How can Photoshop be used effectively to manipulate images?

Photoshop is a versatile program with a wide range of tools and functions that can be used to subtly alter or completely change and composite images.

One way that photoshop can manipulate an image is by using the liquify filter. By selecting this filter your image opens in a new window with the ability to be altered with a range of liquify tools. There are 5 in total and they all alter the structure of the image. From top to bottom there are:

Forward Warp Tool
-Moves pixels forward by dragging the mouse, which distorts the image and makes it look smudged

-The brush size, pressure and density can be changed in the tool options window, which alter how many pixels are moved

Reconstruct Tool
-Reverses manipulations made using the forward warp tool

Pucker Tool
-Squeezes pixels towards the centre of the brush
-Brush size and pressure can be changed

Bloat Tool
-Pushes pixels outward towards the edges of the brush area
-Brush size and pressure can be changed

Push Tool
-Pushes pixels to the left/right depending on which way you drag
-Can be moved around an object clockwise/anti-clockwise to increase/decrease it's size

These tools all have different uses but most wouldn't be used professionally. The forward warp tool can be used to edit how someone looks in an image as an alternative to plastic surgery (e.g. it can change how wide someones belly or leg is, the shape of someones nose, if someone's smiling etc). The pucker and bloat tool can also be used for the same job.

These tools can also help to make images or shapes look abstract so would be useful to an artist or graphic designer.