Getting to Know the Tools Palette in Photoshop

After you have a good grasp of the overall Photoshop environment, you’re ready to dive into the cache of gadgets that, along with the menus and palettes and dialog boxes, make it all happen. Just as you can use a saw, hammer, and nails to transform a pile of 2 x 4s into a garden gazebo, you can use the Lasso tool, Healing Brush, and Smudge tool to convert a mediocre photo into a masterpiece fit to be framed. But remember, behind every garden gazebo is a carpenter who knew how to use the tools required to build it.

Turning On the Tools Palette You can access the Tools palette — or Toolbox as it is often affectionately called — by choosing Window➪Tools. Here are a few tips for using the Toolbox:

--> To quickly hide and show the Tools palette (along with the other palettes), press the Tab key.
--> To collapse the Tools palette, double-click the title bar above the feather icon at the top.
-->To move the Tools palette anywhere within the Photoshop window, drag the title bar above the feather icon.