Tips and tricks for Intuos4 and Adobe Lightroom 3

Transcription

1 Tips and tricks for Intuos4 and Adobe Lightroom 3 Character designer: Matt Cioffi

2 Contents 1. How to control brush size with the Touch Ring 1 2. How to scroll through the catalogue using the Touch Ring 2 3. How to assign the Intuos4 ExpressKeys for sorting images 2 4. How to assign the ExpressKeys for development 2 5. How to make a Virtual Copy in the radial menu 3 2. How to scroll through the catalogue using the Touch Ring In all Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 modules the current catalogue is displayed as a so-called Filmstrip at the bottom edge of the screen. If you now move the cursor over the Filmstrip, you can use the Touch Ring of the Intuos4 to scroll left or right through the catalogue. This feature is particularly practical because all images in the catalogue can also be accessed outside the Library module. 6. How to assign export functions as a submenu in the radial menu 4 7. Dodge and Burn 5 8. How to assign Mask Overlay to the Intuos4 pen 6 3. How to assign the Intuos4 ExpressKeys for sorting images The Intuos4 ExpressKeys make using Adobe Lightroom just that much easier: for instance, you can use the application-specific properties to assign the B key to an ExpressKey for sorting selected images into the Quick Collection. This is a quick and direct way of sorting photos for final selection. 1. How to control brush size with the Touch Ring The Adjustment Brush already has a pressure-sensitive function: by applying pressure to the Intuos4 pen tip you can intuitively adjust the opacity of an effect, but not the brush size. However, you can easily control the brush size using the scroll feature of the Touch Ring. For this purpose, make sure the Touch Ring is on function level 1 (the first LED should be lit), then you can vary the brush size by moving your finger anticlockwise or clockwise round the Touch Ring. 4. How to assign the ExpressKeys for development For use of the Develop module, you can configure your Intuos4 ExpressKeys so you can activate the settings directly in the Basic Panel : 1 2

3 . key = toggles continuously through the basic functions, such as Temp, Tint, Exposure, Recovery, etc. + key = increases the value of the basic function by five units, or by increments of 0.10 in the Exposure function. In this way, the function is very easy and quick to use: press the ExpressKey for the radial menu once, then select the control slice with the Intuos4 pen that s it! - key = reduces the value of the basic function by five units, or by increments of 0.10 in the Exposure function. In this way, you can gradually adjust key image parameters very quickly and accurately using the ExpressKeys. 6. How to assign export functions as a submenu in the radial menu The Intuos4 radial menu is great for grouping keyboard commands, such as the many different export functions of Adobe Lightroom. 5. How to make a Virtual Copy in the radial menu The Virtual Copy function can be used to make a copy of the current edited version of an image, which you can then edit simultaneously and independently of the original, e.g. you can convert it to a black and white image. The edited version of the original is the basis, i.e. a Virtual Copy that has just been created has no Image history. To ensure that you always have this function ready to hand, you can assign the shortcut CTRL+ (Windows) or + (MacOS) in the Intuos4 radial menu. To do this, reopen the Wacom Tablet Properties (Windows) or System Preferences > Wacom Tablet (MacOS) see previous hint and create a submenu in the radial menu by clicking on an available control slice (e.g. the segment at 1 o clock). To the right of this, under Function, select the property Submenu and enter a title beneath it under Label. In this case, we ll make do with Export. Once you have created the submenu, you can select this submenu from the list on the left-hand side, whereupon a new radial menu is displayed in the middle. You can configure this menu for the various export functions using the shortcuts, as described in the previous hint. We recommend the following assignments for the control slice Export : To do this, first configure the shortcuts in the Wacom Tablet Properties (Windows) or System Preferences > Wacom Tablet (MacOS). In the Tool line select the Functions icon and then the Radial Menu tab. In the bottom half of the menu there appears an image of the radial menu in which you can now select an available control slice (e.g. in the 7 o clock position). Select the property Shortcuts on the righthand side under Function. Now enter the shortcut CTRL+ or + and then label this combination Virtual Copy. When you have finished, the Virtual Copy function appears in the control slice at 7 o clock. 3 4

4 Function in Lightroom Position in the Intuos4 radial menu Shortcut (MacOS) Shortcut (Windows) Export 12 o clock + + E CTRL+SHIFT+E Export with Previous Edit in Photoshop 1 o clock E CTRL+SHIFT+ ALT+E 11 o clock + E CTRL+E With these features, you always have all export functions at your fingertips, regardless of what Lightroom module you re currently using. 8. How to assign Mask Overlay to the Intuos4 pen The Adjustment Brush in Adobe Lightroom basically works like an alpha mask in Adobe Photoshop and, just like in Adobe Photoshop, you can display this mask as a red overlay. This feature is called Mask Overlay in Adobe Lightroom and can be activated and deactivated with the O key. It is recommended, therefore, that you assign the O key to the top side switch on the Intuos4 pen and the eraser to the ALT (Windows) key or key (MacOS). 7. Dodge and Burn Even if you might get the initial impression that Adobe Lightroom is primarily an image editing application with limited correction features, you can use it to make highly sophisticated modifications. Using the Adjustment Brush, for example, you can achieve similar effects to those you get using layers and masks in Adobe Photoshop. For instance, you can make a conventional 16-bit RAW image look like an HDR image by skilful use of the Exposure function. First of all, select the Adjustment Brush and set the parameter for Exposure to a value of Then you can apply the brush to the windows shown in the example picture in order to burn the concealed details. For more exact editing, you can adapt the brush size using the Touch Ring, while you control the intensity of the burn tool by the pressure you apply to the Intuos4 pen. Then select the Adjustment Brush again and set the parameter for Exposure to Now you can brighten objects in deep shadow, such as the chairs shown in the example. Zoom the image to 1:1 or 2:1 aspect ratio to make sure you don t apply the brush to image areas you have already burned. After you have finished dodging the image with the Adjustment Brush, you can fine-adjust the overall brightness using the controls for Recovery and Fill Light in the Basic Panel. When you select the Adjustment Brush and start editing the image, you can hide or show the mask by pushing the top side switch on the pen. Like in Adobe Photoshop, the mask is displayed as a red overlay. This shows you exactly where you have already done editing. If you push the top side switch on the pen again, the red overlay will disappear, and you can check the results of your editing. If you want to delete sections of the mask, just turn the Intuos4 upside down and use the tip as an eraser to reduce or delete the areas of the mask where you want less effect or none at all. These pen/eraser assignments enable you to use Adobe Lightroom more effectively and with greater precision, and in many cases will eliminate the need for post editing in Adobe Photoshop. And that s it the image is finished. By skilled editing, you have created an HDR effect. 5 6

5 Supported by Christoph Kaltseis: Wacom Europe GmbH Europark Fichtenhain A Krefeld Germany Wacom Company, Limited. All rights reserved. Wacom, the logo and Intuos are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Wacom Company, Ltd. All other company names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Modifications and errors excepted. BRO-PTKLR-EN