[Photoshop]The assorted knowledge thread (now sorted!)

[Rio]

^^^
Yeah, that comes in really handy! Also, if you just want to join the upper level with a lower level, just hit Ctrl+E

Some other shortcuts I use:
Ctrl+' = brings up grid or closes it out depending on if it was already on the canvas or not
Ctrl+L = brings up Level window (easier to being up then Brightness/Contrast so I've been using this instead)
Ctrl+A = selects the whole canvas
Ctrl+D = deselects whatever was selected on the canvas
Ctrl+Shift+I = inverts the selected
Ctrl+S = Save
Ctrl+Shift+S = Save As... (<--- every program should have this. I find myself doing this when trying to save documents in other programs)

and that's all I remember for now. C:

[GunZet]

These are simple ones everyone should already know, but might fool peeps new to PS.

Pressing Ctrl+Z doesn't continuously undo, it toggles between undo, and redo.
In order for it to work like other programs, use
Ctrl+Alt+Z aka Step backward in edit
Step forward is
Ctrl+Shift+Z

Shoes the shortcuts to these and more in the edit panel.

EDIT- Woops, it's in the first post... well here it is again xD

[Rubisko]

R to rotate canvas (CS5 and up)

[ram]

When I didn't have a tablet before I use photoshop pen tool..

click and drag then alt at the point to break the point(which you probably already know)
to those who don't just watch this


Anyways what they don't teach you in youtube is that if you ctrl+click anywhere on the canvas, it'll unselect the points so you can draw new ones.

[Sutari]

If anyone already knew or already posted any of what i'm going to say, I apologize. But this is what I use almost every time i draw something in PS.


1. Ctrl+U = Hue/Saturation (you probably knew that)

2. Ctrl+L = Levels (probably knew that too)

3. Create a layer with the OVERLAY layer mode above your sketch layer to change its color. Just fill/gradient and it will show up on anything you've drawn on the layer below. Though I think the sketch layer has to be transparent...

4. Group multiple layers together, and put a quick mask on the folder. Then use white and black to "erase" and "fill in". It works well when you use multiple layers for coloring hair/skin etc, and end up changing the lineart. (no one likes having to redo multiple layers of color manually, amirite)

5. Make your own brush by drawing a shape/squiggle/whatever you want on a transparent layer, magic wand select, then go to "EDIT- Define Brush Preset". Useful for making logos/quick signatures etc. And you can make your brush (or any others you have) into a concept art brush by changing the spacing and the opacity (click "Brush Tip Shape" under Brush Preset in the brushes window).

6. Unlock your Background layer by double-clicking it and hitting "ok". You can even name it then. But I only use it if I accidentally sketch on the BG layer instead of a transparent...

7. Hold "Alt" after you lasso'd something to reverse-lasso anything you didn't want to select.

8. when using the Zoom or Move tool, click any number on your keyboard to change the 10 column in the layer opacity bar. Double click that number to change the 1 column (Its a habit for me to press Z and then 3 for 30% opacity on a sketch before i make a lineart layer).

9. Change the mode of any color layer to "Multiply" to have it shade across all layers below it. Though this is kind of cheating IMO, and it would be better to actually learn how colors work :P

10. Select something with the lasso and right-click (or tablet pen button), and click "Layer via copy" to make a transparent layer with a copy of the selection. It is kind of like the Duplicate tool in GroupBoard, but without having to use a marquee.

[ram]

http://www.keyxl.com/aaac987/148/Ado...-shortcuts.htm

http://morris-photographics.com/photoshop/shortcuts/

Edit: not all shotcut keys might be useful.. I just pick what I click the most and try to find the shortcut key for that through google.. though I did found out that you can actually modify it anyways so shotcut keys doesn't matter much anymore.

[Rubisko]

Alright, so I just found out something wonderful! The number keys (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0) control the opacity setting of the brush tool. I've heard people mention it, but I always thought that it was something they had bound themselves. As I'm unable to use my tablet right now I figured I'd try to bind all the tools I usually use to something comfortable in the meantime. After 30 mins of trying to figure out how to bind opacity I found out that they are bound like that by default. I guess some of you've always know this, but I sure didn't so I figured that I should share this

Edit: Sutari mentioned this above. I notice now. Lol, I should have read that post more carfully months ago

[toast]

This should be stickied (as well as other helpful threads)