Passing the ACA

Certification Test
A silly guide to the hardest questions
Introduction
In this presentation, Mr. Buck will be offering
you advice on how to tackle some of the
hardest questions on the certification test.
Having already seen the videos, a lot of this
should now be easy for you. But we’re going
to go over it anyway, just in case.
Question types
In the course of the test, there are two types
of questions you will see:
Multiple Choice questions
 Read them carefully. Sometimes they ask you to

choose 2, 3, or 4 answers at the same time.

Interface Questions
 These questions ask you to navigate the actual
Photoshop interface. You must know where your
tools are hiding and most importantly, what options,
(like for text or gradients) are available for these
tools.
Test Format
Test questions tend to be asked in a very
particular way. Look for clues in the sentences to
help. For example:
“Display the file in Print View”
 There’s a menu at the top that says “View”, perhaps the

answer is there?
Load the saved selection “Sky”
 WAT. We never learned that! But there is a “Select”
menu. I wonder if the answer is in there somewhere.
Create a new Solid Fill layer with the Foreground
color
 I bet the “layer” menu has that answer!
Test Logic
The test is looking for you to find the answer in
the least number of clicks. Therefore, if you click
anything and everything to find the answer, and
then finally DO find the answer, hit “Reset
Answer” to reload the question and erase your
click history. Then go right to the answer.
This may sound unnecessary, but I saw someone
miss passing this test (700/1000) by 7 points.
They had a 693 and were appropriately full of
rage. A few resets could have saved them!
Tricky Questions
The remaining slides are going to be pulled
from my memory of as many of the tricky
questions I can remember.
Some of the descriptions are intentionally
vague because I don’t want to spoon-feed you
answers.
I will try to add as many pictures as I can to
save you some reading.
But first!
We’re testing for Photoshop CS6, even
though we’ve been working since August on
Photoshop CS4, and the videos were based on
Photoshop CS3. Almost everything we’ve
learned applies to CS3/4/6, but a few are not
covered in the videos or the practice test.
Let’s try to cover that stuff first.
 Content-Aware tools
 Questions involving Content-Aware tools only have shown up so far in
multiple-choice questions.

 Content-Aware Fill is a tool to use when you want to remove unwanted

content from an image. Maybe you want to get rid of a power line that
obscures parts of a building and the sky in your photo. Content-Aware
fill can make it look like those things never existed. (automated Clone
Stamp on steroids)

 Use the Content-Aware Move tool to select and move a part of a picture.
The image is recomposed and the hole left behind is filled using
matching elements from the picture. You do not need to carry out
intensive edits involving layers and complex selections.
 You can use the Content-Aware Move tool in two modes:
 Use the Move mode to place objects in different locations, filling the gaps left

behind.
How you feel
Usewhen using
the Extend Content-Aware
mode in CS6
to expand or contract ->
objects such as hair, trees, or
buildings.
Workspace
In the Photoshop CS6 exam, it may ask you to
“save the current arrangement of panels”.
This is asking you to save your workspace.
In the video, Rob “Kermit” Schwartz tells you to
go to Window->Workspace->Save Workspace.
This is no longer how we do it in CS6 (Or CS4
for that matter)
Go to the “Window” Menu, and then under
“Workspace” to go “New Workspace”. Just click
OK to whatever name is default, otherwise name
the Workspace as it tells you to.
Layer Mask Settings
At least one question on the test asks you to modify
the settings of a layer mask. The layer name is called
Vignette. This is a CS6-specific question that we
can’t practice or demonstrate.
There are two icons on the Vignette layer. One is the
picture, the other looks like a black-and-white lemon
(sorta). That’s the mask.

Double-click on that and wait a second for the menu

to pop up. Adjust the appropriate setting, and move
on.
Onward to the Good Stuff
The rest of these slides should be read over
very carefully.
I’m not handing you the answers, so I hope
that when you’re ready for the exam, you can
remember it all!
Add a non-destructive Layer Mask
from a selection
Ignoring word non-destructive for a
moment, this question is easier than
it looks.
 Non-Destructive means something
that doesn’t permanently alter the
pixels – layer masks, and any tool with
a preview function are non-
destructive.
There’s one button in the Layer panel
(not the menu, the panel in the lower
right), all you have to do is click it.
Styles
 Questions about style have slipped up
Save a style here
the previous test-takers. It’s actually
quite easy, and here’s what you need to
know:

 The questions will either ask you to save

the layer style of a certain layer, or apply
one already saved in the Style panel.
 To save a style, go to the Style panel and
click the little icon in the upper right. A
menu will pop out that says “New Style”
and name it however it asks you to name Clicking any of
it. these icons would
 To apply a style, simply click the
apply a style to
appropriate layer, and find the style (by
the selected layer.
hovering over it so it tells you the
name) then click on it.
Gradients
The exam always asks you about gradients.
Remember that there are a lot of different
settings for gradients and the default settings
are rarely what the exam is looking for. Take
a look at this: The numerous
different
Preset options presets (hint
hint)
Gradient tool
Solid Fill Layers
This is a deceptive question to the rookie ‘Shopper.
In order to answer this question correctly, do not
create a new layer and dump color in with the
paint bucket tool.
Go to the Layer Pallet
Find the button that looks like a
tilted half-moon
Select “Solid Color…”
Ignore your options, just click OK to bring up the
color picker. Whatever color is up there by default,
use it!
Text Layers
 Don’t get confused if the exam asks you to make a text layer! Anytime you
click with the text tool (don’t click and drag to make a box, by the way)
it automatically makes a text layer. It may ask you to use the horizontal
type tool (default) or the vertical type tool (which is hiding underneath
the standard Type tool. You should probably know where that is… hint hint)

MOST IMPORTANTLY:
MAKE SURE YOU CLICK THE CHECK
MARK
TO COMMIT THE TEXT LAYER
BEFORE MOVING ON!
Text Layers (Continued)
 Should the exam ask you resize the text (200% vertical scale or
something to that effect) the character panel is your key! Select
the appropriate text layer, then click the button in the options bar
that brings out the Character panel. Scaling is in there. You don’t
even need to select the text itself – if you select the layer, the
scale will apply to all textButton
on the layer.
for the character panel
(This button is only present when the text tool is selected)

Character Panel

Text Scaling
Grouping Layers
Should the exam ask you to group layers, find
the button on the layer panel that looks like a
folder, and click it.
Select the layers by simply holding the
Command/Apple key and click on the layers it
wants you to group. With all three selected,
drag them into the new group folder.
Rename the group to whatever the question
asks you to name it as.
Print vs Print View
Another common stumbling point in the exam is the
difference between “Scale to Print Media” and
“Show in Print View”
If the question is asking to show the file in Print
View, you need only look in the View menu.
If the question is asking you to scale the picture
to the printable area of the page, you should
actually go to File > Print and pretend to print it.
Look for a checkbox or something similar that
should fit the picture to the page. You may have to
scroll down for it.
DON’T FORGET TO ACTUALLY FAKE-PRINT IT!
Hints for hidden tools
A few questions will ask you for tools that are
not visible by default in the toolbar.
Magic Wand (Lets you select all of an area of
color in a single click, hiding under the Quick
Selection Tool)
The Red-Eye Removal Tool (Hiding under the
Healing brush, which looks like a band-aid)

You may want to find these tools ahead of time

in Photoshop before the test so you know
where to look.
Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds makes your design more
visually appealing.
To apply the rule of thirds, you need two
horizontal and two vertical lines to make
nine panels.
Here’s a visual:
Adobe Bridge
What is it? The exam wants you to tell it.
You use Adobe Bridge to view and organize
all the different files you are using for the
various Adobe programs.
Adobe Bridge is an organizational tool for
visual people to keep track of all their assets.
Artist Responsibilities
An artist is responsible for:
Knowing the client’s goals
Knowing the target audience
Making sample images
Finalizing design graphics
Soft Proofing and Rendering Intent
The exam may ask about rendering intent.
“Which rendering intent do you use if you intend
to use the graphic for printing?”
CMYK is used for printing. Stop forgetting that!

Soft Proofing is the ability to preview a picture

without actually converting the color mode. That is,
previewing it (non-destructively!) in CMYK to see
what it looks like if printed.
“How could you view an RGB file for print
without destroying the pixel information?”
View > proof Setup > Working CMYK
Docking the Layers panel elsewhere
The exam will probably ask you to move the
layer panel elsewhere.
So, grab the color panel
Move it under the layers panel until you see a
blue outline.
Release!
IT’S MAGIC!
Image Menu – Things to know
For multiple questions, you’ll be going to the
Adjustments sub-menu of the Image menu.
To make something black and white:
 Image > Adjustments > Black and White (Click
Auto!)
To adjust saturation:
 Image > Adjustments> Hue/Saturation
To adjust Saturation of just one channel of color,
like Cyan:
 Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation
 Move the Cyan slider to adjust.
Image Menu – Things to know
To adjust BLACK AND WHITE POINTS
 This is not BLACK AND WHITE color change
 Image > Adjustments > Levels (Auto)

 To adjust COLOR BALANCE AUTOMATICALLY

 Image > Auto Color
Color
The primary colors in Photoshop are:
RED
GREEN
BLUE
You will also need to know what Analogous
colors are, as well as Complementary colors.
Image Size and Canvas Size
 To adjust the Image size (To inflate the picture from
500px to 600px, for example:
 Image > Image Size
 Make your adjustments, but the “gotcha” part is at the
bottom. There’s a drop-down menu for methods of
resizing that the exam will ask you to use appropriately.
Make sure you pay attention to which one is best for
enlargement!
Click on this
arrow, for
instance, to
 Canvas size expand the
canvas to the
 Image > Canvas size right.

 Should you need to increase canvas size, make your

appropriate adjustments. But the exam always asks you
expand the canvas in one direction. This is what you
should be looking for             
 (Expanding to the left means you click the right arrow –
expanding up means you click the down arrow… and so
on)
Guides
Remember how to put down guides without
using the rulers.
View > New Guide
Smart Objects and Layer Effects
Need to convert a layer into a Smart Object?
Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart
Object
Psst! If the question asks you to apply a Smart
Filter, that’s just a regular filter applied to a
smart object.

Layer Effects
Need to apply an Outer Glow layer effect but
not sure how?
Layer panel has a button that says FX, and it’s
right there!
Selections
To add an existing selection, grab a tool like
the lasso or marquee tool and hold down
shift to add it to the selection.

You can use the selection tools (Marquee,

Lasso) to rope off an area of an image and go
to Edit > Clear should you be asked to erase
part of an image.
Assorted extra information that shows
up in the questions
Digital Cameras are the most common way to create
RAW files to work with in Photoshop.

A web browser will apply dithering to any image

where it cannot correctly display the image’s colors.

Copyright information is stored in a file’s

metadata.

Gamut is the range of colors that can be printed or

displayed.
Assorted extra information that shows
up in the questions
To use Photoshop to create a webpage from
multiple pictures:
File > Save for Web and Devices

Sans-serif fonts are ideal for companies like

security firms.
Serif fonts are ideal for prestigious
organizations like banks and lawyers.
Novelty fonts would be ideal for child-themed
businesses.
Assorted extra information that shows
up in the questions
The trickiest question on the test is this:

“Sharpen the edges of the picture…”

Oh, I’ll go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen Edges

You must go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask

and fiddle with your settings in there.

Those sneaky jerks.

THAT IS EVERYTHING!
This is everything you need to know!
Go forth with the knowledge I have given
you, study it, and rule this exam.

The real fun stuff starts when the class

passes the test! So study hard, and let’s earn
this as a group! Don’t be afraid to ask for
help! (Not on the actual test, though!)