The Newsletter for Elements Users
------------------------------------------------In this issue:
Links
Catching Up
Long Answers (7)
Continuing with some color management discussion this month, but also getting into a discussion of the advantages of Photoshop and working with dual monitors
1. Which Color Space should I use?
2. What do Screen and Multiply Layer Blending Modes do?
3. What I see isn't what I get!
4. Comments on on-screen proofing in the last newsletter
5. What does Richard think about Photoshop CS?
6. Using Dual Monitors with Elements?
7. What is wrong with Ling's tools?
Short Answers (9)
What's a color space?
Trouble installing the tools?
Can't find the tools?
Desired: smaller file size, same image?
Layer Mask (free tool) broken?
What makes a free tool free?
Where do I get a PS 6 Demo?
How do I change the color of the HPAIII effects?
Why 120 degree change in hue for separations?
The Hidden Power website:
http://hiddenelements.com
The Hidden Power forum at RetouchPro.com: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&forumid=142
The Hidden Power newsletter archive:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hpe
Free Hidden Power Tools:
http://hiddenelements.com/freetools.html
Or from Adobe:
Mac: http://share.studio.adobe.com/axAssetDetailSubmit.asp?aID=7531
PC: http://share.studio.adobe.com/axAssetDetailSubmit.asp?aID=7516
Get the Hidden Power book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0782141781/newwriting/
Buy Elements:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006ANW9/newwriting/
------------------------------------------------
CATCHING UP
------------------------------------------------
I wonder why this Catching Up section always makes me feel like I am behind...
I know, I know, I know -- I said November for Healing. I hate to say it, but I'm STILL finishing up the new book: The Hidden Power of Photoshop CS. I am, however, certain to have the book done in a week or so -- and when it is I can shift my focus back to Elements.
See the new book here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0782142559/newwriting/
If you are inspired, get Photoshop CS:
(full license) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBOAX/newwriting/
(upgrade) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBOBZ/newwriting/
First thing I plan to do when I get the new book out of the way is get out the Healing tool. No kidding. It really works, and everything -- isn't a figment of my imagination, etc. I've also had a few interesting suggestions for new tools, like kerning and leading controls for type, and alignment variations (align right, bottom, etc.). Those will come after, but I might include them all in a set...I expect you will definitely see something in the way of an announcement soon.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS: please either go to the RetouchPro forum and ask them, reply to this newsletter, or send them to me directly. It is easiest to get things in the newsletter if you just reply! The forum will get you quicker answers most of the time. Don't like the questions I am answering? ASK SOME!
Feel free to let me know about tool, action and other Elements enhancement requests! I plan to do an enhancement for Hidden Power this month -- NO KIDDING! -- if you want something included, let me know.
Before anybody gets uppity about 'not being able to control working colorspace in Elements', see pages 23-24 of the book.
One thing people seem to ignore when approaching this question is that Adobe gives you choices for a reason. If one thing were necessarily better, they would make it the choice and leave it at that. The reason they give you a choice is: there is a choice to make.
Adobe RGB is said to be a 'bigger' color space. I disagree that 'bigger is better'. First, bigger does not mean that there are more colors, it means that the colors are mapped differently. That is, you will be working with 8-bit color (256 variations in each channel) no matter how 'large' the color space. Adobe RGB is not so much a better representation as a different one. If you make corrections to your images and do not embed profiles (so that a device will know you were working in Adobe RGB), it actually may do more harm than good to use Adobe RGB. Without embedded profiles, the result will tend to desaturate, and will look worse than if you'd just corrected using sRGB as the working space.
The other misconception is that you can necessarily get better color with embedded profiles. If profiles are inaccurate, ignored, used incorrectly, etc., chances are you'll get WORSE results rather than better -- regardless of the printer.
If using Adobe RGB as the working color space (this means the color space you are working in, and is perhaps the point of confusion), PS or Elements looks at the stored profile and changes the view of the screen so you can see a best approximation of what the image looks like with the color mapping. Interesting thing, if the Adobe RGB is larger than your screen color space, you are actually seeing something less than the color actually in your file -- or the Adobe RGB color is rather crammed into you monitor color space so you can see it all. That doesn't sound accurate to me. The tendency will be that printing with the embedded profile will make the image bloom a bit -- increasing saturation of color. If this is an effect you like or that works well with your printer, perhaps it is what you want to use. You will be dependent on the embedded profile, and should not work without them.
If you work with sRGB, you will tend to get mostly what you see on screen, as an acurate representation. You are not bound to profiles that will change your information from what you see to something else, and should you embed profiles or not you will tend to get exactly the same result.
Using Adobe RGB or sRGB, the goal of your corrections should be to optimize the correction for your image. In my not-always-so-humble opinion, you should be making corrections to optimize in either case, and IF YOU DO -- you should get nearly the same results.
In other words, I think there is much-ado-about-nothing when it comes to profiles and color spaces. If you know what you are doing and learn to use them, you can get great results with-or-without using Adobe RGB and with-or-without embedding profiles. As I say in The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 2, using profiles is like adding a half-step to a staircase...it may help you get up more easily, or it may just as well trip you.
Personally I work in sRGB and don't embed profiles. I use on-screen proofing to test color results to get an idea, and then run test prints to any new printer. I would do this WHETHER OR NOT I embedded profiles. I also tend to make my own separations, which are a good thing if you have confidence in the process, AND know that your printer is NOT making a CMYK>RGB>CMYK conversion.
Color management is actually trickier than a lot of folk let on...there are more misconceptions than not. My motto is, when in doubt, simplify. I've helped more people get predictable results using sRGB, proper monitor calibration and no embedded profiles than attempting to go the other way. But there is no reason to dismiss other workflows IF you test them, study them, and get them to work to your satisfaction.
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2. What do Screen and Multiply Layer Blending Modes do?
-
> Can you explain how the Multiply and Screen blending modes work
> in splitting RGB colors into channels?
Screen = always lighten
Multiply = always darken
Light = always lighten
Ink = always darken
Screen = Light
Multiply = Ink
When you apply Screen, any pixel that is lighter than black will lighten the content in the images below the Screen mode layer-- it is as if the layer content were a sheet of light that you could add to the layers below (adding light always brightens). The effect is really to dodge the canvas (dodge being a darkroom term for brighten by keeping the light from paper during negative exposure). When you add RGB channels, they will come together in screen mode, acting as light does to brighten (lighten, dodge).
Multiply is just the opposite of Screen. Every pixel darker than white will darken the content in the image below the Multiply mode layer. It is as if the layer were a sheet of ink that you can add to the layers below (adding ink should, technically always darken -- exceptions being inks that have an opacity, like a metalic). The effect is like burning the canvas (burning bing a darkroom term where light is allowed to focus on an area of the image during negative exposure). When you add CMYK channels, they come together in Multiply mode.
RGB channels are colored by darkening the light areas of the channel content. Red, green, and blue are added in multiply mode to darken and shift the corresponding influence of the channel toward the intended color, in essence filtering the effect to the specific color added, and imitating light. The lightest any one of the channels can be is the pure R, G, or B color -- which represents a pure component of the RGB light scheme.
CMYK channels are colored by lightening the dark areas of channel content. CMYK colors are added in Screen mode to lighten and shift corresponding influence of the channel toward the intended color, in essence filtering the effect to the specific color added, and imitating ink. The darkest any one of the channels can be is pure Cyan, magenta, Yellow or black -- which represent components of the CMYK inking scheme.
The idea of assembling the image from channel components is really described conceptually using the Gorskii image. If you can understand how and why he separated his images into RGB, you should be able to pick apart and assimilate how Screen and Multiply modes work in the separation. In RGB mode you add colored Multiply layers to filter the light components (as Gorskii did with filters over his lense). You apply the channel content as Screen, however, to imitate the effect of light (which brightens, if there is any at all). Screen mode represents how Gorskii would have re-assembled his images, by projecting the captured content with light, back through a colored filter that targets the color to be re-assembled in the focused result.
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3. What I see isn't what I get!
-
> Can you shed some light on why
> WYSIWYG is not working for me in Elements?
Yes. Here is the brief story.
There are several issues:
-1-
What you see on your monitor will not always translate to the printer because your monitor
is RGB and your printer is CMYK (or some variation). RGB is light theory, and CMYK is
based on absorption of light. The two are similar, yet opposite...CMYK color cannot
reproduce everything you can create in RGB. That is no matter what you do. You will see
the most discrepancy in bright greens, blues and reds.
-2-
You need to calibrate your monitor and choose a working space (via color settings). I know
you will say you ran through the settings for color management, but that isn't always
enough. I recommend using NO COLOR MANAGEMENT until you can get results. Using other
setting may sound more savory, but frankly they don't always help.
-3-
When you go to print, your selection of paper types and making the most out of what the
printer driver (and Elements!) has to offer is recommended. If you are just printing with
the defaults and not choosing settings to work best with the paper you have selected to
print on, you are doing your results a disservice.
-4-
If you print with cheap paper, expect the results to come out fair. Photo paper is more
expensive for a reason and will deliver superior results (unless your calibration and
technique for correction are not so good).
While this is the case -- and your monitor will not always be able to match your screen -- you can get closer by learning about how to use the program, printer and media correctly.
There are some good books on the subject.
Elements:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0782141781/newwriting/
Photoshop:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0782142559/newwriting/
And you might have a look at my more recent Hidden Power newsletters which had quite a few questions on color and management...
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4. Comments on on-screen proofing in the last newsletter
-
> I was reading the last newsletter and I'm not sure the
> screen proofing suggestion you made will work.
> 1. Isn't it possible (likely) that different adjustments
> would be needed for images with different color characteristics,
> making this workaround less useful than is would seem to be?
> 2. Wouldn't using this workaround make it less important to
> Calibrate your monitor (Adobe Gamma) and create a monitor
> profile as you suggest as the first step?
I'm pretty sure it works, as I've used it. But...
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5. What does Richard think about Photoshop CS?
-
> I am thinking of upgrading to Photoshop CS.
> I mean I like Elements but contunue to feel
> like there is something I am missing. What do you
> think of CS and is it worth the upgrade?
I am more impressed with the Photoshop CS upgrade than the PS7 upgrade (from PS6 to PS7). There are many more features that make a difference for the professional. Again, not everyone needs Photoshop and you should know when you do BEFORE upgrading. I would be curious as to what these things are that you think you are missing. I might be able to add some of them to Elements. If the thing that you are missing is someone poking at you for using Elements instead of Photoshop, hold out till you have a real reason.
One of the most interesting features for this upgrade is the possibility of moving to the Photoshop Suite, which contains Illustrator, GoLive, Acrobat Pro and InDesign. It costs a lot, but if you use these, the upgrade ends up being inexpensive:
Photoshop CS:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBOAX/newwriting/
Upgrade:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBOBZ/newwriting/
CS Premium Suite:
PC:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBN6M/newwriting/
PC Upgrade:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBNDJ/newwriting/
Mac: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBN4H/newwriting/
Mac Upgrade:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DBNCT/newwriting/
As far as new features go: The ability to use 16 bit in much broader circumstances, log tracking for what steps you take with an image, large file support (up to 300,000 x 300,000 pixels), inclusion of the camera RAW plugin, nested layers sets (up to 5 levels), and conditional actions and SWF saves for Image Ready. Some of these may be too specific for general users, but they may be indespensible for professionals with access to equipment powerful enough to make use of these features.
Several items are more useful for the general user, like healing to a layer, text on or in a path, the Filter Gallery and customized shortcuts. Healing to a layer gives the user more opportunity and flexibility to use the healing results less casually and potentially destructively, and so the user can manipulate the result after the fact. Text on a path has always been a sore point for users who creatively use text in their images and had to turn to Illustrator to do the job. The Filter Gallery is finally a way to implement filters creatively as they should be used: in sets. You can rarely get an interesting and desireable creative effect applying Filters one at a time, and this enhancement makes grouping possible. With customized shortcuts, gone are the days when you have to research out a shortcut that you knew you used once...and you get a new productivity boost by keying in your own without having to create separate actions and use F keys. Not only do you have access to the shortcut listing from within Photoshop, and a very well presented interface for changing shortcuts, but you can print them all out. You can copy that shortcut file and take it with you to propogate on other machines, and customize personal sets for multiple users on any machine.
For newer users, the possibility of adding content to the Help menu will probably be a huge boon. Many experts will be interested in providing quality information — probably for free — to include on the menu.
I don't see a lot of negatives except what might have been sadly over-looked in broadening the implementation of enhancements. However, Adobe needs something to keep you wishing for...
For many users, Elements will be the ticket -- despite the attractive upgrade packages for Photoshop. Elements can do quite a lot and is often the best value for home users and more casual hobbyists. I expect to see some interesting enhancements for version 3 (which I expect will arrive some time in the summer).
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6. Using Dual Monitors with Elements?
-
> Is it possible to use dual monitor setups with Elements?
> If so, what are the advantages?
I've been using two monitors since about 1995. On Mac. PC didn't support it till later on, and I do use two monitors on my XP system. People look at it like it is something from outer space. To me there is no other way to work with Photoshop, graphics and the web. the advantage is you can work full screen on your images on one monitor and push all the palettes and tools to the other monitor -- and you don't have to worry about blocking you view of your images.
So what does it cost? What the setup generally requires is a second video card. That is, if you have an open PCI slot, you can get an inexpensive video card and monitor and snap in the card, plug in the monitor, and away you go. It is just about that simple for mac and XP these days. I have added a second monitor for as little as $150 total new ($60 64MB card, $90 radius 15" monitor), and virtually free from spare parts (pull the card out of an unused machine and borrow the monitor). Here are some examples (before buying anything, be sure it is compatible with your system...these should work with most):
PCI Card @ $54
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000630TB/newwriting/
Dual monitors would optimally be the same (same card, same monitor brand and model), but you can have broad variation. The first time I set up dual monitors was on a mac 6110, and I was running a 21" NEC, then added a no-name 13" that was barely kept from the dumpster. It was enough to get my palettes on, and it certainly helped me work better -- even with the 21" monitor.
As far as the size of the monitors you use, it depends on how far you sit from them. I can use two 15", high-resolution monitors and feel pretty comfortable (and save a ton). Some people get all wild about a large monitor as the main, but if you have .35 dot pitch moving up to a 21" screen, that really isn't much better than a sharp 15" at .22. I often find I have to put larger monitors further away, and I bet if i measured the field of view, the display size in the long run would only be marginally different.
I have heard of single cards that support dual output (that isn't merely mirrored) but I have never used one -- and actually have never seen one. Usually I believe cards that have more than one port are often a convenience: they can really support ONE monitor, but have more than one type of port so you can hook in different monitor connections. I would check with the manufacturer before plugging any thing in unless you are sure the card is meant to support more than one monitor. If you don't check first, you may get mirrored display, or worse, you can fry the card. I'd be careful, but not over-cautious.
In short, I recommend using dual monitors. But check out the specs first. If you aren't sure, add a new card instead.
-
7
. What is wrong with Ling's tools?
-
> I have seen you suggest that Ling Nero's tools shouldn't
> be used. Is there something wrong with them? Should i not install them?
First, there is nothing really 'wrong' with those tools. On the other hand, the tools Ling supplies can't do anything Hidden Power can't--but Hidden power CAN do some things Ling's won't.
The dirt: I am not fond of the way that Ling's tools came to light. I was working with Ling to develop HPAII when she came out with her set on the sly, while I thought we were working together. I feel it has led to boundless confusion that was unnecessary. Had efforts been unified, I would have been able to make a lot more useful things available to Elements users in a far shorter amount of time. I would still gladly take on a partner if I could find one who had the understanding of HTML, Elements, programming and image editing so I could faithfully share secrets. I have some people that help test, and very much appreciate their efforts. However, having all those skills is perhaps a little rare.
My primary problem with those other tools is, as a programmer, I cannot approve of the installation. As far as I am concerned the installation is most problematic. If anyone else (third party) chooses this implementation of other recipes that install the same way, it will lead to one bumping the other off. That is not a good way to create a friendly installer. In best, non-competetive situations, and without getting too in-depth, all of the people creating such installers would need to maintain a single, unified linking file so that no tools get dropped or replaced. If you have ever tried anything like this (i.e., seeking cooperation of a group), invariably things will get left off the linking list, bumped, failed to update, etc. As I had already done what I didn't want to to install my tools for the book--it was that or leave them out (you'll note that the WOW book didn't even attempt to update their recipes)--encouraging other people to re-write the recipes index file was just bad programming. As I work for a software company, and to some measure customer service (not Adobe, and having nothing to do with images), I tend to be very aware of potential clashes. All this to say:
If you have the tools from my book
If you have Lings set
and if ONE other person implements the same thing...
...you have a mess. All the packages will essentially be competing for the same link. Install one, you lose the other. Add more people doing the same thing, the problem multiplies. It doesn't matter if Ling keeps up her file clean and updated and I keep up mine...there begin to become too many variables--and people not playing nice. That's why I don't 'endorse' Ling's stuff. In other words, it is possible to make it work, but unlikely that it would remain that way in the long run.
There are a slew of other problems that are less likely to appear, but might potentially, such as language version install problems (German file structure for the program is different than English, etc.). There were a lot more considerations to make, and I can't work with someone who ignores problems--especially those that i know can be worked around.
Using the Welcome menu for the actions installer allowed me to install something unique, so there were no potential problems with the tools from the book. All I wanted was to keep people from having trouble. Though I thought I was working closely with her, Ling ignored me, and dumped her stuff into the recipes without first finding a better solution. I had hopes of working with her to do more stuff, but I couldn't see divulging a lot more information, considering the circumstance. I can't tell you how many emails I get now having to fix what is broken when the two packages are installed--and how much time that takes away from supporting new additions. It is easy for someone who knows how to manage web page files, but not everyone has this type of experience. I can't tell you as well how many enhancements I have not had time to put together--I've been wanting to get out HPA4 for a while and a healing tool, but just haven't had time (lots of deadlines). I would have been able without the additional support demands.
What I really wanted to do (for the tools in the book) was install so that the recipes showed up in the drop list. That would have solved all the potential clashes, and made everything available through recipes -- no matter how many vendors/action authors were using the solution. Adobe never released the SDK for Elements 2...I suspect that was because they were looking for a more elegant means of working the whole recipes thing, which I had hints of but apparently they were unable to finish. Adobe had the good sense NOT to release something which wasn't what they wanted. I was hoping to figure out how to handle using the drop list, and finally have. Had Ling waited a few more weeks before suddenly releasing her package (to my surprise), I would have been able to tell her about it.
The Welcome menu has some positive features, and some drawbacks, but the biggest positive was that it wouldn't cause conflict. The next biggest was the set layout -- and that is also the biggest drawback. It is a big screen allowing for a lot of buttons and tabs...it is also a big screen obscuring the background. I work on two monitors, so it was pretty easy for me to ignore the problem of the palette size for the free tools. I've been using two monitors for quite a while...so I guess i just ignored it.
So, I have always thought the recipes menu was better, but sloppy implementation was worse. Finding a better solution sometimes takes some effort. Like a good correction, it sometimes takes patience as well.
If there is anything that you think you see in Ling's stuff that you want to get in Hidden Power Actions, I hope to have the time to accomplish that in the coming months. Send your suggestions.
sRGB is a color space.
Workspace is a layout for your palettes -- a feature you'll find in Photoshop.
There are about 15,000 people using the tools at this point in time, so I assure you it works.
Try this:
If you can't get this done, there is something wrong with your system, or something is conflicting with the install. If you can complete this, installing for Elements should work the same way -- but you target the program folder.
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3
-
> I installed the Free Tools and have had fun with them.
> Then, I ordered The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 2
> and installed the tools. It tells me it's installed, but
> I can't find it anywhere in Elements, not in the HOW TO drop
> list, nor the Welcome menu.
The tools will appear in the How-To palette. To see an online demo, go here: http://hiddenelements.com/tools.html
And click on the Tool Tour button.
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4
-
> How do I optimize files so as to retain
> quality but, reduce file size?
It isn't really possible to retain quality and reduce size--depending on what you mean. Compression is really lossy one way or another in that information is compromised when creating a GIF (color is limited to 256 colors instead of 16 million) or JPEG (image information is discarded to simplify image patterning). You can compress images with a ZIP program that will not compromise image information but images will have to be decompressed for use.
-
5
-
> The layer mask tool does not load the active selection and
> just gives me a blank layer mask that I can paint on. Is
> this only for the free tool or is this a bug on my system?
> Is it broken?
Actually it was designed to work this way to provide flexibility.
What you describe would be an easy addition, but it didn't seem something I wanted to enforce. In other words, you may be coming to this tool with a particular understanding of how you want it to wrok -- and what you describe would necessarily have to be a different tool (perhaps a valuable one) that would create the mask and do a few steps more. Not everyone will find that useful, and my initial take was just to provide the mask (which you can't do at all in PE2 without the tools). The current functionality does not preclude you from using it as you suggest. As the selection should remain active, Fill (with Black) should mask the selected area. Inverting the selection and filling will mask the area outside the selection.
-
6
-
> Why didn't you include the free tools with the book?
Some of the free tools were actually built after the book was published, so it wouldn't have been possible to get them in. Other tools I may have known about but didn't include on purpose. For example, I actually didn't use Layer Masks in the book (used another method) because Adobe could possibly remove Layer Masks entirely for PE3...who knows, they tried to in PE2, but didn't go too far. I tried to build in techniques that were valid in PE1, PE2 and that would be valid in PE3...the free tools are free, because I am not sure if all of them will work in future versions -- at least that is how I looked at it. Adobe can't, however, really remove the layer clipping property, which I use more for masking (or they can, but it is less likely). My guess is they will expand with PE3 a little now that PS CS is out, but it is hard to tell after watching them limit so many functions in PE2 (and functionally breaking the How-To palette as far as utility is concerned).
-
7
-
> Last issue you said we could create actions for use
> in Elements using the PS6 demo. Where can I find this PS6 DEMO?
Mac:
http://www.jumbo.com/mac/files.asp?x_fileid=195800&S=17063
PC:
http://www.tucows.com/preview/214261.html
http://www.unizar.es/enfez/software/fwin9x.html
OK?
ANYONE who creates an interesting action and wants to make it available to other users, let me know and I'll post the action for download on hiddenelements.com on the tools page!
I might have forgotten to put it in the instructions...however, if you look at the Effects tab where the HP tools are, there is a little color swatch. After running the action to create the effect, click the swatch to change the color. I believe it describes this in the alerts in the action...doesn't it?
Glad to hear from someone using those effects!
The color wheel is a circle, measured in degrees. A complete revolution of the wheel is 360 degrees. a third of a turn gets you from red to green to blue. 360/3 = 120 degrees.
Was that clear or do you need more?
Let me know you read it...
Brought to you by Richard Lynch
in conjunction with The Hidden power of Photoshop Elements 2