Designers, photographers, and artists are using Photoshop to create fantastic and realistic images for illustrations, fine art, and editorial content. Whether they’re landscape or portrait photographers, illustrators or fine artists, masking and compositing are essential skills to master for combining images to the extent that it is impossible to tell where one image stops and the other one begins.

Photoshop artist and educator Katrin Eismann takes readers through numerous step-by-step examples, highlighting the tools and techniques used for masking and combining images. Featuring work by leading artists and photographers, this book focuses on the techniques used to create compelling compositions, including making fast and accurate selections, mastering Photoshop’s masking tools, and implementing the concept and photography from start to finish. The book addresses working with Photoshop’s selection tools; selecting and maintaining fine details and edges; working with difficult image elements, such as cloth, hair, or translucent objects; and green-screen techniques. Katrin also addresses the creative aspects of image compositing, including how to start with a concept, plan and execute the photography, and seamlessly assemble the image. Combining technical direction and inspiration, this book will expand readers’ imaginations, so they can fluidly and professionally create images with Photoshop.

Katrin Eismann is an internationally respected lecturer and teacher on the subject of imaging, restoration, retouching, and the impact of emerging technologies upon professional photographers, artists, and educators. She is the author of Photoshop Restoration and Retouching 2nd Edition (New Riders),and is the co-author of Real World Digital Photography 2nd Edition(Peachpit Press).

Designers, photographers, and artists are using Photoshop to create fantastic and realistic images for illustrations, fine art, and editorial content. Whether they’re landscape or portrait photographers, illustrators or fine artists, masking and compositing are essential skills to master for combining images to the extent that it is impossible to tell where one image stops and the other one begins.

Photoshop artist and educator Katrin Eismann takes readers through numerous step-by-step examples, highlighting the tools and techniques used for masking and combining images. Featuring work by leading artists and photographers, this book focuses on the techniques used to create compelling compositions, including making fast and accurate selections, mastering Photoshop’s masking tools, and implementing the concept and photography from start to finish. The book addresses working with Photoshop’s selection tools; selecting and maintaining fine details and edges; working with difficult image elements, such as cloth, hair, or translucent objects; and green-screen techniques. Katrin also addresses the creative aspects of image compositing, including how to start with a concept, plan and execute the photography, and seamlessly assemble the image. Combining technical direction and inspiration, this book will expand readers’ imaginations, so they can fluidly and professionally create images with Photoshop.

Designers, photographers, and artists are using Photoshop to create fantastic and realistic images for illustrations, fine art, and editorial content. Whether they’re landscape or portrait photographers, illustrators or fine artists, masking and compositing are essential skills to master for combining images to the extent that it is impossible to tell where one image stops and the other one begins.

Photoshop artist and educator Katrin Eismann takes readers through numerous step-by-step examples, highlighting the tools and techniques used for masking and combining images. Featuring work by leading artists and photographers, this book focuses on the techniques used to create compelling compositions, including making fast and accurate selections, mastering Photoshop’s masking tools, and implementing the concept and photography from start to finish. The book addresses working with Photoshop’s selection tools; selecting and maintaining fine details and edges; working with difficult image elements, such as cloth, hair, or translucent objects; and green-screen techniques. Katrin also addresses the creative aspects of image compositing, including how to start with a concept, plan and execute the photography, and seamlessly assemble the image. Combining technical direction and inspiration, this book will expand readers’ imaginations, so they can fluidly and professionally create images with Photoshop.

Designers, photographers, and artists are using Photoshop to create fantastic and realistic images for illustrations, fine art, and editorial content. Whether they’re landscape or portrait photographers, illustrators or fine artists, masking and compositing are essential skills to master for combining images to the extent that it is impossible to tell where one image stops and the other one begins.

Photoshop artist and educator Katrin Eismann takes readers through numerous step-by-step examples, highlighting the tools and techniques used for masking and combining images. Featuring work by leading artists and photographers, this book focuses on the techniques used to create compelling compositions, including making fast and accurate selections, mastering Photoshop’s masking tools, and implementing the concept and photography from start to finish. The book addresses working with Photoshop’s selection tools; selecting and maintaining fine details and edges; working with difficult image elements, such as cloth, hair, or translucent objects; and green-screen techniques. Katrin also addresses the creative aspects of image compositing, including how to start with a concept, plan and execute the photography, and seamlessly assemble the image. Combining technical direction and inspiration, this book will expand readers’ imaginations, so they can fluidly and professionally create images with Photoshop.

Two Thumbs Up
Step by step instructions, very easy to understand, with download excercise files make this one of the best photoshop Book.

Its good
I like this book. It hasnt wowed me, but it is a good tool for learning a few of the many features in photoshop.

EXCELLENT professional level training the skips worthless fluff
If you’re a professional photographer (or aspire to be one), get this book.
Unlike other books, this book skips the worthless cheezy stuff that professionals
aren’t likely to be interested in to begin with. This book focuses on tasks that
photographers and graphic professionals are most likely to need during post processing.

This book is simply a "must have" for those who want to get straight to the point,

without having to flip through hundreds of pages of worthless fluff, just to get the
most out of Photoshop. The book is easy to follow & well written.

#1 If you want to be able to make great composites, work with layers and masks, etc.,
on the level of someone who’s trying to create a composite for a cover of say Redbook
Magazine, to be imported into InDesign or Illustrator for polishing- then THIS is your
book!

#2 If you want to remove portraits from horrible backgrounds, and engage in the common
advance post processing procedures common to professional photography, then THIS is your
book!

#3 If you just got a digital camera last week, and you’re just now trying to figure out
how to work Photoshop- Get THIS book and immerse yourself. To be honest, anything less
probably a gross waste of your time in the long run as this book focuses on the tasks
that are most needed for taking your photos to a professional level.

Lastly, it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to regret purchasing this book if you make even a
modest attempt at learning the material. Like anybook, the single most reason people
don’t learn software is because they don’t READ the material. People want stuff spoon
fed to them. Hint: If you make money from photography, and you don’t know how to do
the things in this book, but your competitors do.. you will be at a HUGE disadvantage.

Good luck!

excllent
Excellent book - don’t think about it just buy it.

Honestly it is that good.

A must have for designers!
This book is a must have for designers! Eismann makes masking an easy task and offers some really great tips on how to mask difficult objects such as veils, water bottles, glass, and translucent fabrics. And of course HAIR!

I have other photoshop books, but this one explains it the best.

~Stacey~

Katrin Eismann is a Masking/Composite Diva
Ms. Eismann hits all the areas necessary for one to become proficient in masking and compositing. She is recommended by all the current photoshop gurus for a very good reason. This book is an excellent primer and also delves into advanced techniques. It’s a great resource book and I’ve got post-it flags everywhere. You can’t go wrong with this book.

Debbie Schmidt
dsh Solutions
http://www.dshsolutions.com

The best photoshop book ever
The most comprehensive book on selecting, masking and layers. It was easy to read and follow. Adobe Photoshop CS3Photoshop Masking & Compositing (VOICES)

Great book, poor binding
This is a terrific book, as good as I’ve seen for the intermediate user. I’m not a professional but in my opinion, once you’ve learned the basics, selecting and masking are skills essential for improving your photographs, or whatever type of art you do with Photoshop. This book is a treasure trove of information I’ve never seen in other books or in tutorials from the web. And I even learned how to use the pen tool, something I’ve only been frustrated with before.

The author uses a unique combination of tutorials (along with sample files from her website) and descriptions of Photoshop features that will help you easily master every technique.

However, I’ll warn you. The pages from my copy were falling out when I first received it from Amazon. If I had been willing to ship it back and wait another couple of weeks, I’m sure they would have replaced it. But it was a frustration. I’ve managed to keep the book intact with a generous application of glue to the pages, but the binding was unacceptable and I doubt my copy was the only one in that condition.

Katrin Eismann is the best!
The cost of any book by Katrin Eismann is returned to the reader in value many, many times over. This book is everything the photoshop user needs to know about the sometimes daunting, but now made easy by Katrin, masking and compositing images. Now you can make those tough cut-outs of thin strands of hair against tough backgrounds that you used to run away from before.

Katrin is one of the best and this book continues that tradition!

photoshop masking & compositing by Katrin Eismann
It’s a great book. It gives you a very wide knowlege of how to make masks,selections and compositions.It’s easy written and you can download all pictures of the book from the internet.So you can try it yourself wright away.Katrin is a very inspiring person and she makes you very enthousiastic by telling her way of seeing things and the many ways you can make these things happen with photoshop.You really can’t wait to start.I thought I knew photoshop but I learn so much more by reading this book and doing it at the same time.

to fully UNDERSTAND about MASKING & COMPOSITING
I’m, a new/NOVICE Photoshop user, STARTED learning from SCOTT KELBY’s books, which seemed to bring me UP to SPEED in no time. EXTREMELY happy. ** Thank you Scott

But then as I "ACQUIRED some KNOWLEDGE" in Photoshop, I started to have so MANY QUESTIONS, that’s how and when I realized Scott Kelby’s book is the HOW TO, but NOT the HOW TO "and also" the WHY is that !!

Putting the teaching of Jesus "search and you will find" in broader/different perspective, I searched the Web and FOUND/BOUGHT ALL of KARIN EISMANN’s books

Voluminous INFO/PROFESSIONAL knowledge were presented CLEARLY in ALL of her books. I’ve LEANRED so much from Katrin. ** Thank you Katrin

You will LEARN through EXAMPLES of different approaches/techniques/how-to, many CREATIVE IDEAS from DIFFERENT famous Artists about MASKING & COMPOSITING, NOT just from Katrin in this book

You will ENJOY the KNOWLEDGE presenting in this book
- REGARDLESS of your Photoshop LEVEL
- and EVEN IF just for your READING enjoyment alone (cause at some point, you have great doubt that you would want to "GO THAT FAR" to create just ONE compelling image, while Oprah’s show is calling you daily !!.. Nope, Oprah is NOT my Master, Katrin IS)

In Introduction part, she had a note to EDUCATOR " I hope this book can HELP you TEACH Photoshop". This statement gave me CONFIDENCE while I DO HAVE the MASTER SECRET in my hand, and thinking Yesssss...until tomorrow !!

A Masters Course in Photoshop
Katrin Eismann is an expert and she seeks to make you an expert in her book. It is a wealth of information. You’ll learn how photoshop does some things and how you can make photoshop do some things that aren’t evident in the commands and help files. I recommend reading the book then keeping it around as a reference to be used as situations or ideas arise.

Masking and Compositing
Again, definitely for advanced beginner: Make sure you know your Scott Kelby basics first. Also make sure you like to read as there are a lot of details to digest. Author knows her subject well. Excellent information I learned a lot.

One of the best
Katrin Eismann is extremely knowledgeable and knows how to communicate clearly. I really appreciate that you can download all the images she discusses in the book and work on them as she explains each procedure step by step. This and her other book (Photoshop Restoration & Retouching) are my favorite Photoshop books. These books assume that you have a basic understanding of Photoshop and its tools. I HIGHLY recommend Photoshop Masking & Compositing for the intermediate Photoshop user.

Photoshop Masking and Compositing
This book is so great and understandably writtten. I have used Photoshop Elements for several years but the CS2 is my first "big" photoshop--and I might say that there are some Element features I wish CS2 had.. But I have a lot to learn about masks, channels, paths and some other things that this book covers. There are things to read and reread and practice and practice again until I really understand them and this is the book that has the information. I certainly recommend it if you need to learn more about these subjects.

MUST HAVE PHOTOSHOP BOOK
I have to say this book is absolutely fantastic. I have read/used Katrin Eismann’s Retouching and Restoration book, which I find to be an incredible resource which is what lead me to this book. This author is a great educator and is very passionate and able to convey the lessons she is teaching. You can download all the examples to use along with the book which is great as opposed to a lot of other books where if you lose/damage the CD it came with you have to buy another book.
It is much more than masking and compositing, but I guess the title would be too long to list everything that it teaches! A lot of things I was already doing in Photoshop, I now know more effective ways to go about doing. When I first got the book, I jumped around to different chapters, now that I am going through the book start to finish I am amazed at what a powerful resource it really is. I love reading Photoshop books and have dozens on my shelves, so I have to say, this one is a nescessity for any serious Photoshopper!

Amazing Book
This is an amazing book full with wonderful tips about image processing with Photoshop. The reading is very easy and enjoyable. A must to every digital photographer and persons interested in image processing. I only wich that there where more books like this one available.

The Best
This is hands-down the best book I own about using Photoshop! Eismann gives clear and concise directions for making selections with many of the tools that Photoshop provides. She provides files on which to practice, but also discusses the types of images that suit each method. Each section has enough depth to satisfy all levels of Photoshop enthusiasts. Can’t recommend this highly enough!

For the professional
This is a book that could be both a reference and an amazing learning tool for deep exploration in using channels as a selection tool, and fine color adjustments techniques. I haven’t completed the book and maybe never will but everything I have read sheds new or a different light on photoshop selection and adjustment techniques. This is for the proficient in Photoshop beginners probably will find this book opaque and frustrating. Skilled photoshop users will find this a rich source of information and inspiration.

photoshop masking and compositing
This book is great! Lots of hands on tutorials and clear concise instruction with regard to using Photoshop masking techniques. I would recommend this bood to anyone interested in learning the power of Photoshop and wanting to be more creative in its use.

Photoshop Masking & Compositing
An excellent source of information and inspiration and well worth the pitance I paid for it. Ms Eismann is one of my favorite Photoshop gurus. In addition Amazon had the best price that I found anywhere.

Photoshop Masking & Compositing
I’m from Holland and live in Spain. i did some beginners courses in photoshop but then it becomes difficult to find more advanced courses. I started to look at books, the first one I bought was from Deke McClelland but that is more a photoshop manual and not very useful as a learning book. Recently I purchased both books (among other of other authors) of Katrin Eismann and it has been a good investment. Very well explained, very usefull in the daily photography.

Photoshop Masking & Compositing
Not for the casual to mid level PhotoShop user and not as stright forward as expected.

Excellent..
An excellent in-depth book exploring the techniques of masking and extracting images accurately. While there is little about compositing, this book is a must for anyone who wants to learn about cutting things out efficiently.
I can’t recommended this book enough; it’s examination of topics like alpha channels, extracting hair and other difficult techniques make it a valuable resource.

One of the best Photoshop Books I’ve ever read
This book is incredible. It teaches you a very complex subject of extracting a foreground subject (such as humans, objects, hair, luminosity) from a background in a easy to understand, detailed methods. As you read this book, you can see Katrin’s painstaking efforts to be clear and show all the technical ways to work in masking and compositioning. She covers many different ways to approach masking, an essential skill required to be a advanced PS user. Katrin’s teaching style is great, she doesn’t try to assume you know everything about Photoshop and teaches you along the way about why’s and the how’s of masking and the best methods to approach removing subjects out of background. I applaud Katrin for tackling a very tough subject and doing an excellent job teaching and explaining it. This is a tough subject and it requires lots of patience and re-reading some chapters to grasp the concept but worth it. She has become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to her next edition or update to this book. I would give this six stars if I could.

Excellent!
Of all the books I have read about Photoshop, this one provided clear examples and step-by-step directions that really help you learn the techniques presented. The format is set up nicely and is very well-organized. The directions are easy to follow. There is a web site dedicated to this book where you can download the actual photos the author presents in the text. You can then follow along and learn the techniques by working with the actual examples. It is then easier to apply these techniques to photos of your own in the future. I found that the use of these examples increased the learning curve and really helped me get a solid understanding of the material. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in expanding their Photoshop skills. I use Photoshop 7 and was still able to use this book, even though it says it is written for CS.

Photoshop Books
For anyone seriously interested in Photoshop compositing, Katrin Eismann is probably the ideal teacher/writer. Her book is fabulous.

Indispensable
Katrin is a great teacher, read the book once and then keep it close to hand when working as a refresher.
She demystifies masking and shows just how flexible and powerful masks can really be. You will end up buying all her other excellent books too, so be warned!

Not quite what the title suggests
This book offers a wide variety of selection techniques with numerous tips and tricks associated with selections and masks. On the other hand, compositing techniques seem almost contrived - perhaps just to sell a book. The bottom line is if you want to learn selection techniques, the pen tool, masks and some insight to alpha channels then you will be well served by Ms. Eismann’s book. If you want to broaden your horizons in composting art you may be a bit disappointed.

Eismann is great
Both my cousin and I are long time users of Photoshop. We love all of Katrin Eismann’s books. She is a good teacher who routinely provides useful and clear tutorials. She generally provides good insight and techniques.

Photoshop Users Never Know It All.
Having used Photoshop for many years and never having had the luxury of attending courses on using the product, one tends to miss out on some of the basics. There is always the need to accomplish a specific task within a certain timeframe and one just uses the features required to complete that task. Of course one does learn more of the basics with each different type of task undertaken but, now that I have semi-retired, I have found that Katrin Eisman’s book is bringing a whole new joy to my Photoshop world. If only I had acquired her book/s earlier and "used" them effectively, I would certainly have done better work and with much greater speed and enjoyment. The more you use her teachings, which are so easy to follow, the more you will achieve with this great software product and the smarter you will feel! Thanks Katrin. Kevin Stent.

Photoshop Masking and Compositing
Unable to rate the title as it has not yet been delivered?

Lots of ’stuff’
I was a little put off until I noticed this woman’s name on a lot of different sites. I wanted the subject matter, even so, so I order the book. Boy, lots of brain food here. Really a good read and the tutorials are well written and I go right thru them with no difficulty so far. Many tutorials are not proofed so you get to step 5 and you’re left in the middle of no where, but not here. The book is very good.

There is no better teacher of Photoshop masking and compositing
Katrin Eismann is a superb teacher. Of all the books I’ve read on using Photoshop for masking, compositing and montage, this is by far the best.

Eismann begins with the essentials of Photoshop and works forward through techniques requiring increasing sophistication. Everything is explained in complete detail. Happily, Eismann does not try to be a comedian as do other authors like Scott Kelby, Deke McClelland and Russel Brown. Therefore, Eismann cannot fail as comedians as Kelby, McClelland and Brown do. I don’t understand why so many authors of Photoshop books try to be funny - they aren’t and their books (and reputations) suffer for the attempt.

Eismann is not dry by any means. She just sticks to the business at hand, enlivening her work with an occasional relevant personal recollection or a comment about a particular photographer’s style.

If you want to learn virtually all there is to know about Photoshop masking and compositing, this is the only book you need. Be prepared to spend many hours working through the substantial quantity of examples - and doing them over and over to hone your technique. You may not be a certifiable master of Photoshop masking and compositing when you’re finished with this book, but you’ll certainly know what techniques the masters use to acheive their results. Don’t be afraid of the fact that this edition doesn’t cover Photoshop CS2: there is little new in CS2 pertinent to the subjects covered here.

Jerry

Pure Magic
This has to be one of the most useful and comprehensive Photoshop books available.
If you want to discover a multitude of methods to make masks / selections, simply explained, buy this book, download the images, and work through the tutorials. They are pure magic!
I thought I was quite good at Photoshop but Katrin shows you tools and methods I personally had never thought about. Every possible situation is explained, and well illustrated in the most simple and comprehensive way possible. This plus the excellent layout and quality of the book make it a "must buy".
I would possibly add a word of caution as to whether or not it is suitable for beginners as I feel it does assume a knowledge of Photoshop throughout, but I stress this is only my opinion. Others may disagree.

Overall, a very good guide
Eismann’s latest guide is a vast store of information. One might wish it to be a bit less vast, but if you can make your way through it, you will learn a lot about the subject. Slight demerits, from my perspective as a fine arts photographer, are that (1) the primary target audience seems to be Photoshop users who are doing work for someone else, and (2)some of the techniques described seem excessively complex, as though learned during the use of earlier versions of Photoshop. However, there is no question that this is a thorough, very useful, and clearly written treatment, as are all Eismann’s contributions to the field.

Is this book helpful for Photoshop CS?
I saw a review referred to multi pass technique. Can that be used if one only has CS? Is this book 100% helpful with CS?

Thank you,
Carol

Oh my!
I considered myself an advanced Photoshop user until I read this book. Chapters on selection(8,9,10) and compositing (11,12,13) are simply amazing. If this book cannot satisfy your hunger for truly advanced concepts and techniques, no others on the market will. If you want to be a truely advanced -expert level Photoshop user, anything else is uncivilized. Oh my.

Great Book !
I love this book’s layout (an ironically unusual benefit for design books), simple terms, practicality and real-world examples that allow you to follow along step by step.

Excellent Author
This book would help anyone seeking advanced techniques in Photoshop. It is well written in clearly understandable language. Katrin Eismann’s other book, Restoration and Retouching is another example of an extremely helpful book. I place her books among the best in Photoshop books along with those written by Ben Willmore.

This book is awesome! A must have for any Photoshop Guru
What can I say except this book is wonderful. Kartrin really took the time to explain in details things such as masking, levels, alpha channels etc. These were things I was having a hard time in photoshop with until I read this book. Katrin made it seem so simple and easy to understand yet the information was deep and impacting for anyone wanting to advance themselves in Photoshop.Compositing in photoshop is what makes this package so powerful and this book guides you through it all smoothly and with confidence that your really learning valuable information-

I feel this book could help all photoshop users from beginners to advance.
Photoshop Making and Compositing is well worth the money

Masking and Compositing Made Easy
Eismann again has produce an authorative, well written, easy to use book on CS2. The best I have found.

AWESOME, AWESOME. AWESOME
This book is awesome. I have learned so much from this book and will keep it handy for a reference book. It is worth buying. I could not recommend this book enough. I will purchase her other book now. I can sum it up in three words--BUY, BUY, BUY. You wont be sorry. You will need to know the basics of photoshop first and then this book will put you above and beyond your expectations.

Enlightening to an intermediate user of Photoshop!
I am truly impressed with the author’s ability to educate and enlighten me in an area that I thought I had understood pretty well. She does so in a matter of fact, step by step approach. If you are confused by the channels pallete in Photoshop, or if you want to learn how to make excellent selections for making layered collages, this is the book for you. I have been using Photoshop for over 3 years now, and I am glad I waited to purchase this book. It assumes you have a good general knowledge of how Photoshop works. If you don’t have that experience look for Ben Long’s book Titled Studio Techniques. I highly recommend this book for intermediate users of Photoshop.

Terrific book - mostly
This work by Eisman is really a superior treatise on masking, etc. There’s quite a bit of review in it but I guess that’s a good idea (and even there you will pick up new ideas). When she gets into the real subject matter it is great.

I have only one real complaint and that is that the itsy, bitsy illustrations are simply too small to see out what she is trying to illustrate. Maybe my eyes are getting too old........!

Dick Sallee