Typical Photoshop Elements manuals are aimed primarily at users who want to employ the programme to manipulate photographs, so naturally they have section after section on how to alter and adjust photos. Because of this concentration on photographic images, most manuals follow a route that isn’t of direct interest to someone who wants to learn how to draw and paint using the software. Few people would want to read a book about photo editing in order to learn how to use a paintbrush, but with Elements manuals that’s about the only option available.
   This book remedies this situation.


   The basic techniques of drawing and painting in Elements are essentially very simple to master, so the book includes a step-by-step ‘quick start’ section: a guide through the fundamental, no frills techniques necessary to create artwork. This is a hands-on section introducing specific features for creating finished artwork, with no technical knowledge required.
   Later chapters elaborate on the different aspects of the programme, starting with those most useful to the drawing and painting processes, such as brushes and layers, followed by chapters on more esoteric subjects such as how to embellish work by using special effects.
   Finally, there are chapters on how to import images, such as drawings and photographs, and on how to output your work once it’s finished, either by printing it out or by using it in emails or on the web.