Creative Photoshop CS4: Digital Illustration and Art Techniques (Paperback)

Amazon.com quotes for previous edition: "A tutorial book that is CREATIVE AND FUN!!! I really can't recommend this book enough. The tutorials are easy to understand even when dealing with advanced techniques. It could be a bit much if you are brand new to Photoshop but I doubt it. I don't think anyone looking into purchasing a book of this type would be at all disappointed. There are other tutorial books out there but this one has subjects and artwork that are truly engrossing. Not only are the tutorial format and content superb but the author offers an online community that can be accessed through his personal site. Here you can ask for help on problem areas from other readers and often the author himself and also post your own work that the lessons have hopefully helped you to create. An easy 5 stars, great work." "Phenomenal! I purchased this book on a whim and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of its content. Lea takes readers step by step through simple and very complex design techniques. His instructions are easy to follow and, unlike many other Photoshop books I have picked up, just as easy to apply to other projects! Having access to the author through the reader forum on the book website makes this an even more useful tool. Any tips that might seem vague are easily explained by the man who wrote the book - and other readers that have overcome similar problems. I have worked through several books on Photoshop, but this has been the best by far!" Amazon.co.uk quotes for previous edition: "Fantastic! I have been a fan of Derek Leas work for a number of years since first discovering his tutorials in Computer Arts magazine. I often emailed Derek asking him if he was going to write a book on advanced digital imaging techniques. Derek finally took the challenge of writing a book and to say that the wait was worthwhile is an under statement! If you are a keen digital artist hungry for new techniques to apply to your work this is the book for you. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!!!" "Detailed discussion of sophisticated digital art techniques. This is one of very few Photoshop books that focuses on the creation of digital art, rather than the techniques required for certain standard tricks and effects...all of the tutorial images are genuinely inspiring, rich in textures, reflecting the author's emphasis on the importance of incorporating scans of real world objects into digital illustration...Congratulations to Derek Lea, and needless to say, highly recommended!" Amazon.ca quotes for previous edition: "This Book is a refreshing change. There are so many generic Photoshop books out there that I stopped looking at them a while ago. Then I found this. Derek Lea has written the definitive guide for artists who want to create within Photoshop. I find the art so inspirational and the style of writing so easy to follow that I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to do something really cool with Photoshop. Lea also maintains a companion website to the book with an active forum. I found loads of people posting questions and even Lea himself was there to offer support to almost everyone who posted. Buy this book, then check out the web forums that go with it. You won't be disappointed."