Photoshop has a number of features in it. And new features get added every year. The newer features are naturally improved versions of the earlier ones. Learning the basic tools and using them is important for any photo editor. It helps in streamlining the editing workflow. This blog will guide you about the essential tools and how to use them to your advantage.
Photoshop Toolbar and Customizing it
By default, the Photoshop Toolbar is anchored to the left of the application window. It can be unanchored and can be changed into two columns. The toolbar can be customized by using Edit Tool Bar. Let us know about the various tools you will find in the taskbar and how to use them.
- Magic Wand Tool
One can choose Magic Wand Tool from the dropdown of the Quick Selection Tool. You can also access it by typing ‘W’. This tool will help you select portions of the same colour.
- Move Tool
Move Tool is useful because it allows you to move items in your image. You can relocate a selection within your image with Move Tool. If you don’t make a selection, the tool will move the entire layer.
- Rectangular Marquee Tool
For creating a rectangular or circular selection, one can use Rectangular Marquee Tool or Elliptical Marquee Tool. Clicking anywhere on the image will allow you to deselect.
- Quick Selection Tool
The Quick Selection Tool will help you select a portion of an image along defined edges. To do so, you can move the cursor around the object until the whole object is selected while holding the mouse.
- Object Selection Tool
Object Selection Tool will allow you to select an object within your photo. You can click and draw a selection around the object you want to select.
- The Paint Bucket Tool
The Paint Bucket Tool is located on the toolbar just under the Eraser Tool. With the help of this Tool, you can fill all pixels matching the colour of the area you have clicked on with your foreground colour.
- The Gradient Tool
The Gradient Tool is similar to The Paint Bucket Tool. However, it will fill a selection with a gradient instead of a solid colour. Select the tool and draw a line with the mouse over your selection to use the Gradient Tool.
- The Crop Tool
The Crop Tool helps to rotate and crop your image according to the predefined parameters. If you have a series of product images that need to be of the same size and orientation, The Crop Tool can prove helpful.
- Brush and Eraser Tool
Brush Tool is used to paint on your image, and the Eraser Tool is used to erase a part of image. To use the Brush Tool click and drag your cursor over the image. The Eraser Tool works in a similar way.
- Magic Eraser Tool
The Magic Eraser Tool functions in the same way as Magic Wand Tool. The difference between the two is that Magic Eraser Tool erases similar pixels from the image.
