Making Adjustments, Transforms, Blending, and Painting

This section discusses Photoshop s shortcuts for the following:

• Invoking frequently used commands on the Image Adjustments menu

• Performing transforms

• Feathering and filling

• Switching among edit and screen modes

• Working with blending modes

• Dodging and burning shadows, midtones, and highlights

• Painting objects

Keyboard Shortcuts for Making Adjustments to Images

Windows [Ctrl]-[L], Mac [ z ]-[L]

Display the Levels dialog box

Use the Levels dialog box (the Windows version is shown here) to adjust an image s color balance and tonal range.

Windows [Ctrl]-[Shift]-[L], Mac [ z ]-[Shift]-[L]

Issue an Auto Levels command

Use the Auto Levels command to automatically adjust an image s black point and white point, mapping the lightest pixel in each color channel to level 255 (pure white) and the darkest pixel to level 0 (pure black).

Windows [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Shift]-[L], Mac [ z ]-[Option]-[Shift]-[L]

Issue an Auto Contrast command

Use the Auto Contrast command to quickly adjust an image s overall contrast and color mixture.

Windows [Ctrl]-[Shift]-[B], Mac [ z ]-[Shift]-[B]

Issue an Auto Color command

Use the Auto Color command to quickly adjust an image s contrast and color.

Windows [Ctrl]-[M], Mac [ z ]-[M]

Display the Curves dialog box

From the Curves dialog box (the Mac version is shown here), you can use the following shortcuts to display the different channels instead of using the Channel drop-down list:

Windows	Mac	RGB Channel	CMYK Channel	Lightness Channel
[Ctrl]-[~]	[ z ]-[~]	RGB	CMYK	”
[Ctrl]-[1]	[ z ]-[1]	Red	Cyan	Lightness
[Ctrl]-[2]	[ z ]-[2]	Green	Magenta	a
[Ctrl]-[3]	[ z ]-[3]	Blue	Yellow	b
[Ctrl]-[4]	[ z ]-[4]	”	Black	”

Tip

To display the RGB channel or CMYK channel in the Curves dialog box, you can press [Ctrl]-` or [ z ]-` instead of [Ctrl]-[~] or [ z ] - [~] . (In other words, you don t need to press [Shift] when using this shortcut with a conventional keyboard layout.)

Windows [Ctrl]-[B], Mac [ z ]-[B]

Display the Color Balance dialog box

Windows [Ctrl]-[U], Mac [ z ]-[U]

Display the Hue/Saturation dialog box

From the Hue/Saturation dialog box (the Windows version is shown here), you can use the following shortcuts to change color or hue instead of using the Edit drop-down list:

Windows	Mac	Color
[Ctrl]-[~]	[ z ]-[~]	Master
[Ctrl]-[1]	[ z ]-[1]	Reds
[Ctrl]-[2]	[ z ]-[2]	Yellows
[Ctrl]-[3]	[ z ]-[3]	Greens
[Ctrl]-[4]	[ z ]-[4]	Cyans
[Ctrl]-[5]	[ z ]-[5]	Blues
[Ctrl]-[6]	[ z ]-[6]	Magentas

Windows [Ctrl]-[Shift]-[U], Mac [ z ]-[Shift]-[U]

Desaturate the image

Desaturating an image converts it from color to grayscale in the same color mode.

Windows [Ctrl]-[I], Mac [ z ]-[I]

Invert the colors in the image

Keyboard Shortcuts for Transforms

Photoshop s Free Transform command enables you to apply multiple transformations quickly and easily.

Windows [Ctrl]-[T], Mac [ z ]-[T]

Invoke the Free Transform command

After selecting a handle on the bounding box and invoking the Free Transform command, you can use the following keyboard-mouse combinations to transform the object:

Windows	Mac	Effect
[Shift]-drag	[Shift]-drag	Scale proportionately
[Alt]-drag	[Option]-drag	Distort relative to the center point of the bounding border
[Ctrl]-drag	[ z ]-drag	Distort freely
[Ctrl]-[Shift]-drag	[ z ]-[Shift]-drag	Skew (drag a side handle)
[Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Shift]-drag	[ z ]-[Option]-[Shift]-drag	Apply perspective

When you ve finished transforming the object, press [Enter] (on Windows) or [Return] (on the Mac) to commit the transformation. Press [Esc] on either platform to cancel the transformation.

Windows [Ctrl]-[Shift]-[T], Mac [ z ]-[Shift]-[T]

Transform again

Windows [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[T], Mac [ z ]-[Option]-[T]

Perform a free transform with duplicate data

Windows [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Shift]-[T], Mac [ z ]-[Option]-[Shift]-[T]

Transform again with duplicate data

Keyboard Shortcuts for Feathering and Filling

Windows [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[D], [Shift]-[F6], Mac [ z ]-[Option]-[D], [Shift]-[F6]

Display the Feather Selection dialog box

Use the Feather Selection dialog box (the Mac version is shown here) to define a feathered edge for the selection.

Windows [Shift]-[F5], [Shift]-[Backspace], Mac [Shift]-[F5], [Shift]-[Delete]

Display the Fill dialog box

Use the Fill dialog box (the Windows version is shown here) to specify fill contents and blending.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Switching Among Edit and Screen Modes

Windows [Q], Mac [Q]

Toggle between Edit In Standard Mode and Edit In Quick Mask Mode

Windows [F], Mac [F]

Switch among Standard Screen Mode, Full Screen Mode With Menu Bar, and Full Screen Mode

Keyboard Shortcuts for Working with Blending Modes

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[+], [Alt]-[Shift]-[-], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[+], [Option]-[Shift]-[-]

Cycle through the blending modes

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[N], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[N]

Normal

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[I], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[I]

Dissolve

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[Q], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[Q]

Behind

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[R], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[R]

Clear

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[K], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[K]

Darken

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[M], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[M]

Multiply

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[B], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[B]

Color Burn

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[A], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[A]

Linear Burn

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[G], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[G]

Lighten

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[S], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[S]

Screen

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[D], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[D]

Color Dodge

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[W], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[W]

Linear Dodge

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[O], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[O]

Overlay

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[F], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[F]

Soft Light

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[H], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[H]

Hard Light

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[V], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[V]

Vivid Light

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[J], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[J]

Linear Light

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[Z], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[Z]

Pin Light

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[L], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[L]

Hard Mix

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[E], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[E]

Difference

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[X], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[X]

Exclusion

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[U], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[U]

Hue

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[C], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[C]

Color

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[Y], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[Y]

Luminosity

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[T], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[T]

Saturation

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[S] and Sponge tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[S] and Sponge tool

Saturate

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[D] and Sponge tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[D] and Sponge tool

Desaturate

Keyboard Shortcuts for Dodging and Burning Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[S] and Dodge tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[S] and Dodge tool

Dodge shadows

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[M] and Dodge tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[M] and Dodge tool

Dodge midtones

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[H] and Dodge tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[H] and Dodge tool

Dodge highlights

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[S] and Burn tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[S] and Burn tool

Burn shadows

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[M] and Burn tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[M] and Burn tool

Burn midtones

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[H] and Burn tool, Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[H] and Burn tool

Burn highlights

Keyboard Shortcuts for Working with the Painting Tools

Windows [Shift]-[+], Mac [Shift]-[+]

Cycle through the blending modes for the painting tools

Windows [/], Mac [/]

Lock transparent pixels on or off

Windows [Alt]-[Backspace], Mac [Option]-[Delete]

Fill the selection or layer with the foreground color

Windows [Alt]-[Shift]-[Backspace], Mac [Option]-[Shift]-[Delete]

Fill only the areas that contain pixels with the foreground color

Windows [Ctrl]-[Backspace], Mac [ z ]-[Delete]

Fill the selection or layer with the background color

Windows [Ctrl]-[Shift]-[Backspace], Mac [ z ]-[Shift]-[Delete]

Fill only the areas that contain pixels with the background color

Windows [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Backspace], Mac [ z ]-[Option]-[Delete]

Fill from history