Mastering Photoshop for Web Design. Volume 1.

Abstract

This book was written in the hope of filling a gap — a gap that has existed for as long as designers have been using Photoshop for Web design; a gap that we so often fill with tutorials focused on the latest trends and on inspiration galleries that are quickly browsed and forgotten; a gap that is growing as quickly as our technologies. It’s a gap of foundation. The fast pace of the Internet has focused us on the latest and greatest techniques, which typically have a lifespan of only a few months. Rarely do we focus on the fundamentals, the principles that outlive the trends.
Unfortunately, the principles are often less appealing than the shiny and new. Photoshop tutorials offer quick results. They hold our hands step by step until something incredible appears, but they rarely go in depth to explain the principles that enable us to create something unique and incredible of our own.
Mastering the fundamentals of our tools opens our minds and unlocks our inherent creativity. It helps us recognize the difference between timeless and trendy. It increases our efficiency and ultimately makes us and our work more valuable.
My hope is that this book helps you gain a deeper understanding of Photoshop. If you’re a beginner, I hope it gives you the comprehension you need to bring your ideas to life. If you’re a veteran, I hope it unveils some of the mysteries that have always boggled you. Ultimately, though, I hope this book increases your appreciation of the fundamentals and the subtleties that make Photoshop such a powerful tool.