11 QUICK TOOL TIPS
1
When you make a selection with the
Marquee tools, hold Alt to start it from
the center - it’s usually much easier to
judge than starting the selection from
a corner point!2
When you’re zoomed in on an image,
hold H to swoop out to a bird’s eye view,
then release the H key to zoom back in
on another portion of the image.3
Don’t bother using the Zoom Tool for
zooming, just hold Cmd/Ctrl+Space then
drag right over part of the image to zoom
in to it, or drag left to zoom out.4
When you’re using the Move Tool, you can
right-click over a part of the image for a
handy list of all the layers under that point.5
While you’re using any tool with an Opacity
or Strength setting, like the Brush, Clone or
Dodge/Burn tools, the number keys let you
quickly change it: 1 for 10%, 2 for 20%, 3 for
30% and so on. 0 is for 100%.
6
When you use a selection tool, the ‘marching
ants’ can sometimes get in the way. PressCmd/Ctrl+H to hide or reveal them. Cmd/
Ctrl+Shift+H does the same for a Path line.7
If you need to rotate your brush tip while
painting, use the left and right arrow keys
(hold down Shift for greater rotation).
Alternatively, hold down R and you can
rotate the entire canvas.8
The Smudge Tool has a wonderful hidden
feature called Finger Painting. Turn it on
in the tool options at the top, and the
tool will apply a dollop of your foreground
color as it smudges.9
When you’re using either the Dodge or Burn
tools, you can hold down Alt to temporarily
switch to the other tool.10
The new Quick Actions buttons in the
Properties Panel automate common tasks –
like removing a background – depending on
the type of layer that is selected.11
While using most brush-based tools, you can
hold Shift while dragging the tool to lock it
to a straight line. Alternatively, click on one
point, then hold Shift and click on another to
draw a straight line between the points.