10 Tricks on Photoshop

Here are 10 uncommon, hidden tricks in Photoshop that can enhance your workflow and creativity. Each trick includes step-by-step instructions:

Trick 1: Rotate the Canvas

Step-by-Step:

1. Press R to select the Rotate View Tool.
2. Click and drag on the canvas to rotate it to your desired angle.
3. To reset the rotation, click the reset icon in the Options Bar or press Esc.

Trick 2: Straighten a Crooked Image

Step-by-Step:

1. Select the Crop Tool (C).
2. Click the “Straighten” button in the Options Bar.
3. Draw a line along the horizon or a reference line in your image that should be horizontal.
4. Release the mouse button to straighten the image.

Trick 3: Apply Multiple Layer Styles

Step-by-Step:

1. Apply a layer style to your layer (Layer > Layer Style > [Choose Style]).
2. Right-click the layer and choose “Convert to Smart Object.”
3. Apply another layer style to the Smart Object layer.
4. Repeat the process to stack multiple styles.

Trick 4: Hidden Spring-Loaded Tools

Step-by-Step:

1. Press and hold a tool shortcut key (e.g., B for Brush Tool).
2. Use the tool as needed while holding the key.
3. Release the key to switch back to the previous tool.

Trick 5: Precise Brush Size and Hardness

Step-by-Step:

1. With a brush tool selected, hold Alt + Right-Click (Windows) or Control + Option + Click (Mac).
2. Drag left or right to adjust the brush size.
3. Drag up or down to adjust the brush hardness.

Trick 6: Quick Duplicate with Layer Alignment

Step-by-Step:

1. Select a layer and press Ctrl + J (Windows) or Cmd + J (Mac) to duplicate it.
2. With the Move Tool (V) selected, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and drag the layer to create a quick duplicate aligned with the original.

Trick 7: Focus Mask

Step-by-Step:

1. Open an image and go to Select > Focus Area.
2. Adjust the In-Focus Range slider to refine the selection.
3. Click OK to create a selection based on the focused areas of the image.

Trick 8: Change Background Layer to Regular Layer

Step-by-Step:

1. Double-click the Background layer in the Layers panel.
2. Rename the layer (optional) and click OK.
3. The Background layer is now a regular layer with full editing capabilities.

Trick 9: Custom Shape Tool

Step-by-Step:

1. Select the Custom Shape Tool from the toolbar (hidden under the Rectangle Tool).
2. In the Options Bar, click the shape thumbnail to open the Shape Picker.
3. Click the gear icon and choose “All” to load all available shapes.
4. Select a custom shape and draw it on the canvas.

Trick 10: Filter Masking

Step-by-Step:

1. Convert a layer to a Smart Object (Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object).
2. Apply a filter (e.g., Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur).
3. In the Layers panel, click the white thumbnail next to the filter name to select the filter mask.
4. Use the Brush Tool (B) with black to paint on the mask and hide parts of the filter effect. Use white to reveal parts of the filter effect.

These tricks can help you unlock some powerful features in Photoshop and streamline your editing process. Happy editing!