Adobe Photoshop 6.0

Photoshop's new vector features provide even more control when compositing photographic images. You can use the vector drawing tools simply to create polygons and custom shapes, but they can also act as layer clipping paths--vector masks that hide or reveal image areas in underlying layers.

Editable layer effects such as drop shadow and glow were introduced in version 5.5; in version 6, they have been renamed layer styles. New options include satin, stroke and color, gradient, and pattern overlay. The layer styles dialogue box provides much more control--bevel and emboss has five style options, as well as adjusters for technique, depth, direction, size, soften, angle, attitude, gloss, contour, highlight mode, opacity--and that's not all of them. As the name suggests, layer styles can easily be saved and applied to other layers.

You can enter and edit text directly onto the layer and set style attributes from the new tool options bar. Photoshop 6 seems to have benefited from some of InDesign's superb typographic tools, with character and paragraph palettes providing precise control. Web imaging tools have been revamped, with layer-based slicing now available from within Photoshop itself, and a major overhaul of ImageReady introducing weighted optimization, rollover styles, and tweened animation.

If you want the best image editing software that money can buy, look no further. --Ken McMahon

Amazon.com Product Description
Adobe Photoshop 6.0 software introduces the next generation of image editing with powerful new features that offer something for every user. Delivering a broad and productive tool set, Photoshop helps you explore your creativity, work at peak efficency, and achieve the highest quality results across all media. Combine vector drawing tools and new layer design features that greatly enhance your creative options, output razor-sharp text and shapes from Photoshop, and take advantage of an expanded Web tool kit that includes the new ImageReady 3.0 software for advanced Web processing. Use text warping and image distortion tools to manipulate and experiment. Photoshop's time-saving features help you break new ground and still beat your deadlines. Master the power of Photoshop faster with user-interface enhancements that help you to get to work quickly and make it easy to take full advantage of the comprehensive tool set.

I'm a writer by training... I'm not a designer, but design frequently in the course of creating websites and brochures for my clients. I was concerned the learning curve would be too much. It wasn't hard to learn Photoshop at all. Sure, there are more features that I've utilized, but I've come through unscathed.

Things I've been able to do:

* Lots of layers. Very handy for multi-element images, especially ones with different effects or text per layer. And I can hide these layers at will, revealling them with any opacity I want.

* Color adjustment. Got a buddy who looks a little green, or has that New Year's ruddy face? No problem. Tweak a few variables and your friend will look as sober as could be.

* Contrast. Useful for those pics you took that somehow seem a bit dark. You know it is all in the picture, and a little contrasting can reveal all.

* Great typographical tools. You can fine tune leading, letterspacing, and a multitude of other details which make an image shine.

If you design, you already know that knowing Photoshop well is the key to your success. Sure, you need Quark and Illustrator as well, but without Photoshop, you'll live among the unemployed.

If you don't design, and feel a bit intimidated by Photoshop professional-level reputation, realize that you might not need the power in this application. If getting the red out of your snapshots is your goal, or you simply want the ability to crop photos for some fun newsletters, this might be overkill. However, if you've already been down that route, using the software which came with your scanner or digital camera, but want to step up... step all the way up to "Adobe Photoshop 6.0."

I fully recommend "Adobe Photoshop 6.0."

Anthony Trendl


I have arrived!   October 23, 2001
Kevin J Nichols (San Diego, CA United States)
0 out of 4 found this review helpful

Photoshop 6 is it!
After getting it from my neighbor, new worlds have opened!!


The most powerful raster graphics program around ...   September 18, 2001
bryan chalker (Duluth, GA USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Most of you reading this have heard of, or are using a version of Photoshop. That alone attests to its popularity. And you know the basics. The single most powerful raster graphics program around, made more powerful and flexible by the number of plug-ins available.

What's new:
"Vector shapes" - a little misleading in its meaning. Indeed they are vector shapes, but when saved, they are rasterized. Maybe future versions will integrate the fundamentals of Illustrator (or Freehand - both the best vector graphics programs available) a little better. But the shapes feature is quite useful for logos, and small icons.

Editable text effects - Not quite "text on a path," but a very welcome feature. After skewing the text with this feature, you are still able to alter font styles/sizes/colors with no problem.

Dockable Palettes - a great feature, if you have a large enough monitor (17" w/high-resolution setting, 19" w/mid-res setting), in order to see the dock. Allows you to place heavily used palettes in the upper right hand section, without having to move them around.

It has quite a few more feature, but those I've mentioned are my favorites. Coming from 5.0 to 5.5 was fairly unimpressive, but the jump to 6.0 has made it a worthwhile upgrade.


Excellent software, but beware the learning curve!   May 3, 2001
S. Nare (Lebanon, OH United States)
37 out of 37 found this review helpful

I have been using Photoshop since version 3. With each subsequent version, Adobe continues to add more and more features and functionality. These continued additions are what makes the program both wonderful and a monster all at the same moment. Photoshop is undeniably the number one tool for photographic and other image maniputlation. If you are looking to get into professional design this is the tool to learn. It is highly appropriate for both print and electronic design. There is little you can imagine that it cannot do. If however you are a beginner who simply wants to use a graphics package to make images for a personal website or edit family photographs, then buy something else. (I suggest Photoshop Elements.)

Photoshop is overkill for the non-professional user. Some might argue that buying a toolbox that contains every imaginable tool is best. I'd argue that you may break from the weight of all that it requires you to learn. If you buy this software realize it can take months and years to master. While the effort is truly worth it, decide first if you really want to invest not just the considerable purchase price, but also the personal cost of time to learn and master it.