By Jennifer Smith
First Edition July 2007
ISBN 10: 0-596-51061-6
ISBN 13: 9780596510619
Pages: 360
Dynamic Learning: Photoshop CS3 is part of the O'Reilly Dynamic Learning series, a comprehensive, integrated learning environment that combines books with video tutorials and online resources. Written and produced by product experts and trainers who have produced many of Adobe's training titles, the book, along with the Digital Classroom video tutorials on the DVD, takes you step-by-step through the process of learning to use Photoshop CS3 like a pro on your Mac or PC.
This full-color book is organized into lessons, with easy-to-follow instructions, tips, examples, self-study exercises, and review questions at the end of every lesson. Each lesson is self-contained, so you can go through the entire book sequentially or just focus on individual lessons.
Topics covered include:
- What's new in Photoshop CS3
- Bridge
- Camera Raw
- Making Selections
- Painting and Retouching
- Layers, Smart Objects, and Smart Filters
- Creating graphics for video and the Web
The companion DVD included with the book includes video tutorials and all of the lesson files, with starting images, additional elements, and the final, completed image files. A free Instructor's Guide is available online in PDF format.
Sample Excerpts
Dynamic Learning: Photoshop CS3
Reviewed by Rick Karlen
This book is one of the WORST books I have ever had the displeasure of trying to read and learn software from!!! The book is horribly disjointed, topics are not in any logical order to learn CS3 in, the first several chapters go into advanced topics such as layer masks, merging images and creative 'smart' filters. The authors didn't even teach how to get a picture into Photoshop via Bridge before going into advanced topics.
I am not sure who the authors thought they were gearing this book towards, but, its surely not a new user to CS3.., Prior to chapter 1, (or any point thereafter) the book makes no mention of any assumed level of prior Photoshop CS or CS2 knowledge. The book covers beginning basics later on, but, a new user is already lost and frustrated trying to figure out advanced functions in the first 4 chapters!. By page 43 (of 339 pages) the book is instructing on editing smart objects and vector shapes and adding layer effects onto artwork!! I still don't even know how to use the palette tools!
SKIP THIS BOOK!!... If you are a beginning user to CS3 consider "Teach Yourself Visually: Adobe Photoshop CS3" authors Mike & Linda Wooldridge. At least this book begins with a thorough explanation of the tools and the workspace and how to get images into photoshop from Bridge for editing.
