Incredible Photoshop Hacks Everyone Should Know
From magazines to billboards, brochures and websites, the use of photographs is ubiquitous. Ever since the advent of the printing press, followed by that of the camera, writers and publishers alike have used these tools to produce content in its most engaging of forms. The vibrant colours, and many a time, eye-catching effects, are often the result of enhancements made by a certain software or application. One among these, and also the most widely used, is Adobe Photoshop. Its interactive User Interface, along with a comprehensive set of features and Adobe Photoshop hacks are ideal to help you achieve cover-page-worthy images.
What Is Adobe Photoshop?
Photoshop can be a powerful tool with which you can significantly improve the quality of the images you capture. Adding to this are the many Adobe Photoshop hacks that help make life easier when using the software to make extensive edits. Some of these Photoshop hacks are given below:
Adobe Photoshop Hacks that You Should Know:
Photoshop can come across as a complicated application, but some of these Photoshop hacks can help quicken the pace at which you edit, meaning that you can do a lot more in the same amount of time. The following are a few Photoshop hacks that you should know if you want to make the best use of the application’s features:
Draw straight lines: Many of us have struggled to draw a straight line while using the paint brush tool on Photoshop. And no matter how many attempts we give it, it always goes crooked at some point. There is, however, a simple Photoshop hack that you can use to achieve this. All you have to do is hold down the Shift key while you use the paintbrush tool, and you’ll have a straight line. This Photoshop hack can be extremely useful when creating geometric designs.
Draw a perfect square: Have you ever tried to draw a perfect square using a marque tool and failed? You can do so using a simple Photoshop hack. All you need to do is hold down the Shift key while using the tool, and it’ll get you a perfect square.
Change your image to black and white: Converting an image to black and white is just a single step away. However, many often struggle with figuring out how to do so. Looking for the appropriate option under the Image or Edit menus yields no result. All you need is this simple Photoshop hack. It is a combination of three keys: Ctrl+Shift+U, pressing which your image will be converted to black and white.
Rotate an image: Sometimes, the best way to edit part of a picture is to turn it at an angle that makes it easier to do so. However, unlike an image in a presentation, there isn’t any obvious symbol that you can click and drag to do so. However, its alternative is an easy Photoshop hack. All you need to do is click ‘R’ and then click and drag on the image to rotate your view.
Undo repeatedly: Sometimes, the best way to get the desired image is to keep experimenting with different effects and tools. However, many find themselves stuck when they’re unable to undo more than one step. Again, the solution to this is pretty simple, and this Adobe Photoshop hack can help you go back to what your edit was like a few iterations prior. Go to Edit > Preferences > Performance and change your History States to whatever number you deem adequate. Once you do so, you’ll be able to undo your work all the way till the limit you’ve set. This Photoshop hack works really well for those still operating older versions of Photoshop. The latest, however, automatically allows you to use the Ctrl+Z shortcut to undo multiple times.
Change the ruler measurement: Editing images according to certain measurements is often a necessity in several occupations. However, what can possibly make this harder than it has to be is that the unit on the ruler is different from the one you’ve based your edit on. Changing this is a simple Photoshop hack. All you need to do is right click on the ruler bar and choose a desired unit of measure from the drop-down menu. Keep in mind, that if you cannot see the ruler in the first place, activate it by going to View > Rulers. This simple Photoshop hack can help make measuring a lot easier.
Precise painting: Painting parts of an image can be a hassle, especially when you only want to cover an area that’s bound by several corners. Brushes, in such situations, have a tendency to paint beyond the binding border. Don’t you wish that there was a Photoshop hack that could help you avoid this? In fact, Photoshop does provide a simple tool that prevents your circular brush from going over corners and softening borders. This Photoshop hack in the CC version allows you to add a crosshair to the middle of the brush. To activate this, go to Edit > Preferences > Cursors. Lastly, choose the option that says Show Crosshair Brush Tip and then click on OK. You can activate the crosshair while dodging or burning, making it a very versatile Photoshop hack.
To Conclude
While learning the art of image editing can be a feather in the cap for photographers, it is also a skill that one must have in their portfolio. The ability to use this software and make use of its many Photoshop hacks can put you two steps ahead of the competition. These Photoshop hacks can also ensure that you’re a lot more efficient with your work, thus helping you create more content in the same amount of time.
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