Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book (Classroom in a Book)

Books Details :

Author : Adobe Creative Team
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Adobe Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (May 24, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321321847
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches

Book Description
Photoshop is one of those programs that's so cool you just want to dive right in and start creating–but by plunging in head-first, without any guidance, you're likely to miss a lot. There's a solution: With this book, you learn by doing, getting your feet wet immediately as you progress through a series of hands-on projects that build on your growing Photoshop knowledge. Simple step-by-step instructions, review questions at the end of each chapter, and a companion CD with all of the book's project files make learning a breeze as the Adobe Creative Team takes you on a self-paced tour of the image-editing powerhouse. This bestselling guide has been completely revised to cover all of Photoshop CS2's new features, which include advanced tools for digital photographers, such as a new Spot Healing Brush for correcting scratches or blemishes, and Smart Sharpen for fixing photo blurring. Photoshop CS2 also includes loads of new creative tools, such as Vanishing Point and Image Warp. This comprehensive guide starts with an introductory tour of the software and then progresses on through lessons on everything from Photoshop's interface to more complex topics like color management, Web graphics, and photo retouching.

About the Author

The Adobe Creative Team is made up of designers, writers, and editors who have extensive, real-world knowledge of and expertise in using Adobe products. They work closely with the Adobe product development teams and Adobe's Instructional Communications team to come up with creative, challenging, and visually appealing projects to help both new and more experienced users get up to speed quickly on Adobe software products.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Spencer Hall (Baltimore, MD)

I have been using Adobe Photoshop since version 5.5, but didnt really get into it seriously until Photoshop CS (8). When I purshcased CS, i bought Jan Kabili's "Complete Course" title, because I considered the Classroom In a Book series to be too dry and technical. It seems that most PS books are either completely tutorial based (meaning you have to follow that sample projects in order to get anything from the lessons) or a cut-and-dry reference that doesnt go too in depth on explainations. "Complete Course" was the former, a big disappointment, and I never finished it. I have since upgraded to CS2, and wanted to get THE most comprehensive and most importantly, versatile book, that would provide explainations as well as serve as a reference.

I have not been disappointed in my purchase of Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book. From what I have seen, the book has chapters that suit everyone, whether you have years of experience with photoshop or are a complete beginner. I am somewhere in between, but found even the most basic "beginner" chapters contain some very useful information. As the book progresses the concepts become more complex and allow you to greatly expand your knowledge of PS.

But what impressed me most about Classroom in a Book was that it can be molded to fit your learning style. Included is a CD with example files for you to follow along with each lesson, trying out features as you go. However, if you are like me and do not learn as well from following a tutorial step-by-step, you dont have to use the CD. This book is written well enough and includes plenty of color screenshots that you can do just as well without the sample files. I am about halfway through the book, feel very confident in what I learned from those lessons, and have yet to pop in the CD. Using it (at least for the first half of the book) is up to you and depends on how you like to learn.

I also purchased this book, because sometime in the not-too-distant future, I am planning to take the exam to become an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Photoshop CS2. For anyone else considering taking the exam, this is the official Photoshop book. Not only is this the guide that Adobe recommends as preparation for the ACE exam, but it is also highly recommended by many of those who have taken the exam and are now certified experts in photoshop.

This book was definitely one of my best book purchases to date; I am looking forward to the release of Adobe's Classroom in a Book for GoLiveCS2!

Reviewer: mashny "mashny" (New York)
This was the first book I used (the CS version) when I started learning Photoshop a few years ago. While it was helpful, the book is divided into specific lessons, with little time spent on how Photoshop's tools work together or in what sequence they should be used. The lesson on masking, for instance, shows you how to create and work with a mask, but spends almost no time discussing the logic behind masks or or how they make your photo-editing tasks easier. I guess what is missing is a "holistic" feel to the book. When I finished, I certainly had a better knowledge of some of Photoshop's features, but the knowledge was disjointed.

The next book I read, and one which every Photoshop user should have, is Katrin Eismann's "Photoshop Restoration & Retouching." It is the best book I've seen on Photoshop, whether for the beginner or an advanced user. I won't review that book here -- you can look it up on Amazon. I use Photoshop now at my job and as a hobby, and credit Eismann's book with most of my Photoshop knowledge and confidence.

The Classroon in a Book is helpful, but once you finish it and begin using Photoshop, you probably won't ever look at it again (I haven't). Eismann's book, however, continues to be an essential reference and guide for me.