The Designer's Guide to Astounding Photoshop Effects

Rating:
Summary: Don't Judge This Book By Its Cover
Review: What a crime that this excellent design book's weakest, tackiest page is the only one that most people will ever see: its cover. I picked up this book as a joke, because that awful first page promised a Saturday afternoon of unintended laughs at some "astounding" misuses of Photoshop. But the joke was on me--there's a treasure buried under that Photoshop-ravaged first page.

"The Designer's Guide to Astounding Photoshop Effects" is loaded with examples of the program at its best, and the designer profiles offer some nice inspiration and insight. The tips are all pretty good, but you have to accept the fact that most Photoshop "wizards"--like traditional magicians--have no intention of revealing the secrets behind their best tricks.

There's a great quote in there by illustrator Ward Schumaker that goes, "There's nothing wrong with working on the computer, as long as it doesn't show." Most of the designers included in this book seem to agree with that philosophy. Too bad the book's cover designer doesn't.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Judge This Book By Its Cover
Review: What a crime that this excellent design book's weakest, tackiest page is the only one that most people will ever see: its cover. I picked up this book as a joke, because that awful first page promised a Saturday afternoon of unintended laughs at some "astounding" misuses of Photoshop. But the joke was on me--there's a treasure buried under that Photoshop-ravaged first page.

"The Designer's Guide to Astounding Photoshop Effects" is loaded with examples of the program at its best, and the designer profiles offer some great inspiration and insight. The tips are all pretty good, but you have to accept the fact that most Photoshop wizards, like traditional magicians, have no intention of revealing the secrets behind their best tricks.

There's a wonderful quote in there by illustrator Ward Schumaker that goes, "There's nothing wrong with working on the computer, as long as it doesn't show." Most of the designers included in this book seem to agree with that philosophy. I just wish the book's cover designer did.