Getting started: Using tools

You can use this tutorial with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements versions 7 and 8.

Learn how to use the Adobe® Photoshop® Elements tools effectively. Jan Kabili shares productivity-enhancing tips for some of the tools in the Elements toolbox, such as shortcuts and tool tips.

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• Photoshop Elements 7 videos
• Photoshop Elements 8 videos

Requirements

To complete this tutorial, install the following software:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 or later

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Viewing tools

The Photoshop Elements toolbox does not show all of the tools that are available. There are so many, that some of them have been tucked behind other tools in the toolbox.

1. Start Photoshop Elements.
2. Open a photo in the Editor workspace, and make sure Full Edit is selected.

   The tools appear on the left side of the workspace, as shown in Figure 1. Notice that some tools, like the Eraser tool, have black triangles on them.

   

   Figure 1: Toolbox in the Editor workspace

3. Click and hold down the Eraser tool. A menu shows additional tools that are related to the Eraser, as shown in Figure 2.

   

   Figure 2: Eraser tools

   You can now select the Background Eraser or the Magic Eraser.

4. Click the Magic Eraser tool. Now the Magic Eraser is showing in that tool slot.

Using tool tips to identify tools

You don't have to memorize the names or locations of every tool. Instead you can take advantage of tool tips. If you see a tool and I have no idea what it is, move the pointer over it. The name of the tool appears.

1. Position the pointer over the tool with the bandage on it.

   The name of the tool appears. The tool is either the Healing Brush or Spot Healing tool, depending on which one was used last.

2. Use tool tips to locate the Straighten tool and view its tool tip.

   Notice the letter to the right of the tool name. Those letters are shortcuts.

3. Press the V key on the keyboard.

   The V key is the shortcut for the Move tool, which is now selected in the Toolbox.

Viewing the Options bar

When you select different tools, the Options bar changes. For example, if you select the Crop tool, you see only options related to cropping.

Some of the options are called “sticky.” When you set options for a tool, they remain there in the Options bar when you use that tool again. You can reset the options for one or all of the tools in the toolbox.

1. Click the small arrow at the upper left of the Options bar.

   You can reset the options for the currently selected tool, or for all tools.

2. Click Reset All Tools and click OK to confirm the selection.

   All of the options for all tools have been set back to their defaults.

Setting foreground and background colors

The Photoshop Elements toolbox includes two boxes for controlling foreground and background colors when editing images, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: A. Foreground color box, B. Background color box, C. Swap foreground and background colors button

Whatever color is showing in the Foreground color box is the color Photoshop Elements uses for tools that use color. For example, the Brush, Pencil, and Type tools all apply the color in the Foreground color box. The Gradient tool uses both the foreground and background colors.

There are a few different ways to select and apply new colors. The first and easiest way is to click the Eyedropper tool and sample a color from an image.

1. Click to select the Eyedropper tool.
2. Click in the photo to sample a color that you would like to use.

   The Foreground color box picks up the color you select. Now if you were to use the Paint Brush or similar tool, it would use the new foreground color.

   Another way to change the foreground color is to click the Foreground color box and use the color picker.

3. Click the Foreground color box. The Select Foreground Color dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 4.

   

   Figure 4: Select Foreground Color dialog box

4. Drag the slider in the middle to a different hue, such as blue.
5. Using the large color field on the left, click to select a new shade.

   The color you select shows in the top of the sample color box. The current color appears below it so that you can compare, as shown in Figure 5.

   

   Figure 5: A. Sample color box

6. Click OK. The Foreground color box changes to the new color.

Changing brush tips

Many tools, such as the Paint Brush, Eraser, Smart Brush, Clone Stamp, Healing Brush, and Spot Healing Brush, all have a collection of brush tips. These brush tips change the size, look, or effect of the tool. For example, the Spot Healing Brush tool is used to cover up unwanted elements in a photo. It copies pixels from nearby in the photo and blends those pixels into the area that you are trying to cover up. To do that, change the brush tip so that it is the right size.

You can use the brush tip options in the Options bar, but there is a more efficient way.

1. Select the Spot Healing Brush tool in the toolbox.

   Notice the current brush tip options are shown in the Options bar, as shown in Figure 6. You can change the size and type of brush, or choose from several preset brushes.

   

   Figure 6: Spot Healing Brush options

2. Use the Size option in the Options bar to change the brush size.

   When you change the brush size in the Options bar, you have no idea how large a brush tip your choice gives you.

3. Click the sample brush stroke in the Options bar. A collection of preset brush tips opens, as shown in Figure 7.

   

   Figure 7: Selected Brush Presets

   You could try to select something here. But again, these are meaningless sizes until you get the brush tip back down into the image and begin painting.

4. Choose a small brush tip from the Presets menu.
5. Position the pointer over the part of the image you want to edit. The pointer represents the size of the brush tip.
6. Press the right bracket key on the keyboard, which is two keys away from the P key.

   As you press the right bracket key, notice the brush tip getting bigger until it's large enough to cover what you want to. If you want to make your brush tip smaller then, use the left bracket key on your keyboard right next to the P key.

   These productivity enhancing tips are just a few for using tools in Photoshop Elements. There is no need to memorize every tool. But it is important to know how to make your tools work efficiently. Using tools efficiently saves you time and effort as you work on your photos in the Editor workspace.

Where to go from here

If you enjoyed this tutorial, check out these other resources to help get you started using Photoshop Elements.

• Photoshop Elements Essentials for Windows tutorials on lynda.com
• Photoshop Elements shows on Adobe TV
• Photoshop Elements Help and Support
• Saving files
• Manual selection tools
• Automatic selection tools

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