Photoshop
Tutorials
   
What is the toolbox?

 

The toolbox has various tools for editing an image. The toolbox is divided into several sections of similar tools:

  • Selection Tools
  • Enhancement Tools
  • Vector Tools
  • Navigation Tools
  • Color Tools

The toolbox is pictured to the left. It contains all of the various Photoshop tools. In addition to the visible tools, the tools with a small black arrow in the lower-right corner contain fly-out menus with other related tool choices. In the example to the left, the Dodge Tool is depressed, displaying the Burn Tool and the Sponge Tool in the fly-out menu.

To select a tool to use:

  • If the tool is visible on the toolbox, click it once to activate it.

OR

  • If the tool is hidden, point to the appropriate tool family icon and hold the mouse button down; the fly-out menu will appear. Click on the desired tool in the menu to activate it.


What do the tools do?  

Below is a description of each of the major tool “families.” Detailed information about the individual tools in the Toolbox is provided throughout these tutorials.


Selection Tools

The Selection Tools allow you to use various techniques to select specific sections of an image, rather than the entire graphic. These tools create “marching-ant” marquees around the selected areas and fade the unselected areas so users can determine exactly which area they have selected. Once selected, you can edit and manipulate a section of an image while leaving the rest untouched. The Selection Tools are discussed in more detail in the Blending Images section of this tutorial.

Enhancement Tools

The Enhancement Tools allow you to clone portions of an image, blur or enhance backgrounds, fill an area with a selected color, or further emphasize focal points. The Enhancement Tools are discussed in more detail in the Enhancing Images section of this tutorial.

Navigation Tools

 

By using the Navigation Tools, you can move to different sections of an image, or change magnification of the image. The Zoom Tool allows users to magnify and reduce areas of images. Click the Zoom Tool to zoom in (magnify); press the Alt key and click the Zoom Tool to zoom out. The Hand Tool allows users to slide the image around the Image Area in order to view different sections of the image.

 


Color Tools



The Color Tools control the foreground and background colors. In this example, white is the current foreground color and red is the background color. When used in conjuction with the Color Palette and the Swatches Palette, users can select from millions of different colors to use in their images. The Eyedropper Tool allows you to select a color from an existing image. The Color Tools are discussed in more detail in the Enhancing Images section of this tutorial.

 

 


Copyright © 2001, Bloomsburg University Virtual Training Help Center.
All rights reserved. This material may not be used without written permission.
Contact Dr. Mary Nicholson at mjnich@bloomu.edu
The screenshots contained in this tutorial were created in Adobe Photoshop 6.0.