Happy New Year from Digital Design Cottage

Happy New Year to you all. Let's hope it will be a happy, healthy and prosperous one for us all!

Jennifer

Take the mouse and back away from the tool bar!

When I'm teaching Photoshop, or any of the other design software I always tell my students to make a concious effort to learn the shortcuts for the tools on the toolbar. Most of them are pretty straight forward as the shortcut key is the same as the first letter of the tool, for example E for Eraser, B for Brush.

When you're using the Zoom tool there are a few really handy shortcuts that you can get into the habit of using. First hit Z on the keyboard instead of bringing your mouse over to the toolbar.

Once your Zoom tool is selected, you can click once to zoom in by a preset amount. Each time you click you will zoom in again by that preset amount.

Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) to zoom out.

By using these sorts of shortcuts your workflow speeds up enormously and it will really become second nature to you after a while.

Book Review : 100 Habits of Successful Graphic Designers

Unfortunately (for some of us, others thrive), being a designer means having to do so much more than just designing. We need to deal with clients, create an efficient workflow and stay up to date with technology. This book looks at how successful designers manage to deal with all of the above and more.

The business of design is divided up here into categories which include Education, Self-promotion, Partnerships and Dealing With Clients. Within each of these categories. designers explain their approach and sample of their work illustrate the process.

The aim of this book is to give advice about how to integrate the business world with the creative process (and not go mad). I found this book to be extremely helpful and also inspirational in terms of "pulling up my socks" and getting out there.

100 Habits of Successful Graphic Designers: Insider Secrets from Top Designers on Working Smart and Staying Creative
I would rate this book 4 out of 5.

Don't forget to visit the Digital Design Cottage Bookshelf to see a wide range of Photoshop and Design related books.