Bert Monroy BEST When you decide to purchase a book to learn a craft, the first thing you would want to do is take a look at the work the authors produce, and the clients they serve. Burt's credentials read on and on. His art graces the covers of leading magazines, gallery walls and private homes alike. His talent is sought after by the leading Madison Avenue art directors representing the most demanding clients -- even Adobe. Bert's art is unarguably the best in the business -- he was an accomplished pixel artist long before Photoshop even arrived on the scene. So, naturally when it did appear, Burt was immediately on top of it.
      Bert Monroy was not only one of the first Photoshop users, but he's a great a teacher as well. Bert shows you some of his favorite commercial projects and provides details and insight into their creation.
      The projects you will learn from are real-world projects -- not hypothetical simulations for the sake of the book. You'll step through the technical and creative processes that combine to make world-class art.
      I had the pleasure of introducing Bert to a crowd of graphics starved attendees at Macworld Boston in my "Great Graphics Tips" session back at the dawn of Photoshop. (Sharron Steuer was on my panel too, before the days of the Illustrator WOW books!) And it gives me the same great pleasure each new book Bert brings to life. (See our "Visit with a Photoshop Master" in DTG.)

The Technique and Power of Creation

In Bert's own words:
      "My art is considered photo-realism because the final product looks like a photograph. As a commercial illustrator, I am commissioned to create photographs of products or situations that can't be photographed with a camera. In most cases, the product does not yet exist. To achieve such a high level of realism, I have developed the techniques I share with you in this book. This does not imply that you will become a photo-realist painter, but you will find that many of these techniques can be applied to many of the imaging problems that can arise in the workflow of anyone involved with the use of images. They are also techniques that might inspire you to explore the outer reaches of your own creativity."

Commercial Photoshop with Bert Monroy - Paperback: 288 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.64 x 10.10 x 10.00; Publisher: New Riders; 1st edition.

You'll also want Photoshop Studio

Photoshop StudioThis is a Photoshop book that will absorb you to the point you won't want to put it down. Enjoy learning the superb techniques for which Bert is well known and sought after by the leading art and design directors. But don't take my word for it... here's what veteran Photoshop user and Amazon book reviewer Angelynn Grant has to say:
      "If you've been lucky enough to catch Bert Monroy's demonstrations on the TechTV cable show The Screen Savers, you know how good he is at revealing the magic within Photoshop. In this latest book, as on TV, he walks you through the steps he took to achieve such dazzling effects as snow and rain falling, sun glinting on the edge of a mirror, and reflections in a puddle, all using his own photorealistic digital paintings. Along the way, he touches on side issues like the effects of perspective on objects or how light sources create shadows in the "real" world."
     "Monroy provides extensive advice on working with brushes; creating shadows, reflections, and surfaces (wood, metal, bark, stucco, and more); and creating fog, fire, and a nice flag waving in the breeze to finish it all off (where the miracle of clipping groups becomes clear). Readers learn the power behind the many options buried in Photoshop's palettes and menus."[End quote]

Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy -- Paperback: 264 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.59 x 10.02 x 10.02; Publisher: New Riders; 1st edition Click for larger cover.Photo Realsim

Monroy's Photo Realism

Photoreaslism Using Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator is another ground breaking work in digital art. This one delves into great detail about creating natural surfaces and objects -- both quickly and effeciently. He focuses on complex concepts like using curves and channels to do the work for you. Click for an example of just one of the scenarios from the book. It includes a CD-ROM, 330 pages, from Lynda.com.

See our "Visit with a Photoshop Master" in DTG.

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