Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Photoshop Reference Book
Review: If you have purchased the previous versions of Scott Kelby's Photoshop Down & Dirty Tricks book, I highly recommend getting this new version.In his introduction he does talk about if you need Photoshop 7 to purchase the book or can someone use Photoshop 5 and use the book and he lets the reader know that in previous books, to make certain shapes you needed to go through quite a few steps but with Photoshop 7, it's much easier and less time consuming to do certain tricks which he had in his previous books and also he has added a lot of new tricks using the latest Photoshop version.
He also points out the advantages of Photoshop 7 and how the newer features will benefit photographers but he mentions that P6 owners can take advantage of the book. I like to think that I know Photoshop very well but what I love about his book is learning how he does certain tricks so quickly, I seem to do some of those tricks in a more time consuming manner. So, to see his way of doing certain tricks definitely helps. You see, I'm not a manual reader and as
much as I would like to sit back and learn every new feature of Photoshop 7, I don't have the time and maybe I'm just too hard headed that would rather learn on my own. And if you are like me, then you will definitely love this book. Anyway, for those who are not familiar with his books. You don't have to read it like a usual book, just peruse the pages and if there is a trick you like, you can learn it. He explains step by step how he creates the trick and on each page at it's sides, there are tips for Photoshop 7 users and how to utilize the best image for print or web work. Kelby takes a look at the current Photoshop trends that he sees in magazines within the last year and incorporates it into his book. From metallic effects to 3D effects to advanced shadow techniques and many of the popular effects you see on print and the web from popular fad/tricks such as the tv scan lines, Matrix text, halftone pop dots effect, glassy reflections and so
much more. Kelby's "Down & Dirty Tricks" has never disappointed me and has only been a big positive to adding his techniques to my print and web work but also to learn to do certain techniques quicker. An excellent Photoshop reference book! Check it out!
Rating:
Summary: Learn a ton in a short time
Review: Photoshop has a very steep learning curve. The depth of the program is daunting. While I'm no guru on this program - yet - I've found that just diving right in and doing some of the more involved applications of the program exposes you to the maximum amount of features and you learn much more in much less time. With this book, you can do some very simple things, or jump into some of the more complex, such as creating "from scratch" illustrations. Everything is presented with beautiful, full color illustrations of every step, including menu examples and keyboard shortcuts. This book is very good for the beginner, but can also be a valuable resource for the more experienced user, and can help you to become your own in-house Photoshop innovator.
Rating:
Summary: This book opened Photoshop up for me
Review: I love this book, bottom line, I've spent hours creating special effects. Its very important to carefully read each paragraph. You can miss a few steps, however, as you get more comfortable with the tool, the special effects are amazing and empowering. For the most part the book provides step by step examples and pictures to verify your at the correct stage. The visual aids were very helpful when I missed a step. Here are the following techniques I liked: Gel Characters, liquid Gold and Chrome Characters, Glass pills, Carved in Stone, Glass tabs, Full metal jacket, Studio Tarp, ultimate chrome, Going for the Gold, and saturday night effects. The book covers alot of the Photoshop functionality in under 300 pages.
Rating:
Summary: Such a fun toolbox
Review: This book is such a cool group of tricks and makes doing them very easy. I love the metal finishes! You'll need at least a beginner's working knowledge of Photoshop to use "Down & Dirty", since Kelby doesn't guide exactly step-by-step. That's great for his audience, since if you're looking for these kinds of goodies, chances are you're getting into some more complicated designs anyway. Plus, he's actually got a sense of humor and didn't write a total bore of a techy manual. He made his book fun to read - I can't wait for the next addition!
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