Adobe Photoshop Main Menu Manual

File

The File menu holds your most basic commands.

• New
• Open
• Browse
• Open As - This command allows you to open image files in different extensions (i.e. open a JPEG file as a bitmap or vice versa)
• Open Recent
• Close
• Save
• Save As
• Save for Web - This command allows images that have embedded hyperlinks to be saved with HTML code for web design purposes.
• Revert
• Import - Photoshop allows users to import and edit images from digital cameras or other media tools.
• Export - For those who want to add HTML coding, the Export command sends the image to co-program Adobe ImageReady, which can create links from parts of an image.
• File Info - This command edits information encoded in the computer about the file, such as its title or author.
• Page Setup
• Print with Preview
• Print
• Print One Copy
• Jump To - This option opens Adobe ImageReady for users.
• Exit

Edit

The Edit menu is where elementary editing commands can be found.

• Undo
• Step Forward - One editing action forward
• Step Backward - One editing action backward
• Cut
• Copy
• Copy Merged - If you want to copy content split into several layers, use Copy Merged to combine them into one layer and copy automatically.
• Paste
• Paste Into - Use this command to paste copied or cut material into another document.
• Clear
• Check Spelling
• Find and Replace Text
• Stroke - If you select an area or image, the Stroke command creates a border around the selected object.
• Free Transform - Free Transform creates handles around an image or selected area to allow the user to change it as desired.
• Transform --> Scale, Rotate, Skew, Distort, Perspective, Rotate 180, Rotate 90 CW, Rotate 90 CCW, Flip Horizontal, Flip Vertical
• Define Brush - This command takes an open image and creates a brush from it that can be used with the Brush tool.
• Define Pattern - This command creates a pattern from the open image that can be used to fill or color objects.
• Purge - The Purge command clears recorded data about changes made to the image.
• Preferences

Image

The Image menu is where the commands that you will be using for advanced image-editing start to appear.

• Mode - This menu allows you to switch between Grayscale mode (black, white and gray), RGB color mode (for the web) and CMYK color mode (for publications).
• Adjustments - This menu is for adjusting color, contrast and brightness or contrast.
• Duplicate - This command is for duplicating the image you have open into a new file.
• Apply Image - Use this command to place another image in the background of your document.
• Image Size - This is where you adjust the size or resolution of your image.
• Canvas Size - If you need to shift your image in any direction and create extra space, click on the arrows that appear on the Canvas Size window in the same direction as you want your image to shift.
• Rotate Canvas - This is for rotating your image.
• Crop - In addition to manually set cropping, you can also crop an image to a specific size.
• Trim - The Trim command is for removing pixels of a certain color from parts of the image.
• Reveal All - If you have cropped or trimmed your image, Reveal All returns you to the original image.

Layer

The Layer menu allows you to play with the layering feature of Photoshop.

• New - New layers can be created on their own or based on pieces of the image that you are working with. Layer via Cut cuts away a selected part of your original image and creates a new layer for it, while Layer via Copy preserves the original section.
• Duplicate Layer - If you want to try editing a layer of your image without making irreparable mistakes, duplicate the layer and experiment.
• Delete
• Layer Properties - If you want to name your layer or give it a specific color to identify it, change the attributes under Layer Properties.
• Layer Style - This is where major layer changes occur. This will be discussed later.
• New Fill Layer - Layers can also be used to change the look of an image. A fill layer creates a layer of color, pattern or gradient on top of your image.
• New Adjustment Layer - To adjust color or contrast of only a layer and not the whole image, a new adjustment layer can be created.
• Change Layer Content - Change Layer Content allows you to change the type of adjustment layer, for example, from one based on hue and saturation to one on contrast.
• Layer Content Options - To edit the properties of an adjustment layer, use Layer Content Options.
• Type - The command for entering text.
• Rasterize - In order to apply layer-editing tools to text, the text must be rasterized. The text becomes like an image layer; the characters can no longer be edited, but image-editing techniques can be applied.
• Group - If you want to combine several layers or elements of layers, Group can be used.
• Ungroup - Ungroup takes apart combined layers and image pieces.
• Arrange - This command determines the order layers are placed on an image. If one layer were larger than another was, placing the smaller one in front of the larger one would make it visible; placing it behind would hide it.
• Merge Down - Merge Down combines two consecutive layers together and makes them into one layer.
• Merge Visible - Layers can be set visible or not visible. If they are not visible, then they are hidden until you make them visible again. Merge Visible will combine all visible layers.
• Flatten Image - Flatten Image combines all layers together to form one image with only one layer.

Select

The Select menu is simply for capturing certain parts of the image you are working with.

• All
• Deselect
• Reselect
• Inverse Color Range - Color Range is used to manually select areas of a similar color.
• Feather - Feathering creates a blurred transition between the selection and the image.
• Modify - This command changes the size and shape of the selected area.
• Grow - The Grow command is used to expand the area of a selection to include nearby areas of the same or similar color.
• Similar - The Similar command is used to expand the area of a selection to include areas throughout the image of the same or similar color.
• Transform Selection - This is the same as the Free Selection tool under the Edit menu.
• Load Selection - If you save a selected part of an image, Load Selection allows you to retrieve and use it.
• Save Selection- Use this command to save only a selected piece of your image.

Filters

The Filter menu has several options to stylistically change the look of your image.

• Artistic - Artistic filters include Colored Pencil, Cutout, Dry Brush, Film Grain, Fresco, Neon Glow, Paint Daubs, Palette Knife, Plastic Wrap, Poster Edges, Rough Pastels, Smudge Stick, Sponge, Underpainting and Watercolor. These filters make your image look as though it were a work of art instead of a digital piece.
  Example: Fresco
  
         


• Blur - Blur filters include Blur, Blur More, Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur, Radial Blur and Smart Blur. These filters reduce the clarity and crispness of your image.
  Example: Gaussian Blur
  
         


• Brush Strokes - Brush Strokes filters include Accented Edges, Angled Strokes, Crosshatch, Dark Strokes, Ink Outlines, Spatter, Sprayed Strokes and Sumi-e. These filters make your image look drawn through emphasizing edges instead of digital.
  Example: Ink Outlines
  
         


• Distort- Distort filters include Diffuse Glow, Displace, Glass, Ocean Ripple, Pinch, Polar Coordinates, Ripple, Shear, Sphereize, Twirl, Wave and Zig-Zag. These filters contort and warp your image.
  Example: Wave
  
         


• Noise - Noise filters include Add Noise, Dust and Scratches, Despeckle and Median. These filters either increase or decrease the amount of extraneous interference in your image.
  Example: Add Noise
  
         
• Pixelate - Pixelate filters include Color Halftone, Crystallize, Facet, Fragment, Mezzotint, Mosaic and Pointillize. These filters make your images pixelly instead of smooth.
  Example: Pointillize
  
         


• Render - Render filters include 3D Transform, Clouds, Difference Clouds, Lens Flare, Lighting Effects and Texture Fill. These filters change the way light works in your image.
  Example: Lighting Effects
  
         


• Sharpen
- Sharpen filters include Sharpen, Sharpen Edges, Sharpen More and Unsharp Mask. These filters can be used to improve the clarity of your image.
Example: Sharpen More

       

• Sketch - Sketch filters include Bas Relief, Chalk and Charcoal, Charcoal, Chrome, Cont? Crayon, Graphic Pen, Halftone Pattern, Note Paper, Photocopy, Plaster, Reticulation, Stamp, Torn Edges and Water Paper. These filters make your image a sketch instead of digital.
  Example: Charcoal
  
         


• Stylize - Stylize filters include Diffuse, Emboss, Extrude, Find Edges, Glowing Edges, Solarize, Tiles, Trace Contour, and Wind. These are miscellaneous filters that can change your image.
  Example: Wind
  
         


• Texture - Texture filters include Craquelcure, Grain, Mosaic Tiles, Patchwork, Stained Glass and Texturizer: filters that change the material that your digital image is based on.
  Example: Stained Glass
  
         

For image work, the Video, Other and Digimarc menus are usually not applied. You can combine filters, change options and vary the way you work with filters to produce any type of image, completely different from your original.