Adobe Photoshop CS Glossary - A

Action
A series of tasks that you record and save to play back later as a single command.

Active layer
The layer highlighted on the Layers palette.
The active layer’s name appears in parentheses in the image window title bar.

Active setting
Active setting
In the Curves dialog box, the point that you
click and drag to change the input and output
values.

Additive colors
A color system in which, when the values of
R, G, and B are 0, the result is black; when
the values are all 255, the result is white.

Adjustment layer
An additional layer for which you can specify
individual color adjustments. The adjustment
layer allows you to temporarily alter a layer
before making the adjustment permanent.

Adobe Bridge
A stand-alone application that serves as the
hub for the Adobe Create Suite.

Adobe ImageReady
A program included with Photoshop that
you can use to create buttons, rollovers,
and animations.

Alpha channel
Specific color information added to a
default channel. Also called a spot channel.

Ambience property
Controls the balance between the light
source and the overall light in an image.

Anchor points
Small square handles, similar to fastening
points, that connect straight or curved line
segments.

Angle
In the Layer Style dialog box, the setting
that determines where a drop shadow falls
relative to the text.

Animation
The illusion of motion, created by placing
a series of images in the same location
and adjusting the timing between their
appearances.

Annotation
A written and/or auditory note embedded
into a Photoshop file.

Anti-aliasing
Partially fills in pixel edges, resulting in
smooth-edge type. This feature lets your
type maintain its crisp appearance and is
especially useful for large type.

Artistic filters
Used to replicate natural or traditional media
effects.

Audio annotation
A sound file that is saved within a
Photoshop file.