Chapter 1. Tool and Palette Primer

Courtesy of Michael Slack, www.slackart.com

Out of clutter, find simplicity.

—Albert Einstein

In this chapter, you'll learn about Bridge, which is Photoshop CS2's replacement for the File Browser. You'll also see how to edit the menus in Photoshop so that only the commands that you actually use are visible.

Opening Photoshop for the first time and seeing all the tools and palettes competing for space on your screen can be a dizzying experience. You might find yourself thinking, “That's great, but they forgot to leave room in there for me to work!” Some of the more fortunate Photoshoppers get to have a second monitor, just to hold all their palettes. The rest of us make do and find ways to keep our screens neat and tidy. You'll discover that finding places to put your tools and palettes is almost as important as knowing how to use them. This chapter is all about effectively managing your workspace and getting acquainted with the oodles of gadgets and gizmos found in the tools and palettes.