Video Training Review – Wacom Tablets & Photoshop CS3 With Colin Smith And Weston Maggio From PhotoshopCAFE

I know how it happens. Everyone tells you that to work efficiently in Photoshop you really need to get one of those Wacom tablets. It will allow you to do more, and, will let you work more naturally. So based on their advice you get one, but it doesn’t seem natural; working with your mouse seems natural, so it sits around gathering dust. What do you do?

Wacom Tablets & Photoshop CS3 will take you through everything you need to know to get the most out of your Wacom Tablet. It will take you from setup to use so that you really can become more efficient with your tablet. There is over 2 hours of training covered in 21 lessons.

Colin Smith is an award winning New Media designer, trainer, and author. He is also the founder of PhotoshopCAFE. Wes Maggio is the Regional Sales Manager for Wacom Technology.

Lessons 1-2, are brief introductions from Colin Smith and Wes Maggio who explain what this DVD is about and what you will learn. Lessons 3-5 cover the types of tables that are available, basics of working with tablets, and some fundamental exercises to get use to working with a tablet.

Lessons 6-9 focus primarily on setup. Here you will learn how to customize your tablet with user-specific functions using the control panel. You will see how to set up the pen, the mouse, and then the touch strips.

Lessons 10-12 cover the use of Express keys for access to commonly used keyboard short cuts and functions. It also explores the Brushes Palette which will become the heart of the application. You will learn how to control pressure with your pen in Photoshop. You will also learn how to use the Wacom Tablet Driver to create custom menus to increase productivity.

Lesson 13 covers how to make your own custom brushes while learning how brushes work in Photoshop. Lesson 14 works with adjustment layers. Here you will work with the enhanced Curves adjustment in Photoshop CS3.

Lesson 15 explores collaging and compositing by combining multiple images together to create creative results using master layer masks. Lesson 16 shows you how to use the new Quick Select tool, the new Smart Filters, and Refine Edge to cut sharp edges to remove objects from the background.

Lesson 17 covers the use of cloning with in Photoshop CS3, especially all the ways to use the new Clone Source Palette. Lesson 18 will show you how to create Black and White images from your color photos. You will see how to use the Black and White Filter to make sepia image and then how to make your subject in color.

Lesson 19 will show you how to use Dodging and Burning to bring out the best in your images. Here you will focus on the proper technique, as well as when and where to use these techniques. Lesson 20 covers how to take a photograph and turn it into an image that looks hand painted. Finally Lesson 21 will show you how to create an action that can be used over and over again without having to repeat the same steps over and over.

There are a lot of things to like about Wacom Tablets & Photoshop CS3. First and foremost is the quality of the training. It is clear, concise, and to the point. It gives you detailed explanation on the setup and use of the Wacom Tablet. This is primarily handled by Wes Maggio.

Then the use of the tablet with Photoshop is handled by Colin Smith. It is nice that this has been competently updated to reflect the changes in Photoshop CS3. Finally, I think that the easy to load and use interface is one of the best on the market. It puts everything you need at your fingertips. If you own a Wacom Tablet and are having problems setting it up and using it, or you are planning to buy a Wacom Tablet, then Wacom Tablets & Photoshop CS3 is a recommended add-on to save you time and effort.

The retail price of Wacom Tablets & Photoshop CS3 is $39.99 USD and can be purchased from PhotoshopCAFE. I highly recommend this video if you want to get the most from Adobe Photoshop CS3 and your Wacom Tablet.

Listing of Lessons on "Wacom Tablets & Photoshop CS3"

Intro from Colin
Welcome from Wes
Tablet Overview
Tablet basics
Pen Training
Control Panel
Pen Setup
Mouse Setup
Touch Strips
ExpressKeys
Brushes Palette
Pop-Up Menu
Custom Brushes
Adjustment Layers
Collaging and compositing
Quick Select
Clone Source
Black and White
Dodge and Burn
Painterly Art
Reusable Actions