10 Misconceptions about PhotoShop

1. Using the wrong image mode

The operation menu turns gray? The color doesn't look right? When you encounter these problems, you should stop and stop editing. These may be problems caused by using the wrong image mode. Select "Image > Mode" in the main menu, making sure you select the correct image mode here. If you don’t know which picture mode to choose, then please choose RGB mode! Because there is a 99% chance that it is more suitable to use RGB mode for images, for the following reasons:

1. Any network image will display the image in RGB mode;

2. Digital pictures are captured in RGB mode and therefore should be edited in RGB mode;

3. Most tools and filters can only be used in RGB mode;

4. Lossless conversion between RGB mode and CMYK mode cannot be achieved. CMYK mode and RGB mode process image colors in completely different ways. CMYK mode is more like a weakening of colors. For example, when using the paint tool, in CMYK mode, the mixing of multiple colors will have a darker effect, while in RGB mode, it will become brighter.

The picture below shows the different color rendering effects of the same picture in RGB mode and CMYK mode.

But if you need to print out the pictures in PS, shouldn’t you still use CMYK mode? This depends on the situation. For pictures, there is basically no need to convert to CMYK mode because they are always saved in RGB mode. And the printers purchased now basically use their own configuration mode to convert the image from RGB mode to CMYK mode and then print it out. Therefore, if you need to print a picture in RGB mode, let the picture be operated directly according to the printer program. Converting the RGB mode in the printer will achieve better results than converting it in Photoshop.

Since the RGB mode is so powerful, when will the CMYK mode be used? The answer is when printing business cards, brochures and other printed matter. Accurate color information can be obtained in CMYK mode, and object-specific inks can be selected, such as silver-plated, gold-plated and metallic ink colors. If you select 100% cyan and 50% magenta, you will get prints with almost the same color when printed. Many printers will tell you the value of black and white. If you want to get the effect of a black four-color print, it may not be black enough. Black Quad will mix all the inks to create a black that is darker than just black.

CMYK mode can perfectly express the color of the sample you choose, which is its biggest feature compared to RGB mode.

2. Set an inappropriate DPI

If you want to print an 8*10 pixel picture at 300DPI in a 3000*2400 pixel file , but why do we still need to set the DPI?

Generally, a 32-point text will appear smaller at 72DPI than at 300DPI. If the DPI value of the document is not set properly, you will not get the desired display effect. Here is an example. For example, if you want to place a 1*1-inch PS picture on iPhone 6, the first thing to do is to find out the PPI (pixels per inch) of iPhone 6 and set the PPI to (iPhone 6 is 326PPI) The DPI value of Photoshop, so that when you place the 1*1-inch picture created by Photoshop on the iPhone 6, you can get a perfect display effect.

Accurately match the DPI of the PS document with the PPI value of the display device to ensure good display effects.

3. Create too many layers

As early as the Photoshop 7 era, people would get frustrated because they created a PSD document with 100 layers. I think it’s awesome. However, if you cannot establish a complete layer management system, creating too many layers will only make the layer panel confusing and your work efficiency will be reduced accordingly.

Compared to 100 layers, creating as few layers as possible can make the PSD document smaller and operate more efficiently. You can reduce the number of layers created through tools such as smart objects, smart filters, layer masks, and layer styles. In fact, we can perform many complex processing operations even on a single layer. Therefore, the next time you use PS, try to create as few layers as possible while maintaining image quality.

The following is an example of layer reduction: consisting of only 4 layers.

4. Adjusting the layer size leads to reduced image quality

Sometimes we need to rasterize the layer. It is recommended to convert the layer that needs to be operated into a smart object before rasterizing. Because when we When you adjust a raster layer, each adjustment reduces the display quality of the image. If you make the image larger, you will find that the image is blurred. However, when in a smart object, you can zoom in and out as much as you like, and And there is no need to worry about image display quality.

5. Use the pen tool to create a paper-cut cutout

Many people recommend using the pen tool to create a layer mask. In fact, unless other selection tools are difficult to operate, the pen tool will still allow you to add layer masks smoothly. But this is not always the right approach, as the Pen Tool is particularly useful when working with scenes that have no depth, such as masking vectors and 3D rendering. But for images, using the Pen Tool will make the image look like a paper cutout.

If you look at the image at very small pixels, you will find that there are no perfectly sharp edges after masking with the pen tool. Instead, you'll find that these edges cause the focus and feathering effects of the image to disappear. Select the Selection Tool, select the Adjust Edge Tool, and turn on the Smart Radius Tool so that you can automatically capture different sharp edges.

The picture below is an example of the selection tool being better than the pen tool.

6. Reduce the saturation to create a black and white photo effect

Reducing the saturation of the image may be the fastest way to design a black and white photo, but this will make the image lose its depth. Instead, try using a black and white adjustment layer or a Channel Mixer adjustment layer. This method will bring better adjustment results than simply adjusting the saturation.

As shown in the picture below, a simple desaturated image will give people a more bland feeling, while the black and white adjustment layer provides more possibilities.

7. Use the Healing Tool and Stamp Tool after merging layers

Know that the Healing Brush, Clone Stamp and other similar tools can be applied on a Create a separate new layer? Usually we copy the entire layer and merge it into one layer before performing subsequent operations. In fact, we can check Sample all layers in the attribute adjustment bar of these tools, so that the operation can be completed in a new layer.

8. Over-modifying the picture makes it ugly

Excessive use of adjustment layers is like dressing a dragon in its dragon robe, although it looks like It’s cool, but later you’ll wonder what you’ve done something. We always make adjustments and modifications, but never have time to look back and see how it compares to the original effect. So the next time you save a document, ask someone to take a look at it and ask what they think. See, it might have good results. If you have over-adjusted the layer, you can also use these to adjust the layer's opacity and dodge the adjustment effect.

9. Repair the loss of highlight and shadow details caused by brightness

When adjusting the exposure and contrast of the photo, the details of the highlights or shadows may be lost. You need to pay very careful attention to these details that may be lost due to adjustments. Sometimes it is necessary to adjust the Curves instead of the Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer.

10. Waste hard-earned money on graphics cards

After Photoshop With the improvements in CS6 and CC versions, Photoshop can basically fully utilize the performance of the GPU. If you frequently use 3D editing and 3D rendering, a powerful GPU will save you A lot of rendering time. In addition, your graphics card, whether it is AMD or Nvidia, should be equipped with at least 512MB of video memory. If you don’t often use the 3D function, spend $200 to buy a top-quality video camera. Frequency graphics card is a complete waste because it has limited improvement for your normal operations. If you want a powerful GPU to help you complete your creations efficiently and quickly, GeForce GTX 750 TI will be your ideal choice (for reference only).

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