While experts examine and evaluate Leonardo da Vinci's work for hidden clues and mysterious meaning, digital images are also under scrutiny for powerful information that can be unlocked, uncovered or utilized.
While artists of long ago used their paint brushes to incorporate secret messages into their work, image manipulation still exists today. Instead of paint, there are pixels, which can be moved, eliminated or altered to achieve the desired outcome. There are entire Web sites dedicated to presenting images that seem so real that they fool the naked eye.
Adobe Photoshop is the industry-standard tool used by most to work this magic. Photoshop was once used almost exclusively by photographers and graphic designers. But today, doctors, architects, forensics experts and police officers are revolutionizing their fields with digital imagery to help understand diseases, build sturdier homes and solve crimes. Digital images contain information that allows experts to extract more than what meets the eye.
Consider that just 10 years ago, a doctor may have had to perform surgery to discover what Photoshop is able to identify today on a digital CAT scan. Police departments use Photoshop for everything from fingerprint and handwriting analysis to crime-scene reconstruction.
Photoshop is even used in major motion pictures, classical music scoring, golf course design and tattoo parlors. The revolutionary impact of digital imaging is clear, and the uses are ever-expanding.
You don't have to be an expert to break the code. There is a wealth of resources to get you started.