A manual on how to use Photoshop Elements 4 to draw cartoons or paint pictures. The book employs a unique grading system, with the contents split into four categories (based on importance and complexity) identified by shaded strips down the side of the page. This allows the reader to concentrate on the parts of the book that are relevant, and avoids the need to wade through pages of information that is either too complicated or too basic. The book includes a step-by-step 'quick start' section - a guide through the fundamental, no frills techniques necessary to draw and paint in Elements. 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 program, 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 using special effects. Finally, there are chapters on how to import images, such as pencil 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.