Announcing Photoshop Elements 10

with 19 Comments

Announcing Photoshop Elements 10

Adobe recently announced the release of Photoshop Elements 10, and since Photoshop Elements is the most popular software for digital scrapbooking, I thought I would give you a quick overview of the new features.

Type on a Path

I’ll start with my favorite feature and the one scrapbookers will find the most useful—Type on a Path. I never thought I would see the day that Adobe would take this formerly Photoshop-only function and share it with Photoshop Elements, but that day has come!

If you look at the Type tool, you’ll see three new Type tools listed at the bottom, but there are actually 4 new tools—three obvious ones and one not-so-obvious, which is the regular Horizontal Type tool that can now type in a shape.

You can watch my new YouTube video to see how type in a shape works.

The other three Type tools allow you to type on a path. That means you can create curved type, or type around an object, something that can look really cool when done right!

The Text on Selection tool lets you turn a selection into a type path. The easiest way to use this tool is to create your own selection outline first and then click inside your outline with the tool and confirm the selection, which will then allow you to type on it. Using the Type selection brush itself is usually disappointing, but combined with your own selection using other selection tools, it really rocks!

The Text on Shape tool has a menu of shapes in the Options Bar that you can use to create a type path. You might wonder why you even need this tool when you can use the regular Shape tools and Photoshop Elements 10 will type around the outer edge. The difference is that the Text on Shape tool doesn’t create a shape—it just creates the path, something only Photoshop could do up until now.

The menu of shapes is limited, but you can use any other shape or custom shape to do the same thing—simply hide the shape, or throw it away, after you’ve confirmed the type, and all you’ll have left is the type.

The last new Type tool, Text on Custom Path, allows you to freehand draw a path. Unless you have a very steady hand, this can be a bit tricky, but type is fairly forgiving, so give it a try. If you have a pen tablet, this would be an ideal time to use it. It is possible to edit the path, but it’s not very easy to do.

Here’s an example of how you can use curved type—pretty cool, huh!?

Other improvements in Photoshop Elements 10:

Adobe has added more capability to paint on special effects to part of your photo by adding over 30 new effects to the Smart Brush. Here’s a before and after photo showing some of the fun things you can do.

Above: The sky is totally blown out on this photo, and my son is too dark.

Below: By using the Smart Brush to paint on a lightening effect only on his face and a sunset only on the background, my photo has a fun new look!

  • There are some great new Guided edits in the Editor. My favorite is Picture Stack, but just go through the list and have fun. You may have even missed some of the new ones from last year!
  • You can use your Facebook Friends list to tag your photos in the Organizer, and you can easily share your photos on Facebook.
  • A couple of new search functions have been added to the Organizer. This feature had great promise, but I’ve been disappointed with the results. However, the regular search works great!
  • New crop guides have been added to the Crop tool: the Rule of Thirds, Grid, and Golden Ratio—or you can choose None.
  • You can upload your video clips directly from the Organizer to YouTube.

These are the main features, but Type on a Path is the biggest winner, in my opinion.

My Photoshop Elements 10 CD at Costco

If the new features alone aren’t enough to entice you to upgrade, let me add something that will sweeten the pot. How about a free CD from me if you purchase Photoshop Elements 10 at Costco? That’s right—this year I’m partnering again with Adobe and Costco by offering a free CD right in the Photoshop Elements 10 Box!

Here’s what comes on the CD:

  • A cool set of psd layered templates for greeting cards and scrapbook pages
  • 9 video tutorials on how to use the templates for scrapbooking
  • 10 awesome mini kits from some wonderful designers, plus coupons to buy the full version of the kits for a dollar each
  • Additional FREE videos and templates you can access on my website by clicking a link on the CD
  • a $15 off coupon for my Learn Digital Scrapbooking class (also on my website when you click through from the CD)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this overview of Photoshop Elements 10. It’s really a great program, and I heartily recommend it! And if you plan to get Photoshop Elements 10, why not purchase it at Costco and get some extra treats?

Linda Sattgast

19 Responses

  1. Linda Sattgast
    | Reply

    It takes awhile for Costco to get in the new supplies, and they may try to sell the old before they add the new version.

  2. annlu
    | Reply

    Thanks Andrea, I’ll check it out.

  3. Barbara Erbacher
    | Reply

    I’ve been to my two nearest Costco’s and they don’t carry it anymore. Their software selection is very small these days. Costco.com is only selling PSE 9, not PSE 10. I’m disappointed!

  4. Barbara Erbacher
    | Reply

    I’ve been looking at my two nearby Costco’s and online, with no luck. Costco online is selling PSE ver. 9, not 10. Costco retail stores don’t carry much software anymore.

  5. Cathy Bengtson
    | Reply

    Because Costco is not really very close by me and the extra cost of the $50 fee, it is hard to justify buying from Costco. Is this offered anywhere else? Maybe Best Buy, Sam’s or some other office store where we do not have to pay the annual fee?

    Cathy

    • Andrea Graves
      | Reply

      Cathy,

      I’ve been told that you do not need to be a Costco member to purchase the software off of costco.com – you may want to look into that. Costco is the only place selling PSE10 that will have Linda Sattgast’s disc in it. You can buy the program at many stores, but Costco is the only ones with the disc. I hope that helps!

    • Barbara Albrecht
      | Reply

      Do you know anyone who has a Costco membership? I don’t have a membership but my DD has one. Guess who buys PSE for me?

      I don’t know about ordering on line from them because I haven’t tried it.

      Also, the past 2 or 3 years Costco has had a coupon for a good savings. I think I paid something like $49 last year. I don’t know if they’ll be offering a coupon this year or not. The coupons came out later in the year if you can wait.

  6. annlu
    | Reply

    Does anyone know when PSE10 will be available on Costco.com?

    • Andrea Graves
      | Reply

      PSE 10 will be available at Costco around October 1st. You don’t have to be a member of Costco to purchase it from costco.com. If you are a Costco member, they usually put a coupon in their coupon book so be watching for it. I haven’t heard a separate date for costco.com vs. in Costco stores, so I’m assuming it’s October 1st. If I find out different, I will let you know.

  7. Luana
    | Reply

    Is the PSE10 at Costco just a Windows version or is Mac available too? And can you get the tutorial disk in the Mac version?

    • Andrea Graves
      | Reply

      The PSE10 disc that comes in the box at Costco is for both Windows and Mac this time! Wahoo!

  8. Susan Dortch
    | Reply

    Is there not supposed to be a photo that shows what she’s describing? It does say “here is a photo.”

    • Andrea Graves
      | Reply

      Susan,

      What internet browser are you using? I’m using Safari and it shows photos. You may want to try switching to Firefox or a different browser and see if the photos will load properly. Hope that helps!

      • Loretta
        | Reply

        I’m using Firefox but there is no picture here either.

        • Susan Dortch
          | Reply

          I’m using Firefox also w/no picture.

          • Andrea Graves
            |

            Do you have another internet browser? I’m very surprised Firefox is not working for you. I wonder if your cookies (on your computer) need to be emptied. You could try that. It’s been showing up for me on Safari, but I just did try Firefox and no images showed up. I will see what I can find out. Do you have Internet Explorer?

          • Sharon
            |

            The images should be working on all browsers now. Just a little browser quirkiness! Sorry that some of you had problems viewing them. *Ü*

          • Andrea Graves
            |

            Thank you, Sharon for your expertise! 🙂

  9. Jean Phillips
    | Reply

    PSE 10 sounds great! I’m still learning PSE 9

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