Photoshop 7 (R): Tips and Techniques

I work in the field of marketing and have dabbled with Photoshop for a while. I now find myself using it more and more since getting this book. I like that the book breaks things down and makes the program easy for the user to understand yet isnt't so simplistic an avid user would get bored. One of my favorite features of the book is the center section; here there are color photos of color swatches, different blending techniques, layering effects, etc. I refer to this section often, rather than choosing each effect on the menu bar and undoing until I find what I'm looking for. This book has a permanent spot within arms reach of my computer.

This is more than your standard "tips and tricks" book. It gives much more comprehensive coverage of how to use Photoshop for some very specific purposes, from general page layout and design to slicing and optimizing images for the Web. Willard is something of an expert on Web design; I've used her other books on Web design and HTML, but in this book she gives as much focus and coverage to using Photoshop for print design as well as the Web. It's a great all-around resource. The writing is also clear and focused, as I've come to expect from her other books, and she is meticulous about the details. She is a real pro. I'd highly recommend this book for any level of user.

Wendy Willard provides an excellent resource for beginners and experienced Photoshop users. There are so many ways to accomplish the same task, and Wendy provides the most efficient, easiest to understand set of steps for accomplishing all sorts of tasks. Her informal writing style makes it easy to stay focused and grasp concepts after one read. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn or brush up on Photoshop skills.

Wendy makes learning Photoshop fun and easy, teaching her readers the most practical and useful aspects of Photoshop by featuring examples of real-world uses. With this book, users can mix-and-master Photoshop skills at their own pace by applying the book's easy to understand tips and techniques to everyday project tasks. The book teaches Photoshop's capabilities through easy to follow step-by-step techniques that are specifically designed to create effects that readily transfer to other uses of design and photo image editing. The book is packed with intuitive 'Quick Tips' (my favorite part), helpful 'Notes' and invaluable high-end techniques that quickly result in top-quality, professional images. The best part about this book is that it overlooks nobody. Both professional and amateur web designers, photographers and print designers will appreciate the attention Wendy brings to their specific and often unique industry requirements, helping to streamline their tasks, improve their quality of work and enhance their Photoshop experience.