FAO: Graphic designers

[Z064life]

A few Photoshop questions:

1) What is screen, lighten and the other blend modes?

2) This is for the graphic designers on here: Is it possible to use all of PS's potential and not use a graphics tablet?

Thanks

[hawkaye]

hello,

Here's a nice explanation of the different blend modes.

I work with a couple of designers at my place of work and they seem to get on well without a tablet. I, personally, could not live without mine, so much more accurate than a mouse and quicker too.

[GnuBee]

Tablets also tend to give you access to the pressure controls which allows you to do things like vary line width or saturation according to the pressure you apply to the tablet - sounds odd perhaps but this means you can do shading like you would do with a "normal" pencil.

Personally I think a decent table is definitely worth the cost - they're not even particularly expensive but the use of a pen is so naturally intuitive in an image editing program that's its worth having one.