Most common mistakes

[Doug Nelson]

I thought a thread on common mistakes we've made would be helpful.

For me, the most common mistake is discarding data too early. This can be a too-radical levels adjustment (tossing out high and low data) or flattening too soon.

Another is redundant steps, such as sharpening too early, then having to do it again. Or too many curves adjustments.

[DJ Dubovsky]

My reoccuring error is not saving a snapshot before doing some repeditive brush strokes, cloning, healing etc. Then when I want to go back I can't because it's gone far beyond the limit of my hystory states.
DJ

[G. Couch]

running WinME as my OS....

[Andrew B.]

I think my most common mistake is not planning well. Not taking the time to really look at each step I do. So sometimes I miss something that should have been taken care of at an earlier stage and I have to backtrack and do over several steps.

[Stephen M]

Not checking tool options, blend modes, opacity etc before painting (last time I painted in darken mode 20% but now I want normal at 100%). With the options bar sitting there right in my face, this should not happen!

In v5.x I got in the habbit of double clickin the tool when I select in from the toolbox so that the options palette is made active/foreground (when not using keycuts).

Making sure the correct layer/channel is targeted for corrections.

Stupid little things which should not happen with long term use, but they still happen from time to time <g>.

Stephen Marsh.

[G. Couch]

Originally posted by Stephen M


Making sure the correct layer/channel is targeted for corrections.

I do this all the time!

Not using adjustment layers is another.

[d_kendal]

Originally posted by G. Couch
running WinME as my OS....

ugh, I feel sorry for you Greg! right now I'm doing some work for a business upgrading some of their computer hardware / fixing network problems etc. , and they've got a different operating system on each machine (Win 95, Win98 one is Win ME etc.) and I honestly think ME is the worst operating system Microsoft ever put out, there's constant problems, crashing etc. I can barely stand trying to work with it after using XP.
lol, I'm guilty of doing all of these things mentioned at some point! the one I probably do most often though is forgetting to save my PSD with layers or flattening before I realized I need to edit a layer but it's too late to go back.

- David

[gland]

David I've done that more times than I can count. I've forced myself to put the unflattened image on a CD just in case I want to change something later. Takes a little time but in a couple of cases has saved a lot of time.

[ravenmd]

I always save the multilayer version of any project. If anything I save several "versions" of it (can't stand giving up all those layers!) and this lead to my purchase of a 2nd 80Gig harddrive for storage.

My most common mistake is like Jak.. forgetting to save a snapshot before going off to do dozens of repetative things like clone etc.

Another famous one is forgetting to get into the right layer to do something. From this annoying habit I learned if you hold down your Ctrl key and click on the actual object you want to work on.. it automatically goes to that layer.

oh, and btw, after a rather long absence, I'm back!!! feels so good to be 'home'.

[Keith]

Glad to know I am not the only one.

My most common mistake is wondering why what I am trying to do just isn't happening. Only to realize I don't have the correct layer/channel selected.

krw

[Ed_L]

This is one I've been thinking about, and I make so many boo-boos that it's hard to pick one . But there's one that stands out, because in some cases it's a fatal mistake. That is not saving the original scan. When I would think I've got something just right, I had a tendency to get rid of the original. Then I get a little better, or find a new technique, and realize my efforts could have been better. I now have a folder just for original scans, and they stay untouched.

Ed

[d_kendal]

Originally posted by ravenmd
oh, and btw, after a rather long absence, I'm back!!! feels so good to be 'home'.

Hey Marie, good to see you back again! I was wondering what had happened to you.
I know exactly what you mean about hard drive space for the big projects, I just had to buy another 40 gig a couple months ago.

- David

[Lampy]

Saving the original scan has got to be number one! DOH!

Not saving often enough is number two (not just for Photoshop....everything!). Especially when my computer crashes or does it's magical program close. But that will be fixed soon when that new Powerbook G4 arrives.

Being in the wrong layer or not creating a new layer before making a mess and regretting what I've done is number three.

Nothing new in this list just the normal stupid user (Heather) errors.



--Heather

[bubba]

Trying to do something on a levels adj layer or just plain using the wrong layer. Sometimes the worst mistake is starting before I have my 1st, 4th,6th, etc cup of coffee!