If you’re stuck for gift ideas then check out The Beginner’s Guide to Photoshop DVD  - the perfect present for any aspiring Photoshopper. This is a great resource for those new to the software, providing over 90 minutes of video tutorials. The DVD will help you familiarise yourself with the Photoshop tools and get to grips with the interface too. It’s a fantastic way to learn and will set you in good stead to become a skilled Photoshop user - all for just £19.99.Check out these links to find out more:  http://www.imagineshop.co.uk/item_show.php?itemID=1043&action=emags  and http://www.creativelearning.tv/     

It’s that time again, and we’re on deadline for issue 43. Admittedly we know this issue isn’t going to be half as stressful as the next though. Usually we have four weeks to put the magazine out, but we’re facing a very tight three-week deadline next issue - not fun! It’s always this time of year that the deadlines get frantic, squeezing in 13 issues into the year. It’s always worth it in the end though, making Christmas seem all the more exciting when all the hard work is done.Our staff writer Simon who recently joined the team is being thrown in at the deep end with his first taster of crazy deadlines - his fingers have never typed so fast! Art Editor, Dani is designing pages so fast I think she’s going to wear a hole in her mouse mat and as for me - well I’m working my way through about ten ‘to-do’ lists, which seem to be growing, rather than shrinking by the day! I’m guessing there are many of you out there who are running round like us trying to tie up the loose ends before the Christmas celebrations begin - so good luck in finishing all your work! I’m pleased to see that this isn’t stopping many of you uploading new images to the gallery by the day (when do you guys actually sleep!) and letting off some steam with a bit of Photoshop therapy.

So who’s had a gander at the new features yet? CS4 is an awesome addition to the Adobe family, with some brilliant new features that seriously make it shine.We’ve had a chance to take a look and we can say we were pleasantly surprised at the advancement it makes from CS3, let alone CS2. The performance is a whole lot more fluid thanks to amazing ‘hold and zoom’ tools which glide you in and out of your image. Plus the fantastic rotational options available on-screen for ultimate ease of use. Masking has had an amazing revamp, with its own dedicated panel on-screen, as has the adjustment layer facility too. The extended version offers some amazing 3D advancements too. Instead of me wittering on, I seriously suggest you check out the features at www.adobe.com  and see for yourself. It wont be long until it’s at the top of your wish list and you’re searching under the sofa for any spare cash you can find…Im telling you it will be worth it!  

Well Photoshop World is over for another six months and I must say it’s a little depressing to be home after all those bright lights of Vegas : ( !It was a fantastic event, well worth a visit if you’re ever in the States. It was so well organised that despite the huge amount of seminars, everyone seemed to make it to all their choices. For me, the highlight was meeting the Chief of Operations of the Kelby Media Group, David Moser. The Kelby Media Group are the big Photoshop players out in the US and also run the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. David had plenty of time to chat ’shop and it was great to hear his thoughts on the show.Now, unfortunately it’s back to reality! We landed this morning and Im desperately trying to stay awake a couple more hours so I can get a good night’s sleep ready for work tomorrow. I’ve been awake 26 hours and counting….and Im starting to feel a little delirious to say the least.Looking forward to Photoshop World Boston in March already! Night night : )

Hope you all had a great weekend and not suffering from Monday morning blues!Just a quick reminder that issue 37 goes on sale this week (3rd July) and it’s fabulously jam-packed as ever!7.jpgThis issue we show you how to recreate the beautiful work of American painter Edward Hopper. His gorgeous sunny scenes are sure to give you that summer feeling. Let’s hope it lasts!