a nice layout, comes with a CD-Rom which has two very important folders, your project files, the CD-Rom also has Photoshop styles, actions and patterns. The book is made into four sections, Navigation, Animation, Automation and Sites that Wow, each section as powerful and informative as the next. Navigation covers Image Dimensions, Resolutions, and Color Mode. There are two really good sections on optimization settings for jpeg and gif which go through the various options with explained detail. This section also explains how to build a navigation bar, slice it up and optimize it, goes through the slice options. Not only does it show you how to do rollovers but it shows how to do pointers and remote rollovers. Also how to create image map, hot spots in Image Ready. Next section Animation, make a Radar Screen, Animating Warped Text use Warp Text feature which is done in Photoshop not Image ready, various other animations for you to try. A cool Image Ready project to bring a picture to life. This section also shows you how to export flash format movies right into Image Ready. Automation shows how to make action, troubleshoot the action and batch the process. Explains what actions are in detail. A good part is using batch processing with the Image processor for an easy and fast way to resize and reformat photos. There are handy tips on understanding and using droplets. An advanced project creating Dynamic Flash Web Banners using data sets and dynamic text variables. Sites that Wow, applying patterns to Web Graphics, step by step on making a gallery site with viewer feedback, making an interface, make a web photo gallery template made with Flash straight from Photoshop CS2, just a few of the techniques explained in this book. I think this is an excellent book, very good Photoshop/Image Ready for beginners and advance users. Not many Image Ready books on the shelves a welcome addition. I give this book 5 (five)out of 5 (five) Suggested retail $39.99

Jan Kabili and Colin Smith's How To WOW: Photoshop CS2 For The Web is outstanding: it presents the in-depth tips from two professional graphic designer/trainers who have developed a method for combining quality, flexibility and speed with web graphic creation based on Photoshop CS2. Their program teaches all the fundamentals for building more effective sites, building upon basics to move to more advanced topics such as animation. A companion cd-rom disc includes all the original designs used in the project-building HOW TO WOW, along with styles, actions and pattern presets. A 'must' for any owner of Photoshop CS2 who is serious about building the better web site.

Reading Photoshop CS2 for the Web has provided a great learning experience on getting a professional looking design going for my web site. The book includes loads of visuals, tips, insights and practical tutorials to guide the reader through the projects. It also includes a CD-ROM that contains images and presets to facilitate hands-on learning while you read. I loved the section called "Sites that Wow!" If you ever wonder how the pros get `the look', this is it. As a designer, developer and educator, I highly recommend this book both for the beginner and for the life long learner pro.