1.       

To begin, start Photoshop CS by double clicking the desktop icon, or by using the start menu.

2.       

When Photoshop CS opens, click File from the menu bar, and then click Browse to invoke the Photoshop CS file browser.

3.       

Use the file browser to locate the Photoshop CS Samples folder, (by default, C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Samples). When you find the samples folder, double click on the Palm Tree thumbnail to open it. When the image opens, close the file browser.

4.       

Your screen should now look something like this.

To ensure that the original image remains unchanged, you will create a copy by right clicking on the document window title bar, and choosing Duplicate from the pop up menu.

(As an aside, you will notice in the document window title bar, that this image is in the CMYK colour space, (printer safe colours). If you click Image from the menu bar and then click mode from the resulting menu, you will see that the CMYK option is checked. Photoshop has opened the image in the most appropriate colour mode.)

When you create a duplicate image, you will be presented with the Duplicate Image dialog box. Enter Practice1 as a name for the copy, and click the OK button to create it.

Your screen should now look something like this.

5.       

 Now select the Blur tool from the toolbox. The blur tool has a tear drop icon and is located in the same group as the Sharpen and Smudge tools.

When you select the Blur tool, set your brush diameter to 20 pixels using the Brush option in the options bar.

(These sliders and brush options are available by clicking the down pointing arrow in the Brush section of the options bar. Optionally you can use the ([) and (]) keys to change your brush size.)

Leave the Mode set at normal. In the options bar, set the strength value to 30% and leave the Use all layers checkbox clear.

Next, carefully place your mouse pointer over the palm tree’s shadow in the duplicate image you just created. Hold the left mouse button and drag your pointer back and forth over the shadow until it is sufficiently blurred.

Notice that the image on the left called Practice1 has a blurred shadow.

6.       

Next, select the sharpen tool from the toolbox. It looks like a sharply pointed triangle.

If the button for one of the other tools is being shown in the toolbox, just click and hold the button to display the other variant tools in the group.

After you select the Sharpen tool, make your brush width 13 pixels, set the Mode value to normal, and make your Strength setting about 20%.

Carefully drag your mouse pointer in short back and forth strokes over the black rocks in the lower foreground of the working copy. You may also want to sharpen the horizon where the sky meets the ocean, and some of the ocean itself to bring out detail and contrasting colours. If you go too far, and create an undesired effect or obvious artefact, you can always delete the image states that are associated with the sharpen tool by using the History palette.

Look carefully at the two images. Can you see any changes from sharpening in the image named Practice1?

Remember, you can use these tools to create effects that are very subtle, or effects that are quite obvious. What looks best will depend on the image you are working with.

7.       

For the next step, select the smudge tool from the toolbox.

In the options bar, set the brush width to 15 pixels, set the mode to normal, and set the strength to 40%.

You will notice a checkbox in the options bar labelled Finger Painting. If you put a check in this box the foreground colour (the colour shown in the foreground colour square in the tool box) will be added to the smudge. For now, leave this checkbox blank.

8.       

Carefully drag your mouse pointer over the clouds in the upper left of the copied image, and the clouds in the lower right. Make your smudge strokes in one direction to start, towards the right. Be careful when smudging the clouds that you do not accidentally smudge the tree trunk, or the palm leaves. Try to make the clouds soft and wispy.

Your photo should look something like the one shown below left.

Examine the images carefully taking note of the changes (retouches you made). Which image do you like better? Feel free to experiment with these tools making the effects more pronounced, or more subtle.

9.       

Close the original Palm Tree image by clicking the close (X) button on its document window. Next, click File from the menu bar, and then click Save As.

Browse to your practice folder, and save the image as Practice1 in TIFF format.

If the Tiff options box appears, select NONE for compression, and IBM PC for byte order, (unless of course, you work on a Mac).

10.   

After you save the image, press the Ctrl + Q keys to close Photoshop.