Al Ward's Photoshop Productivity Toolkit: Over 600 Time-Saving Actions

Rating:
Summary: Good effort to create "action" heros - needs work
Review: Al Ward's Photoshop Productivity Toolkit is a good title for this instructional package (book and cd). At first I thought this was a "tips and tricks" handbook that delivered the goods on clever time savers and shortcuts. What I got was much more and pleasantly unexpected. The author, Al Ward, focused in on an "obscure" palette (at least to me); the "Actions" palette (under "Windows" in the toolbar). Now, I'm not a total novice in photoshop, but I'm no pixel Picasso either. The book introduced me to a whole new concept of working on images and text in Photoshop with confidence and speed while cutting the learning curve dramatically in this creative, complex and multidimensional application. It is an incredibly under-utilized super tool in Photoshop productivity, one well worth investigating for both the professional or serious image manipulator.

I had never used Actions before and wasn't inclined to especially with so many other dramatic filters and effects available. For the uninitiated user, it may be best to briefly explain what "Actions" do before reviewing this core topic in Al Ward's book. Essentially "Actions" is a recording program that once started, records nearly every command or effect you initiate on an image or text until you choose to stop recording. It records each command faithfully in sequence. Once a sequence of actions is recorded, it becomes an "Action Set" (a mini pre-set program) that can automatically replay the sequence or effect(s) on any subsequent image or text. When an Action set is created it becomes portable and remarkably versatile. You can load or unload action sets into the Actions palette at will (like color swatches from a swatch library). If you create a really cool action set, send it to a friend to try out. Modify sets by re-recording parts of the sequence to meet your specific needs.

With that said, let's look at why action sets are so versatile and essential to productivity. Action sets can be created to do just about anything; applying multiple filter effects, layering options, alter colors modes, or size. Action sets can be simple or complex. Once loaded and played, an intense multi-layer, multi-filter, resizing and color mode change that used to take 20 minutes manually is done in seconds. Actions save time; lots of it, especially with looming deadlines.

Al Ward's book takes on the task with an in depth exploration of the Actions palette. He is the "actions guru" for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) among other credentials attesting to his expertise. The book has 4 chapters with a companion CD "toolkit" included. The CD is loaded with images and pre-recorded action sets ready to use. The book itself is a valuable resource that goes far beyond the "basics" found in Photoshop help. However, I highly recommend reading the basics in Photoshop's help first, if you're new to the Actions palette. It will also give insight and a good baseline for a challenging Chapter one. This is not an "Actions for Dummies" format though he does make an attempt through humor. I felt the book really needed to start with a far more measured and simplistic pace to let the whole actions concept sink in. The first chapter was hard to digest at first glance and almost gave up; too much, too fast. But take heart, the book really hits its stride in Chapter two and beyond.

Al Ward dives deep into the amazing versatility of the Actions palette, exploring this super tool's potential. In chapter two, the author went from talking to doing. The reader experiences "hands-on" tutorials, step by step, by downloading matching tutorial action sets and images from his CD. The book's tutorials provide lots of pictorials of the palette and images that you'll see at any point in the process. This was truly valuable and helpful. You load an action set, open an image, and then simply "play" the action and presto, a professional transformation! Seeing the speed and results of action sets at work was impressive and made a believer out of me. The tutorials were well written and easy to follow. The book is well illustrated and has many full color plates demonstrating before and after shots of some of the many action sets available on the CD.

Once the reader learns to use and navigate the action palette, he gets into the core of creating, using and modifying custom sets. How to record or insert action "stops" (pauses in the action sequence) that: a) convey information or cautions, b) access menu commands or c) request user input such as how much to alter effect variables (i.e. adjusting contrast or brightness values) before continuing through the rest of the actions. One of the tutorials is "pencil sketch". It takes a stock photo and through a tutorial action set converts the image into a very convincing pencil sketch in about 3 seconds. Another action set example was a complicated sharpening process to illustrate that action sets could be simple or very complex. While some limits exist in creating and using action sets, there aren't many. It's important to note here that Adobe Illustrator v 8.0+ also have action palettes.

Another chapter goes further and gives in depth instruction in doing "batch" processing and "droplets". Batch processing allows for an action set to be applied to multiple images. Remember, actions are not just about manipulating image effects. Let's say you have 50 images you want to convert from RGB mode to grayscale and reduce the size by 50%. You can create a custom action set that: makes a copy of each image, (so the original is preserved), converts the copy into grayscale, then reduces the image by 50% AND then saves the new image in a separate folder named "My grayscale pics". To do this manually to 50 images could take a substantial amount of time and be unbearably tedious. With an action set loaded and the "batch" process used, those 50 images start converting in a fraction of the time. You could be sleeping or enjoying a movie instead. Sweet, huh? A droplet is just a drop box icon that you can drop an image into and let the action set do its thing. This is but a taste of the possibilities available with Actions, but I hope it whets your appetite and imagination.

By reviewing Al Ward's Photoshop Productivity Toolkit, I discovered a whole new creative and productive "action-packed" universe. Action sets are an invaluable and under-utilized tool for creativity and productivity. This is especially true for any artistic, graphic or photographic professional or serious Photoshop user. Photoshop's Help just scratches the surface but I recommend reading it prior to Al Ward's offering. Al Ward does a great service by shedding light on this super tool and he really knows his stuff. He enthusiastically shares his extensive knowledge and delivers a great resource book. I appreciate his efforts to lighten up the technical material with wit and humor. The value of the book is enhanced by the contents of the companion CD, "Toolkit". It provides a large library of professional ready-to-load action sets for instant use, experimentation and/or modification (which he encourages). The CD action set library offers an amazing variety for different uses as well. There are sets for artistic typographic and photo effects, layering techniques, refined filtering combinations and color application and manipulation. Examining these action sets gives real insight into how some really cool advanced, professional techniques are done (also encouraged). This cuts the learning curve dramatically on advanced techniques that would take ages to learn by tedious trial and error. The tutorials are well done with supplied action sets, comprehensive pictorials of the processes and images so you experience the power and versatility of actions.

On the downside, the author's enthusiasm gets in the way of laying a smooth, measured foundation for beginners in Chapter one. He does this by cramming too many new concepts in too short a space. This is unfortunate because it tends to create more confusion than clarity. This staccato writing style in the opening chapter will likely turn off or intimidate a lot of folks unnecessarily. I found myself re-reading material because it didn't flow smoothly. Its not an easy read for the beginner. The second chapter was an improvement as the tutorials started to illustrate what he was trying to say in the first chapter. I felt there really needed to be better organization and a smoother tempo in presenting the conceptual material. Neither the book nor CD content is well organized or easy to navigate and detracted from the overall potential of the author's intent.

Despite its shortcomings, I applaud Al Ward's Photoshop Productivity Toolkit manual and CD. It offers an invaluable opportunity to really upgrade one's skills in Photoshop (and Illustrator). The book offers a great springboard for skill enhancement; significant timesavings and shaving the learning curve to using advanced techniques dramatically.

The book excels in content, tutorials, technical expertise, troubleshooting and enthusiasm but falls short on organization, flow and readability. The included "Toolkit" CD also scores low on organization and easy navigation, but is a treasure house for a fantastic variety and number of professional action sets well worth having. I recommend it especially for graphic and photographic professionals, but it's not for everyone. I suggest playing with the actions palette basics first and if it works for you, then this is a book you'll want.Now you too can become a graphic arts "action-packed" super hero, go get 'em tiger and "improve your image".


Rating:
Summary: Leave the Driving to Al Ward
Review: Al Ward's Productivity Toolkit is just that; a great toolkit. He does all the action crunching and you just simply load whichever action you need or didn't know that you needed. Want to be Ansel Adams, it's there in an action. Want to batch correct images; Al does the legwork for you. There are actions that I never even considered. I highly recommend this labor saving Photoshop adjunct. The instructions make it easy for even the novice.
Also recommended is another of his works:
Phototoshop for Right-Brainers: The Art of Photo Manipulation


Rating:
Summary: Good book for well versed Photoshop Users
Review: This 143 page book is all about auctions. I thought from the name that it would be about short cut keys or how-to tips on the use of Photoshop. I was wrong. It's all about actions - or in other words - Macros. I think macros are a good idea but this book was beyond my ability to "get it". I got lost in the very first chapter and from there it was down hill.

For those more versed in Photoshop, I feel certain that this book would be a useful tool in learning how to create those actions - thus shortcuts - and saving time from doing repetitious keystrokes. For anyone in a time crunch situation, this will be a welcome tool.

By following the steps in Chapters 2 and 3, you will learn how to load, save, play, edit and record actions to use. Chapter 4 discusses how actions interreact, in case you were thinking of sharing your actions with other team members who might have different versions of Photoshop or operating systems. There is a CD included which has all 600 actions the author has so generously created and is willing to share with the reader.

All in all, this is a book for Photoshop users who pretty well know their way around the program. If you are one of those people, grab a copy and learn how to save yourself time.