Mastering Photoshop Web Design

This book was written in the hope of filling a gap — a gap that has existed
for as long as designers have been using Photoshop for Web design; a gap
that we so often fill with tutorials focused on the latest trends and on
inspiration galleries that are quickly browsed and forgotten; a gap that is
growing as quickly as our technologies. It’s a gap of foundation.
The fast pace of the Internet has focused us on the latest and greatest
techniques, which typically have a lifespan of only a few months. Rarely do
we focus on the fundamentals, the principles that outlive the trends.
Unfortunately, the principles are often less appealing than the shiny and
new. Photoshop tutorials offer quick results. They hold our hands step by
step until something incredible appears, but they rarely go in depth to
explain the principles that enable us to create something unique and
incredible of our own.
Mastering the fundamentals of our tools opens our minds and unlocks our
inherent creativity. It helps us recognize the difference between timeless and
trendy. It increases our efficiency and ultimately makes us and our work
more valuable.
My hope is that this book helps you gain a deeper understanding of
Photoshop. If you’re a beginner, I hope it gives you the comprehension you
need to bring your ideas to life. If you’re a veteran, I hope it unveils some of
the mysteries that have always boggled you. Ultimately, though, I hope this
book increases your appreciation of the fundamentals and the subtleties
that make Photoshop such a powerful tool.