• Product: Photoshop 6.
• Company: Adobe Systems, Inc.
• Web: www.adobe.com
• Contact: sales@adobe.com
• Category: Software; graphics; image editing..
• Prices: Upgrade:$199; new, $599.
• Requirements: Power PC based Macintosh, System 8.5 to 9.0, 64 MB RAM, 128 to run Photoshop and ImageReady concurrently (virtual memory on), color monitor with 256-color video card or greater, CD-ROM drive.
• Rating: TBA (see the next installment of the review).

This is the first in a series of reviews examining the newest features of Adobe's industry standard photo editing application Photoshop 6. I've been a Photoshop user since version 3; the first version to introduce the concept of layers (can you imagine working without layers?!). Mostly, I've used Photoshop in the RGB color space for television and video applications. Rarely do I work in the CMYK color space. Regardless, many of the new features in Photoshop 6 apply to both the RGB and CMYK color spaces.

Being that Photoshop is a rather large and powerful program, I will branch off many of the newest features into separate reviews. I'll also be examining a number of excellent Photoshop plug-ins in the near future as well, including Xaos Tools, Xenofex, Plug In Galaxy, Flaming Pear plug ins, and AutoEye plug in suites. We will also talk about the program's web publishing capabilities. It will be a long process, but I hope this series of columns will distinguish itself as one of the best Photoshop resources on the Mac Web. If I don't cover something you wish to see this time, chances are I will do so Ana future installment of this series. So, with that said, let's take a very brief look at some of the cool things Adobe has added to Photoshop 6!

Option Palette be Gone!

Actually, the options palette isn't gone; it graduated to a contextual menu bar. Although the bar can be positioned anywhere on your screen, it cannot be set to a vertical position. A minor disappointment, but a welcome change nonetheless. In previous versions of Photoshop you were forced to search for the options pallet, which was usually hidden under the info pallet unless, of course, you dragged out the options pallet thus taking up valuable screen real estate. This new menu bar doesn't interfere nearly as much as the traditional vertical pallet. Photoshop users with limited screen space (i.e. the iMac!) will enjoy this. Now when you switch tools in the tool pallet, the options bar changes depending on the tool selected. For example, when the paintbrush tool is active, all your brushes are now available via the new options bar instead of a separate palette as in previous versions of Photoshop. This makes your brushes more easily accessible, however, I wish the drop down brush menu would go away after I've selected the brush I want. It takes three clicks to select a brush now instead of one or two clicks previously. It would be nice if you could 'tear-off' the drop down brushes as a separate window or menu bar for one-click access. Yet another cool feature is the ability to 'store' frequently used pallets in the options bar. Simply drag the pallet to the 'pallet well' in the options bar. It then becomes accessible with a single click only when you need it. Although it's tempting, I don't recommend putting all your pallets in the pallet well. The 'well' doesn't expand when you drop multiple pallets into it and tends to get crowded. Overall, Adobe intends to make Photoshop 6 easier to navigate for new users and more productive for Photoshop pros.

The contextual option bar as it first appears.

The same option bar, but this time with brushes active. Notice the contextual sensitivity is has.

Layers of History

Many would argue that the introduction of layers in version 3 was the single most important addition to Photoshop. Layers added a much-needed third dimension. Over the years, Adobe has added some impressive features to the layers pallet, including the ability to add 'Layer Masks', 'Layer Clipping Paths', and 'Adjustment Layers'. Photoshop 5 added the ability to create layer effects like bevel and emboss, glows, and simple drop shadows. Photoshop 6 continues to improve upon an already powerful set of tools. Adobe added even more layer effects and grouped them under a new sub-menu entitled 'Layer Styles'. The new Layer Styles dialogue box offers an impressive amount of control over each layer effect. In addition to Photoshop 5's effects, Adobe added the satin, Color Overlay, Gradient Overlay, Pattern Overlay and Stroke effects. A new and improved interface allows Photoshop users to apply any number of these effects and them save them as different styles, which then appear in a new styles pallet. These styles may then be applied to other layers with a single click. Adobe even provides you with some pre-built layer styles to start with. Styles are defined as Button, Image, Texture or Text effects. With one click you can create a web button, add a sepia tone to your image, drop in your favorite textured background or spice up your type. It all adds up to endless hours of fun!

Another powerful new layer feature is the ability to create layer 'sets'. Sets allow you to create a group of layers and collapse them into a single folder. It's an excellent way to organize a large amount of layers without having to permanently merge them together. With a single click you can add a set layer to any part of a selection.

You now also have the ability to add locks to your layers. Three new locking methods replace the preserve transparency check box. You may choose to lock only transparent pixels, only image pixels, and the position of your layer or lock the entire layer. The Lock transparent pixels box basically prevents you from modifying any part of your image that is transparent (the same effect that preserve transparency had). The Lock image pixels box prevents you from modifying any part of your image that's not transparent. The Lock Position box does just what it says. This is especially useful when you have many, many layers and you wish to keep them from accidentally wandering around after spending many, many hours getting them in just the right spot. All in all, the new Layer Styles, Layer Sets and Layer Locks features aim to make Photoshop 6 more fun and much friendlier to use.

Direct Text Editing - What took so long!

Photoshop 6 finally supports direct text editing. This means you can type, edit and transform text directly within your image with NO DIALOG BOX. Photoshop newbies and professionals everywhere will rejoice over this new feature. It appears Photoshop has inherited some of the best text features from Illustrator and InDesign (and even Macromedia's FireWorks). A new Text Warp dialogue allows you to arc, squeeze, bulge, twist and inflate your text to new proportions. When the text tool is selected the aforementioned options bar contains everything you'd expect from a publishing application; Font, text size, text style, text color and justification. Your text is even editable after any transformations are made! Using the text tool in tandem with the new Layer Styles allows you to create some visually stunning text effects. I'll cover more of this in another article.

The text tool is chosen (notice the options bar). Now you have live text effects showing up on your canvas and layer and not an extra dialogue window.

Here are some of the text wrap effects you have to work with. Select some text and
choose and effect and you are there.

Minor installation issues

I first installed Photoshop 6 on my iMac DV 400MHz with 192MB of RAM and OS 9.04. So far, it's been quite stable and very fast on my trusty iMac. For comparison, I also installed Photoshop 6 on my older 8500 machine with an ATI Rage Orion video card and XLR8 Mach Speed G3 upgrade card running OS 9.04 as well. Photoshop installed just fine, but would lock up my 8500 machine after launching. A simple 'command-option-escape' sequence notified me that the Application 'AOM' was not responding. After a Force Quit, I discovered that AOM is indeed an application inside an Adobe folder in the System Folder. The Finder's 'Get Info' command reveals that AOM is an 'Adobe WebEnablement' application. My 8500 is not currently connected to the Internet so this may have been the cause for the freeze. After removing AOM from the System Folder Photoshop launched without incident.

A not so final word

Adobe Photoshop 6 comes with an impressive set of new features. Dare I say more than any previous version of Photoshop received? I haven't even talked about Photoshop's new Liquefy tool, enhanced web design features (including Adobe Image Ready version 3) and new support for vector graphics, but I'll save these for another day. In my opinion Adobe passes with flying colors on Photoshop 6. With an enhanced interface, expanded layering abilities, direct text editing, and a handful of other additions, this is the most improved version of Photoshop to date. It's safe to say Photoshop will retain its designation as the 'Industry Standard' photo editing application.

Upgrade pricing for current Photoshop owners is set at $200. The full version is just over $600. For more information visit Adobe's web site at www.adobe.com.

Give the author your feedback by emailing him. We are especially interested in hearing about any issues you have found with Photoshop 6. We'll try to help. Just send your messages to Michael Tate Jones.

About Michael Tate Jones
(In his own words!)

As a child who grew up during the personal computer revolution, I knew early on that computers would have an impact on my life. The first computer I ever came into contact with was an Apple II in the 5th grade. Lust at first sight I suppose you could say. The first computer I ever wanted to own was the Apple IIGS. But alas, due to monetary limitations the first computer I bought was a PC (Don't stone me to death just yet)! I don't regret having owned PC's for 8 years. It was actually a benefit to my career. I learned DOS, Windows 3.1, and finally the OS that tested my patience for a total of 2 weeks, Windows 95. Keep in mind that patience is one of my better virtues, however, Windows 95 drew the line. I gave my PC to mom & dad (they now own an iMac) and took the financial plunge into the Mac world. My first Mac was an 8500/120 and I now own an iMac DV as well. My next Mac will probably be a G5.

I graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism; however, I had no interest in becoming a news journalist. My career interests took me in a different direction. To start, I was a producer for an advertising agency for five years. Here, I witnessed the merging of the video and computer industry. I became an experienced Non-Linear Digital Video Editor. I learned programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Electric Image, Specular Infini-D, Commotion and others. I now use my creative and technical abilities for an Audio/Visual company that sells AVID, Media 100 and Pinnacle Nonlinear Editing Systems. My job is to build the systems, train our clients how to use them, and then provide continuing support. Needless to say, my lust for computers and technology mixed with my broadcast experience has led me in the right direction. Now, in addition to my current full-time job, I am here to help the readers of Applelust.com make sense of all this amazing technology and where it may ultimately lead us.

I currently live in the Midwest with my lovely computer-illiterate wife, Heather, and amazing 3-year-old computer expert, Elliot.