Mastering Adobe Photoshop 2026 - Second Edition

Work on real projects to master AI retouching, Generative Fill, Harmonize tool and more. Build real skills fast.

Free with your book: DRM-free PDF version + access to Packt's next-gen Reader*

Key Features:

- Learn with a fully illustrated, full-color guide

- Create professional visuals for print, web, social, and brand assets

- Upgrade your workflow with AI-powered, non-destructive editing

- Practice with downloadable project files for every hands-on example

Book Description:

Adobe Photoshop continues to evolve and so should your skills. Written by Adobe Certified Expert Gary Bradley, Mastering Adobe Photoshop 2026 is the definitive guide for designers, marketers, and visual content creators looking to upgrade their editing capabilities with Adobe's latest tools and features. Whether you're refining product shots, creating print collateral, or animating social media visuals, this second edition delivers an expertly structured approach that blends professional techniques with hands-on practice.

Structured into four progressive parts, the book builds your skills from interface mastery and healing tools to branding mock-ups, video shorts, and surrealist artwork. This edition goes beyond basic image editing by teaching advanced workflows like non-destructive retouching, seamless masking, batch automation, and content creation optimized for multiple platforms. Two brand-new chapters help you embrace the future of image editing by exploring AI-powered retouching with Adobe Firefly and the latest updates and new features from Adobe MAX.

By the end of this book, you'll have complete command over Photoshop's powerful feature set, allowing you to craft stunning visuals that impress clients, employers, and online audiences alike.

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What You Will Learn:

- Create advanced mock-ups using smart objects and branding workflows

- Master retouching, recoloring, and content-aware edits non-destructively

- Use AI-enhanced tools for image generation, background edits, and retouching

- Design and automate high-volume social media content for multiple platforms

- Animate titles, GIFs, and videos using Photoshop's timeline and frame tools

- Develop immersive visuals using brushes, textures, gradients, and effects

- Blend, collage, and compose surrealist artworks with professional finesse

Who this book is for:

This book is ideal for digital designers, content creators, social media managers, marketing professionals, and photographers who already have a foundational understanding of Photoshop and want to enhance their skills. If you're producing content for print, screen, or social media and want to save time while achieving exceptional quality, this book is for you.

Table of Contents

- What's New in Photoshop

- Making Photoshop Work Harder and Smarter

- Non-Destructive Healing, Retouching, and Recoloring

- Masking and Cut-Outs

- Building Brand Mock-Ups and Prototypes

- Creating Printed Marketing Collateral

- From Pixels to Post: Images for Social Media

- Creating Animated GIFs and Video Shorts

- Bringing Type to Life with Styles and Effects

- Creating Textures, Patterns, and Backdrops

- Creating and Applying Brushes

- Integrating Artificial Intelligence

- Blending and Collaging Images

- Creating Surrealist Artwork