{"id":722,"date":"2012-02-02T16:26:51","date_gmt":"2012-02-02T21:26:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/?p=722"},"modified":"2017-11-19T09:36:21","modified_gmt":"2017-11-19T14:36:21","slug":"photoshop-down-dirty-tricks-for-designers-by-corey-barker-a-book-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/photoshop-down-dirty-tricks-for-designers-by-corey-barker-a-book-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Photoshop Down & Dirty Tricks for Designers by Corey Barker\u2013 a book review"},"content":{"rendered":"

This \u201cDown & Dirty\u201d is the newest update to the series started back with Photoshop v6<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Photoshop<\/a>Corey Barker has taken over this series from Scott Kelby and does a marvelous job of continuing to provide easy to follow, complete step-by-step instructions on creating some of the most awesome graphics with Photoshop. To supplement the book, Barker provides the files online you\u2019ll need to duplicate the lessons and even provides additional videos to watch.<\/p>\n

Luckily, 95% of the book is applicable to all recent versions of Photoshop, so you don\u2019t need the latest, greatest version to appreciate the book. The exception is the one chapter on 3D, which changed considerably in version 5. Other than that, grab whatever version you have and start amazing yourself with what can be done with a little tutoring from the author.<\/p>\n

One of the least understood and least appreciated tools in Photoshop is the brush tool, so guess what occupies chapter one. Barker shows why it needs to be mastered and how easy it is to create amazing work with nothing more than some judiciously applied custom brush strokes. Best part is, after you create a custom brush for one image, you\u2019ll save it and be able to use it whenever and where ever you want later.<\/p>\n

In the chapter on type and fonts, you\u2019ll be creating realistic, raised chrome and gold emblems from simple dingbats that used to be flat, black and white ornaments you never knew what to do with. Moving on to commercial graphics, you\u2019ll gain newfound love for grids, halftones and frames.<\/p>\n

In all, it\u2019s seven chapters of Hollywood brilliance, in steps anyone can follow, with multiple projects in each chapter. Best of all, they are effects you can use on your photos to make them stand out in a crowd of otherwise \u201csame-ole\u201d photos.<\/p>\n

This book is not an introductory book to Photoshop, but anyone who has learned the basics will be able to follow along and really appreciate the techniques that Barker shares. It belongs on any Photoshop users\u2019 bookshelf. Look for it at Kelby Training<\/a> or any bookstore carrying quality software titles.<\/p>\n

You might also enjoy these other Kelby Training books:<\/em><\/p>\n

The HDR Book by Rafael \u201cRC\u201d Concepcion<\/a><\/p>\n

Photoshop Compostiting Secrets by Matt Kloskowski<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This \u201cDown & Dirty\u201d is the newest update to the series started back with Photoshop v6 Corey Barker has taken over this series from Scott Kelby and does a marvelous job of continuing to provide easy to follow, complete step-by-step instructions on creating some of the most awesome graphics with Photoshop. To supplement the book, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[608,606],"tags":[736,734,265,733,722,723,724,728,729,738,737,739,731,732,726,79,727,735,730,725,80],"class_list":["post-722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-news-blog","category-photography-2","tag-adobe-photoshop","tag-barker","tag-book","tag-corey-barker","tag-cs4","tag-cs5","tag-cs6","tag-designers","tag-down-dirty","tag-graphics","tag-hollywood","tag-image-editing","tag-kelby","tag-kelby-training","tag-lessons","tag-photoshop","tag-ps","tag-scott-kelby","tag-series","tag-tips-and-tricks","tag-tutorials"],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","rpg_gallery_admin_thumb":"","rpg_gallery_thumb":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","gb-block-post-grid-landscape":"","gb-block-post-grid-square":"","et-pb-post-main-image":"","et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth":"","et-pb-portfolio-image":"","et-pb-portfolio-module-image":"","et-pb-portfolio-image-single":"","et-pb-gallery-module-image-portrait":"","et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth-large":"","et-pb-image--responsive--desktop":"","et-pb-image--responsive--tablet":"","et-pb-image--responsive--phone":""},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"

This \u201cDown & Dirty\u201d is the newest update to the series started back with Photoshop v6 Corey Barker has taken over this series from Scott Kelby and does a marvelous job of continuing to provide easy to follow, complete step-by-step instructions on creating some of the most awesome graphics with Photoshop. To supplement the book, Barker provides the files online you\u2019ll need to duplicate the lessons and even provides additional videos to watch. Luckily, 95% of the book is applicable to all recent versions of Photoshop, so you don\u2019t need the latest, greatest version to appreciate the book. The exception…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Blog<\/a>, Photography<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Doug","url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","author_meta":{"display_name":"Doug","author_link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"featured_img":null,"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Doug","author_link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Blog<\/a>","Photography<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Blog<\/span>","Photography<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Adobe Photoshop<\/a>","Barker<\/a>","book<\/a>","Corey Barker<\/a>","CS4<\/a>","CS5<\/a>","CS6<\/a>","designers<\/a>","Down & Dirty<\/a>","Graphics<\/a>","Hollywood<\/a>","Image Editing<\/a>","Kelby<\/a>","Kelby Training<\/a>","lessons<\/a>","Photoshop<\/a>","PS<\/a>","Scott Kelby<\/a>","series<\/a>","tips and tricks<\/a>","tutorials<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Adobe Photoshop<\/span>","Barker<\/span>","book<\/span>","Corey Barker<\/span>","CS4<\/span>","CS5<\/span>","CS6<\/span>","designers<\/span>","Down & Dirty<\/span>","Graphics<\/span>","Hollywood<\/span>","Image Editing<\/span>","Kelby<\/span>","Kelby Training<\/span>","lessons<\/span>","Photoshop<\/span>","PS<\/span>","Scott Kelby<\/span>","series<\/span>","tips and tricks<\/span>","tutorials<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":0,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 14 years ago","modified":"Updated 8 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on February 2, 2012","modified":"Updated on November 19, 2017"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on February 2, 2012 4:26 pm","modified":"Updated on November 19, 2017 9:36 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p21Ejy-bE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1619,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/heres-a-quick-way-to-shoot-digital-photos-like-the-pros\/","url_meta":{"origin":722,"position":0},"title":"Here’s a quick way to shoot digital photos like the pros","author":"Doug","date":"April 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"A short-course in how to shoot like the pros Tired of surfing the web for \"how-to-recipes\" on improving your photos? Do you want your photos to be those that amaze your friends and flatter your subjects? Does it seem like just too much work to read the manual, but you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/latest-news-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"TheDigitalPhotographyBook-PartFour","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/TheDigitalPhotographyBook-PartFour-300.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":340,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/the-hdr-book-by-rafael-rc-conception\/","url_meta":{"origin":722,"position":1},"title":"The HDR Book by Rafael \u201cRC\u201d Conception","author":"Doug","date":"November 27, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Unlocking the pros\u2019hottest post-processing techniques \u2013 a book review There\u2019s no better feeling for a photographer than to havepeople gush over your photo, suggesting you submit it to National Geographic,or better yet, asking if they could buy it. Unfortunately, most of your shotsdon\u2019t get that way with a simple press\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/latest-news-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-hBRvLiEoJgw\/TtKPHrfiRiI\/AAAAAAAAA0Q\/a0KbynoGQUM\/s320\/hdr%2Bbook.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11017,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/new-adobe-elements-13-now-available\/","url_meta":{"origin":722,"position":2},"title":"New Adobe Elements 13 now available","author":"Doug","date":"September 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Like their predecessors, Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 and Premiere Elements 13 maintain the right amount of robust organizational and editing tools that have made them extremely popular. These new versions further build on Adobe\u2019s efforts to make their products relevant to the ever-growing number of photographers whose work is destined\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Past"","block_context":{"text":"Past","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/past\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Adobe-Elements.jpg?fit=648%2C310&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Adobe-Elements.jpg?fit=648%2C310&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Adobe-Elements.jpg?fit=648%2C310&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11626,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/book-shelf-half-dozen-good-reads\/","url_meta":{"origin":722,"position":3},"title":"Book shelf – a half-dozen good reads","author":"Doug","date":"November 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Every year a dozen or more books cross my desk in search of recommendations.\u00a0 Some are outstanding, some so-so and some just plain not worth the paper they are written on.\u00a0 The following are all in the outstanding category \u2013 worth a read if you are looking for any of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Past"","block_context":{"text":"Past","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/past\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Photographic Composition","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/PC.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/PC.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/PC.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/PC.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":311,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/microsoft-excel-functions-and-formulas-a-book-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":722,"position":4},"title":"Microsoft Excel Functions and Formulas \u2013 a book review","author":"Doug","date":"May 31, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"As vacation time approaches, the normal thing to do is toplan the vacation budget. 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This is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/latest-news-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-CjrcLmKW-Ys\/TWRNiUUBWTI\/AAAAAAAAAV0\/1Q6n1het8Dg\/s320\/wild%2Bside%2Bcover.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}