I am just trying PS Elements for the first time and can't find "curves". Is this something not included in Elements or do I just not know where to find it? I looked in the manual and it is not listed in the index. Thanks for all help!
Oh, no!! So I have to have the PS 7 or CS to have that??? How important does anyone think that is for someone still just learning? I really appreciate the help and opinions!
I work exclusively with Elements. I've enjoyed it for almost a year. It has 80% of the bells and whistles of PS at a fraction of the cost. Sure, I'd like curves and layer masks and such, but until my photographs improve dramatically, or I start shooting RAW (which might happen now, come to think of it) I won't be upgrading any time soon. You can do a LOT in Elements!
I work exclusively with Elements. I've enjoyed it for almost a year. It has 80% of the bells and whistles of PS at a fraction of the cost. Sure, I'd like curves and layer masks and such, but until my photographs improve dramatically, or I start shooting RAW (which might happen now, come to think of it) I won't be upgrading any time soon. You can do a LOT in Elements!
I think that is the key -- I need to wait until my shots equal the software. Thank you!!!!!!!
try the windows version of GIMP it has everything that PS has including curves (some things use different names but it is all there)
and it is FREE!!!!
there are lots of tutorials on the net and all the PS ones can be adapted to suit GIMP as well
Oh, no!! So I have to have the PS 7 or CS to have that??? How important does anyone think that is for someone still just learning? I really appreciate the help and opinions!
I use Curves only sporadically, often you can achieve a similar effect using Levels if you play around with the middle slider. The only effect I know of that you can only achieve with Curves is if you're going for a metallic look, like in the capital 'E' here (inspired by Scott Kelby's book PS7 Down & Dirty Tricks):
But for this you not only need Curves but also Channels which PS Elements doesn't have, I think. Don't know if there would be a work-around to do something like this in Elements. And of course, you could also try GIMP as already pointed out.
Oh, no!! So I have to have the PS 7 or CS to have that??? How important does anyone think that is for someone still just learning? I really appreciate the help and opinions!
I use Curves only sporadically, often you can achieve a similar effect using Levels if you play around with the middle slider. The only effect I know of that you can only achieve with Curves is if you're going for a metallic look, like in the capital 'E' here (inspired by Scott Kelby's book PS7 Down & Dirty Tricks):
But for this you not only need Curves but also Channels which PS Elements doesn't have, I think. Don't know if there would be a work-around to do something like this in Elements. And of course, you could also try GIMP as already pointed out.
I use curves in EVERY single image I work on.
Sometimes I use ONLY curves.
It's that important!
I'll echo what someone said before about using Gimp, which is now available for Windows. I tried it out a couple of days ago, and seems pretty good. It's completely free and does almost everything Photoshop does, and more. If I get time, I might put a tutorial up.
I use curves in EVERY single image I work on.
Sometimes I use ONLY curves.
It's that important!
I'll echo what someone said before about using Gimp, which is now available for Windows. I tried it out a couple of days ago, and seems pretty good. It's completely free and does almost everything Photoshop does, and more. If I get time, I might put a tutorial up.
I agree with the first part. A tutorial would be most appreciated, as I opened up GIMP once or twice and found it quite confusing to use after using PS since v. 2.0 ...
Create the letter you want to work with. Give it some moderate Gaussian Blur. Then use a squiggly 'M' kind of shape curve for the metallic effect.
Not to be a burden, but could you put up a screen shot or something that shows what that squiggly 'm' kind of shape curve might look like? Or better yet...a tutorial perhaps??? Thanks! :o)
Create the letter you want to work with. Give it some moderate Gaussian Blur. Then use a squiggly 'M' kind of shape curve for the metallic effect.
Not to be a burden, but could you put up a screen shot or something that shows what that squiggly 'm' kind of shape curve might look like? Or better yet...a tutorial perhaps??? Thanks! :o)
I have loads of tutorials I'd like to write, and I'm afraid this one is way down on the list... why don't you try it though? Create a HUGE letter in Photoshop, Give it some Gaussian Blur, and just open the curves window and experiment. Keep the top-right and bottom-left points and go mad with everything in-between. You'll soon get it.
Create the letter you want to work with. Give it some moderate Gaussian Blur. Then use a squiggly 'M' kind of shape curve for the metallic effect.
Not to be a burden, but could you put up a screen shot or something that shows what that squiggly 'm' kind of shape curve might look like? Or better yet...a tutorial perhaps??? Thanks! :o)
I could do a tutorial maybe over the weekend, but I don't know how to include screen shots! Anybody know an easy way to make screen shots within Photoshop?
Anybody know an easy way to make screen shots within Photoshop?
Under Windows, you use Alt+PrtScrn to put a copy of the current window into the paste buffer. You then just open a new Photoshop document (the size will automatically be set to the size of the image in the paste buffer) and choose "Paste". You can then crop/resize it as necessary. (More details here using "Microsoft Paint", but the concept is the same. I don't recommand anybody actually use MS Paint!)
Anybody know an easy way to make screen shots within Photoshop?
Under Windows, you use Alt+PrtScrn to put a copy of the current window into the paste buffer. You then just open a new Photoshop document (the size will automatically be set to the size of the image in the paste buffer) and choose "Paste". You can then crop/resize it as necessary. (More details here using "Microsoft Paint", but the concept is the same. I don't recommand anybody actually use MS Paint!)
Okay, thanks, I'll go ahead and see if I can write down what I did to create the effect I posted somewhere else in this thread.
Create the letter you want to work with. Give it some moderate Gaussian Blur. Then use a squiggly 'M' kind of shape curve for the metallic effect.
Not to be a burden, but could you put up a screen shot or something that shows what that squiggly 'm' kind of shape curve might look like? Or better yet...a tutorial perhaps??? Thanks! :o)
I have loads of tutorials I'd like to write, and I'm afraid this one is way down on the list... why don't you try it though? Create a HUGE letter in Photoshop, Give it some Gaussian Blur, and just open the curves window and experiment. Keep the top-right and bottom-left points and go mad with everything in-between. You'll soon get it.
Bob
Hmmm, when I do that it just changes the colour :/
