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Enhanced Quick Mode

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  1. Photoshop Elements User Guide
  2. Introduction to Photoshop Elements
    1. What's new in Photoshop Elements
    2. System requirements | Photoshop Elements
    3. Workspace basics
    4. Guided mode
    5. Making photo projects
  3. Workspace and environment
    1. Get to know the Home screen
    2. Workspace basics
    3. Tools
    4. Panels and bins
    5. Open files
    6. Rulers, grids, and guides
    7. Enhanced Quick Mode
    8. File information
    9. Presets and libraries
    10. Multitouch support
    11. Scratch disks, plug-ins, and application updates
    12. Undo, redo, and cancel actions
    13. Viewing images
  4. Fixing and enhancing photos
    1. Resize images
    2. Cropping
    3. Process camera raw image files
    4. Add blur, replace colors, and clone image areas
    5. Adjust shadows and light
    6. Retouch and correct photos
    7. Sharpen photos
    8. Transforming
    9. Auto Smart Tone
    10. Recomposing
    11. Using actions to process photos
    12. Photomerge Compose
    13. Create a panorama
    14. Moving Overlays
    15. Moving Elements
  5. Adding shapes and text
    1. Add text
    2. Edit text
    3. Create shapes
    4. Editing shapes
    5. Painting overview
    6. Painting tools
    7. Set up brushes
    8. Patterns
    9. Fills and strokes
    10. Gradients
    11. Work with Asian type
  6. Guided edits, effects, and filters
    1. Guided mode
    2. Filters
    3. Guided mode Photomerge edits
    4. Guided mode Basic edits
    5. Adjustment filters
    6. Effects
    7. Guided mode Fun edits
    8. Guided mode Special edits
    9. Artistic filters
    10. Guided mode Color edits
    11. Guided mode Black & White edits
    12. Blur filters
    13. Brush Stroke filters
    14. Distort filters
    15. Other filters
    16. Noise filters
    17. Render filters
    18. Sketch filters
    19. Stylize filters
    20. Texture filters
    21. Pixelate filters
  7. Working with colors
    1. Understanding color
    2. Set up color management
    3. Color and tonal correction basics
    4. Choose colors
    5. Adjust color, saturation, and hue
    6. Fix color casts
    7. Using image modes and color tables
    8. Color and camera raw
  8. Working with selections
    1. Make selections in Photoshop Elements
    2. Saving selections
    3. Modifying selections
    4. Move and copy selections
    5. Edit and refine selections
    6. Smooth selection edges with anti-aliasing and feathering
  9. Working with layers
    1. Create layers
    2. Edit layers
    3. Copy and arrange layers
    4. Adjustment and fill layers
    5. Clipping masks
    6. Layer masks
    7. Layer styles
    8. Opacity and blending modes
  10. Creating photo projects
    1. Project basics
    2. Making photo projects
    3. Editing photo projects
  11. Saving, printing, and sharing photos
    1. Save images
    2. Printing photos
    3. Share photos online
    4. Optimizing images
    5. Optimizing images for the JPEG format
    6. Dithering in web images
    7. Guided Edits - Share panel
    8. Previewing web images
    9. Use transparency and mattes
    10. Optimizing images for the GIF or PNG-8 format
    11. Optimizing images for the PNG-24 format
  12. Keyboard shortcuts
    1. Keys for selecting tools
    2. Keys for selecting and moving objects
    3. Keys for the Layers panel
    4. Keys for showing or hiding panels (expert mode)
    5. Keys for painting and brushes
    6. Keys for using text
    7. Keys for the Liquify filter
    8. Keys for transforming selections
    9. Keys for the Color Swatches panel
    10. Keys for the Camera Raw dialog box
    11. Keys for the Filter Gallery
    12. Keys for using blending modes
    13. Keys for viewing images (expertmode)

The Quick mode groups basic photo-fixing tools in one place, to quickly fix the exposure, color, sharpness, and other aspects of an image. From Photoshop Elements 12, in addition to correcting your photos, you can also transform your photos into professional-looking objects of art using Effects, Textures, and Frames panels, available next to the Adjustments panel.

Each panel has ten thumbnails. Each thumbnail is a live preview. Clicking a thumbnail applies the effect, texture, or frame, to your image. Names for these effects, textures, and frames is displayed when you hover the mouse pointer on the thumbnail.

Effects

Effects panel
Effects panel in Photoshop Elements.

Transform your photo by applying an effect. The clickable thumbnails for available Effects are live previews, to understand how the effect looks on the image before applying it.

Artistic Effects

In one click, transform your photos with effects inspired by famous works of art or popular art styles. Choose from amazing artistic effects that you can apply to all or part of your photo. You can also make defined adjustments in the effects to get the desired results. 

There are a total of 30 Artistic effects in Photoshop Elements. Click Effects to choose your favorite effect in Quick and Expert modes.

Artistic effect
Image after applying artistic effect Neon in Quick mode.

Classic effects

There are 11 Classic effects ranging from Black & White to Vintage looks to Cross-process presets. Click on a Classic effect to see available variation within the preset. 

Classic effect
Image after applying classic effect Smart Look in Quick mode.

Auto Smart Looks

Analyzes the image available, and, based on the content of the image, provides options with different effects applied. Available variations:

  • Auto1
  • Auto2
  • Auto3
  • Auto4
  • Auto5
Note:

Effects are applied as a new layer with layer mask. You can edit the layer mask in Expert mode to remove/reduce effect from certain areas.

The following list provides a brief description of each of the available effects:

Auto Smart Looks

Analyzes the image available, and, based on the content of the image, provides options with different effects applied. Available variations:

  • Auto1
  • Auto2
  • Auto3
  • Auto4
  • Auto5

Tint

Provides a color tint (such as golden, sepia, green) to the image.  Available variations:

  • Copper
  • Golden
  • Sepia
  • Green
  • Blues

Seasons

Applies a season effect to the image. Available variations:

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter
  • Snow

Pencil Sketch

Applies an effect to make the image appear like a pencil sketch. Available variations:

  • Soft Lines
  • Pencil Sketch
  • Charcoal
  • Stippling
  • Colored Pencil

Toy Camera

Applies an effect that makes the image appear as it is a photograph taken by a toy camera. Available variations:

  • Toy Camera
  • Lomo Blue
  • Lomo Contrast
  • Lomo Green
  • Holga

Black & White

Applies a Black & White effect to the image. Available variations:

  • Simple B & W
  • Silver
  • Old School
  • Platinum
  • Tinted Black

Lithograph

Applies a lithograph effect to the image. Available variations:

  • Sepia
  • Black
  • Copper
  • Blue
  • Green

Cross Process

Applies the effect of processing of photographic film in a chemical solution intended for a different type of film. Available variations:

  • Deep Blue
  • Orange Wash
  • Blue Wash
  • Green Wash
  • Purple Wash

Split Tone

Applies the effect of tinting the highlights in a black and white image one color and the shadows another color. Available variations:

  • Split Tone
  • Blue Tone
  • Red Tone
  • Green Tone
  • Grey Tone

Vintage

Applies a vintage effect to the image. Available variations:

  • Vintage Leak
  • Faded Vintage
  • Vintage Color
  • Sepia Glow
  • Heavy Vintage

Light Leaks

Applies the effect of light on the negative of a picture that has leaked into the light-tight chamber of a camera. Available variations:

  • Diffused Colors
  • Burnt Edges
  • Soft Leak
  • White Leak
  • Yellow Streak

Textures

Use the Textures panel to choose from ten textures you can apply to your photo. Textures simulate various surfaces or backgrounds that the photo could be printed on. For example, old paper look, cracked paint texture, rough blue grid, chrome feel. 

Note:

Textures are applied as a new layer with layer mask. You can edit the layer mask in Expert mode to remove/reduce texture from certain areas (face/skin).

Frames

Use the Frames panel to choose and apply from ten available frames for your photo. The frame is automatically fitted in best possible way. You can also move or transform the image and frame. This can be done by using the move tool and double-clicking the frame. You can change the background color from white to any other choice in Expert mode by modifying the Color Fill layer

Apply an Effect, Texture, or Frame

  1. Open a photograph in Photoshop Elements Editor, and switch to the Quick mode.

  2. Three panels - Effects, Textures, and Frames - are available, in addition to the Adjustments panel. Click the icon for any of the panels.

  3. The Panel bar displays live preview thumbnails of the open image. Click a thumbnail to apply the Effect, Texture, or Frame.

  4. (Optional) Switch to the Expert mode, and modify the effect, texture, or frame that you used on the image. The modification applied in the Quick mode is available in a separate layer.

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