In this article, we’ll learn all about Photoshop’s tools and the toolbar. Do you know what a toolbar is? Toolbar is where Photoshop holds the many tools we have to work with. There are tools for making selections, for cropping and retouching images, for adding shapes and type, and many more.
Let’s start with a look at the toolbar itself, including how the toolbar is organized and how to access the many tools hidden within it. Then look at each and every tool in the toolbar with a quick summary of what each tool is used for.
If you are new to Adobe Photoshop and even if you are no, the plethora of editing tools available can be quite daunting. Photoshop is designed for photo editing, image creation, and graphic design. The software provides many image editing features for raster pixel-based images as well as vector graphics. It is very useful to photographers, graphic designers, video game artists, advertising, and meme designers.
You can use Photoshop CC 2021 or earlier versions as well. Just note that some tools may not be available in another version.
Photoshop has many keyboard shortcuts. Instead of right-clicking on the tool, you can press “W” and then “Shift-W” to toggle between the two tools. Another useful feature in Photoshop CC is that when you select a tool, a little video pops up that will show you how the tool works. It’s a nice way to reinforce the fact that you have the correct tool.
From the Edit menu, you can select the Tools option. The Customize Toolbar window displays to allow you to customize the toolbar depending on your workflow.
What you can with toolbar is-
The Photoshop Toolbar can be displayed as a single row or a double row by selecting the two arrows at the top of it.
You can also grab the top bar and drag the Photoshop Toolbar wherever you wish on the Photoshop canvas. We will look at the Photoshop tools in no specific order.
But what happens if I somehow lose the Toolbar? To show the Photoshop Toolbar, simply click the Window menu and then Tools.
Recently Adobe has revealed the latest photoshop v22.0 version. Adobe Sensei together with Artificial Intelligence (AI) has collaboratively adopted some features and updates in Adobe Photoshop CC 2021. Adopting more AI-powered features and tools, these updates have surpassed all the expectations and caused a commotion among the users! But why is that? Let’s check those features out in detail.
Neural Filters are “a major breakthrough in AI-powered creativity.” With a series of outstanding tweaks, it has stolen the show.
The filter uses Adobe Sensei AI algorithms and has simplified the photo-editing works. This smart and manipulative tool can make a total alteration to a person’s facial expression, age, hair thickness, head direction, and whatnot!
Get access to Neural Filter by clicking >Filter from the menu bar.
Then >Neural Filters.
Adobe Photoshop has one of these tricky tools named ‘Sky Replacement.’
Now you can change the sky according to your requirement.
Prior to that, the user has to do a lot of work and fine-tuning to get the object under a perfect sky. Now Adobe has made it a lot easier! There are a lot of variations in the sky.
Just follow these 2 steps.
First, click Edit.
>Then choose Sky Replacement.
One of the new features is the Color Grading option. It has replaced the Split Toning.
Go to Filter. >Then click Camera Raw Filter.
A Panel with various options will show up.
Scroll down to Color Grading.
Earlier users have to work a lot to work on the pattern, especially for textile designs. Adobe’s latest ‘Pattern Preview’ has eased the process and ended those complications.
To operate this tool, > click View on the menu bar.
>Then go to Pattern Preview.
With this tool, users can get a real-time infinite preview of the pattern they want to create. Thus, they can create seamless patterns without the requirement of a box.A box-shaped boundary will be shown after enabling the tool. So, when anyone draws and colors anything, it will be repeated around that boundary as well.
The shape tools of photoshop have been provided with some dynamic features and enhancements in photoshop V22.0.
Now users can transform the canvas without any difficulty. It also helps them control radius, they can apply changes to any corner, and the changes will be made automatically on other corners as well.
Not to mention the newest addition of Triangle Tool and Line Tool.
Moreover, under the Live Shapes Properties, each shape tool has its own set of properties to attribute changes.
To use this feature, >go to the Toolbar and >click Shape Tool.
Choose any shape and draw it.
These amazing features allow users to tweak shapes’ height, width, or rotate it as per their needs.
Reset smart objects is another powerful feature. It allows users to perform any adjustments. Regardless of transformations or distortions that have been made on the object, it will restore its original form.
All you have to do is to >choose Layer.
>Then go to the Smart Object option and reset transform.
>Or right-click the Smart Object layer and choose reset transform.
Another smart option by photoshop V22.0 is the Preset Search. Now you can search for anything,e.g., brushes, colors, shapes, gradients, patterns, and so on inside the panel.
>To collapse or expand preset folders, use CMD (macOS) or Ctrl and click the enclosure arrow on the preset folders.
>A panel will open with a search bar.
>Start typing whatever you are searching for, and it will show up.
Generally, photoshop has its own presets; however, you can set your own too.
Brush Tool Search
Not only the preset panel has its own search bar where you can find brushes, so has the Brush Tool.
>To find any specific brush, choose the Brush Tool or tap ‘B.’
>Click on the drop-down bar of brushes to find the search bar.
And there you are!
Automatic Preset Sync
The big news is that all the presets are now synced in Photoshop v.22.0. In the General option from Preference, the Preset Syncing is automatically enabled.
This workspace has made the selection and masking process a lot easier and quicker than before. It has replaced the Refine Edge and the Refine Mask dialogue boxes in the earlier version of photoshop.
>Launch it by pressing Ctrl+Alt+R (Windows) or COMMAND +Option+R (Mac).
>Or click Lasso Tool, Magic Wand, or Quick Selection Tool from the options bar. Then on the top, the Select and Mask button will show up.
