Michael Hoffman

Introduction to 3D features in Photoshop CS6 (beta)

22/03/2012

Photoshop CS6 is now available as a beta release from Adobe Labs, and it is nothing short of amazing. It will take a long time to work through all the new and improved features, so today, I’m focusing on the one area I’m most excited about: the 3D engine. 3D in Photoshop keeps getting better, and the developers have taken things up several notches with this new release. Count on seeing a lot more of the new 3D features, as well as the myriad of other new and improved features within Photoshop CS6 beta, in the coming weeks here on TipSquirrel. [More]

Photoshop Compositing with 3D (Part 2)

20/03/2012

In this two part video tutorial, we look at creating a surreal scene with 3D and traditional 2D elements. In this second part, we add the 3D elements and explore ways of integrating the 2D and 3D parts into a unified whole. [More]

Photoshop Compositing with 3D (Part 1)

13/03/2012

In this two part video tutorial, we look at creating a surreal scene with 3D and traditional 2D elements. In this first part, we set the scene by compositing various landscape elements together to provide the backdrop for our 3D model. [More]

Solids of Revolution with Photoshop CS5 Extended

06/03/2012

Photoshop CS5 Extended can create solids of revolution, but the technique is a little bit obscure, and requires wrestling with the Repousse interface. Watch this video to see how to create a revolved 3D solid, to render it with reflections, and to integrate it into a 2D background. [More]

Simplify Your Lightroom Interface

28/02/2012

One of my favorite features of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is the user interface. More specifically, the ability of the user interface to mold itself to the activities at hand, and its ability to get [More]

Mixer Brush Tips

21/02/2012

With Photoshop CS5, Adobe brought us the Mixer Brush, which, along with the new Bristle Brushes, are perhaps the biggest makeover in the brush engine since version 7.0. In today’s video tip, you’ll learn a few basic techniques for setting up and using Mixer Brushes – including the often overlooked capability of loading your brush with multiple colors at one time. Happy painting! [More]

Take Control of your Photoshop Brushes!

14/02/2012

Are you tired of the hunt and peck method of finding your favorite Photoshop brushes? Learn to organize and save your favorite brushes with Preset Manager. With you could save an entire palette of brushes with color and opacity preset? You can, and today we'll see how using Tool Presets. [More]

Camera Raw Workflow Tips

07/02/2012

In today’s video tip, you won’t learn how to create or apply cool develop settings to make your images look amazing. What you will learn is how to set or change your Camera Raw workflow, how to understand when and why unusual things are happening in Camera Raw, and ways to gain speed and efficiency with your Camera Raw workflow [More]

Easy Image Borders with Photoshop Smart Filters

31/01/2012

It seems that nearly every third party plug-in these days has some ability to provide a variety of image borders, but so far that capability isn’t in Photoshop. At least, not directly. But, with [More]

Solving Common Photoshop Problems – Lightroom Image Disappeared?

24/01/2012

Here’s a problem that has plagued everyone at some point in the Lightroom learning curve, and it can be a real stumper if you aren’t paying attention, or if you aren’t wise to the ways of [More]

Solving Common Photoshop Problems–The Brush Tool

17/01/2012

Sometimes the simplest things can create the biggest headaches, and so it is with the Brush tool in Photoshop. You might think, grab the tool, set the color, shape and brush size, and paint away. But then… something is wrong. The brush isn’t painting at all, or it’s painting in a way you aren’t expecting? What’s gone wrong? Should I reset preferences? Reinstall Photoshop? [More]