Workshop

Q&A

Q1:	What's the difference between the Smudge and Blur tools?
A1:	The main difference is in the way you apply them. Smudging , because you're moving the pixels from point A to point B, tends to show the direction of the move. Blurring decreases the contrast between adjacent pixels, so they seem to blend together visually but with no hint of movement.
Q2:	Can I saturate and desaturate on the same object? I want to make one side lighter and the other darker .
A2:	Of course, you can, but the Sponge tool might not be your best choice for darkening an object. Remember, it makes the color more or less saturated , which is not quite the same as darkening it. Try it and, if the effect isn't what you're looking for, try burning instead.
Q3:	I understand the Sharpen tool, but there also seem to be Sharpen filters. (Okay, I peeked ahead.) When should I use the tool and when should I use the filters?
A3:	Use the tool when you have a small area that you want to sharpen. Use the filters when you have a soft focus image, or one that needs all-over sharpening. You'll learn how to work with the filters in Hour 14, "Filters That Improve Your Picture."
Q4:	My scanned picture has a very dark shadow. Should I desaturate it or dodge it?
A4:	Yes. Try both approaches and see which works best for you.

Quiz

1:	What effect does 100% Strength have on the Smudge tool? None. It turns the smudges black. Rather than smudging, it completely replaces color in the path of the stroke with the adjacent color.
2:	If you sharpen a piece of the picture too much, what happens? It turns into a seemingly random collection of black and colored pixels. It turns white. It turns black.
3:	What should you do if you oversaturate part of your picture? Use the History palette to backtrack to the step just before you used too much saturation. Set the sponge to desaturate and use it on the bright spots. Choose Edit Fade Sponge Tool, and use the slider to back off the color.

Quiz Answers

A1:	c. You can use the Smudge tool set at 100% almost as an eraser, dragging background color over the object you're trying to smudge out.
A2:	a. This effect is not recommended.
A3:	a., b., or c., if you used the Sponge Tool in one long continuous stroke, but the first is usually the best method.

Exercises

Find a photo that's too light and too fuzzy. Apply the Sharpen tool and the Dodge, Burn, and Saturate tools as needed until you've fixed it. Now do the same with a photo that's too dark. Which was easier to adjust?