If you are looking for a Photoshop recipe book--with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to produce realistic-looking hairy fruit, or seamless grafting of power tools onto human limbs--you won't find it here. What you will find is fascinating in-depth discussion of techniques, ideas and approaches, offered by artists at the peak of their profession.

Mark Moor of Industrial Light & Magic shows how he goes about creating alien life forms, Swedish art director Ulrik Claesson uses layers and channels to "mimic nature's randomness" and Hirosho Goto combines traditional Japanese drawing and painting techniques with Photoshop.

The authors do more than just sit back and let the artist do the talking. Ron Chan, whose work you might have seen adorning Macromedia Director boxes, was persuaded to use Photoshop--something he had never before done--to enhance his vector illustration in ways he hadn't considered.

Two kinds of people will benefit from the knowledge and experience contained in these pages: those from an art background, with some experience of digital imagery who want to make more of Photoshop, but are unsure of its potential; and technically advanced users who are looking to take their work in a new direction.

McClelland, an acknowledged and respected Photoshop guru, says he himself has learned a lot from the contributing artists because they have developed methods that might be considered unorthodox. This is certainly a rich source of inspiration for all Photoshop users, regardless of expertise and experience. --Ken McMahon