Creative Thinking in Photoshop

by Sharon Steuer

New Riders, April, 2002.
Trade Paperback, 223 pages.
ISBN: 0735711224

Creative Thinking in Photoshop offers a new perspective on Photoshop from the point of view of the artist. In this book, painter and illustrator Sharon Steuer explains how she makes use of Photoshop and provides practical advice and tips to other artists interested in using Photoshop. This is a different look at Photoshop, because most Photoshop books focus on the graphic artist, web designer or layman user. Throughout the book, Steuer uses her own artwork to show how she gets the most out of Photoshop. Steuer teaches artists how to use composite images, Photoshop layers, colors, tools and special effects, plus many other techniques. She also provides a chapter on collaboration and a section about how to arrange your workspace so that it supports your creative workflow.

Steuer does a superb job of explaining the technical aspects of Photoshop to artists and helping artists learn new ideas about how to use computers more creatively. She also does a great job of highlighting differences (and similarities) between computer art, which she refers to as printmaking, and physical art, such as painting -- and explaining which medium is most useful for which tasks. Although sometimes even Steuer gets lost between the different mediums. As Steuer explains, "There are times when I'm painting in my studio when I suddenly realize, 'Oh my God, I can't undo!'". It makes for some very interesting reading, as you learn how painter and illustrator Sharon Steuer makes use of digital technology via Photoshop. This book is also an excellent learning aide for the professional artist looking to use Photoshop to turn his computer into an artist's tool.

Creative Thinking in Photoshop is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the June, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.