Friday 14 September 2012

Shortcuts using the control button in photoshop elements

Shortcut controls Glossary
 
Short cuts using the control button makes life so much easier when making elements. If you have used word processing then you are bound to have learned a few. What about control A to select all the text. Or control C to copy text. Here I am going to write a list of all the control shortcuts I know and use. This way if you are reading a tutorial and get confused you can check what it does here.
 
Control A: this will put a selection box around the whole page, so basically select all as with word processing.

Control C: this is copy, to copy and paste an item select it with control A as above, then click control C to make a copy of it. Go to the new window, click in it and then do control V
 
Control D: if you have selected an item and have marching ants around it, or have put a marquee box on the page this control will get rid of them. D basically stands for deselect.
 
Control G: this is used when you want to clip a top layer to the exact shape of the bottom layer. For example you have some text and you would like it to be covered in a nice pattern. Take the pattern layer and put it above the text layer. Now click control G. The pattern will now only show where the text was, giving you patterned text. Another example is when you have a nice picture and you want to clip it to a mask shape. Put the picture in a layer over the mask and click control G. Voila! It is clipped. 
 
Control I: this stands for inverse. Click on an object and click control I and the picture will change to the inverse, like a photograph transparency. I use this when I am making textures and sometimes for backgrounds when I want different texture overlays. I doubt you will use it a lot but it does have its uses.
 
Control button, up arrow (above control) and i: instead of changing an element this changes a selection. Once an element is selected and has marching ants around it, click on these keys and the selection becomes inverse. Instead of having a selection of your element you have a selection of everything but your element. This is used to great effect in  'Making scalloped edge' tutorial.
 
Control J: this one is awesome and I use it a lot. It takes whatever is selected by marching ants and creates it in a new layer. For example if I selected a cow shape, then clicked on a layer with cow print and clicked control J I would have a new layer with a cow shape in the cow print. This has advantages over using control G in that the new shape is more editable.

Control K: this brings up your preferences menu. This is where you can change your settings to make photoshop your own. You can change rulers and grids from cm to inches. Change the cursor size, add a cross hair for accuracy.

Control L: this brings up the levels menu.

Control N: this brings up the new window menu, I use this one all the time :)

Control O : this opens the last folder you saved into. So if you are saving lots of things and you need to get back to them click this shortcut.

Control P: this is the same as word processing and brings up the print options.Nice and simple to remember :)

Control Q: this is quit...so be careful! However, if you want to close everything in a hurry, click on this and it will ask if you want to save each of the items in your windows. If it was a mistake click cancel. If it wasn't...well save away!

Control S: another easy one, this is save, just like in word processing.

Shift+ control + S: this is save as, when you are making elements there are a few different options you may like to choose. Save as a PNG file. This saves an individual element on a transparent background. This is necessary if you wish to use it as a layer over a page you are making. Save as JPG. This is useful if you are saving a background. As there is no transparency this option is suitable and also uses less memory. Save as PSD. This is important to know. If you save as PSD it will save all the layers you have used as they are separately. This way you can go back in a modify single layers or parts of your element.

Control T: is transform, this is used to change the size or perspective of the selected area.

Control U: this brings up the hue/saturation menu. I use this a lot if I am making elements and I want to change the color. Simply click on the element, then control u and move the sliders to change the color, intensity or brightness.

Control V: this is paste just like in word processing...see control A and control C above.

Control W: this also closes the window you are using.

Control +ALT+ W: this closes all the windows you are using.

Control X: this will delete a layer. Click on the layer you wish to delete and click control x and it will delete it.

Control Y: if you undid something and you changed you mind then click control Y as this re does it.

Control Z: this undoes the last move you made. There is a limited number of stages that can be undone. I am not sure how many exactly, but you can undo quite a few.







 

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