[.uk] The Photoshop 5/5.5 Wow! Book (5th Edition) (ISBN 0201353717)

Amazon.com Review:
Walk into a design studio and you just might see the popular The Photoshop 5.0/5.5 Wow! Book on the shelf. If there's a technique or effect that would work perfectly for the job at hand, whether it's adding a chrome or chiseled-in-stone look, or simply better understanding the usage of the lasso tool, designers, photographers and illustrators know to reach for this book. The recent edition incorporates the updated features of Photoshop versions 5 and 5.5, including layer effects, "magnetic" options for many of the selection tools, actions that "record" a sequence of commands, and the art history brush that applies textured strokes to an image. Even with all this great new content, the original organization mirrors from previous editions. The first two chapters cover fundamentals. Subsequent chapters begin with basics pertinent to the techniques covered, but each entry can be read independently. The techniques are shown in step-by-step instructions accompanied by full-color illustrations and, for many, digital files on the CD-ROM accompanying the book. It's possible to dive right into the middle and tackle whatever problem is currently facing you. Silhouetting out a person's portrait is always tricky, particularly getting a good selection around hair. With potential time-wasters like this, Photoshop 5.0/5.5 Wow! is a lifesaver. And readers who have put off learning how to make full use of layers will find a whole chapter and a fun set of "dress up" files on the CD-ROM (digital equivalents of paper dolls) that will have you shamelessly proficient in no time. With hundreds of illustrations, tips for making work quicker and easier, a gallery of work and advice from experienced Photoshop users, illustrated demos for each filter, and so much more, it's quite a hefty book. The CD-ROM has stock images, plug-ins, actions, and tutorial files. From "Making a Mezzotint" to "Making Buttons from Photos," The Photoshop 5.0/5.5 Wow! book is The Joy of Cooking for digital image-making. It'll have you cooking with Photoshop in no time. --Angelynn Grant Topics covered: Step-by-step instructions on tools, techniques, and effects in Adobe Photoshop 5.0/5.5, including using layers, masks, and channels; enhancing photographic images by solarizing, applying a mezzotint, and other effects; making well-executed collages; using filters; painting effects; going from Illustrator to Photoshop and vice versa; adding special effects such as multicolor glow and others; using the new Web tools in version 5.5. CD-ROM contains tutorial files with before-and-after images; try-out applications and plug-ins; actions, gradients, brushes, stock photos, and a teacher's guide that outlines course projects using The Photoshop Wow! Book.

The book that ended up in the trash can.:
I am most surprise to read the reviews about the book. Because I as a beginer just couldn't understand the authors way of explanations of the various topics. I have done my level best to make sense out of their way of vividly illustrated pages but to no avail. After I followed their instruction the last time and ended up not finding the discribed keys and icons the book ended up in the trash can. As far as I am concerned the book is garbage. This book was the 56th insruction book I read during the last two years and it was amongst the worst. I am a very organised person. This is where my first trouble started with the book. The chapters are there but without index. I ended up making an index. The explanations are there, but the way it is written is most difficult to understand for a beginer. It was a good romance at the start but it ended up in disappointment and now it is garbage.

It's not for basic instruction, it's for playing...:
The WOW! book is marvelous, but it cannot be read. It is like a treasure chest of hundreds of special effects and possibilities. I find it works best in the magazine rack for perusing during that regular personal time we can't mention here. It's too complicated for reference. It's just great fun --

Best book on Photoshop I've read:
I really don't understand how anyone can level any criticism against this book! I've read much material on Photoshop over the years, spanning a number of versions. This book was clearly laid out, well structured, with fine examples and pictures guiding you through each process. 'Bibles' are boring. I like to work by example and I feel this book more than fulfills that. I'll go as far as to say it's the only book you should need on Photoshop.

The Photo Shop Wow Book is Worth a look.:
A very good book for any level photoshop artist. Has many good tips and tricks and the Cd that comes with the book is very helpful.

Great Book, nice tutorials:
I purchased this book a while back and I was personally quite impressed with it. Being the owner of a website which uses Photoshop extensively I found some of the tutorials such as Chrome and Fire to be highly advanced which can easily be done by reading the step by step process. Their plug-in section was also quite impressive, mentioning the various plug-ins available for Photoshop, most of which I had never even heard of. I would definitely reccommend this book to all the Photoshop users out there, whether you are a novice trying to get an aspect of Computer Graphics, or an advanced user hoping to learn advanced tutorials.