Thomas Knoll didn’t set out to create a groundbreaking image editor. Back in 1987, he was just a PhD student at the University of Michigan, frustrated with his Macintosh Plus that only displayed images in black and white. To tackle this problem, he developed a utility called “Display,” which tricked the screen into showing shades of gray. Little did he know, this simple piece of code would evolve into Adobe Photoshop.
Photoshop debuted on February 19, 1990, and over the next 35 years, it revolutionized photography, publishing, film, and web design. Thomas’s story, shared in a 2015 interview on the Adobe Blog, highlights the humble beginnings of a tool many use daily without knowing its history.
What really changed the game was when Thomas’s brother, John Knoll, got involved. John, working at George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic, recognized the potential of digital image processing. He persuaded Thomas to consolidate his image-processing utilities into a single application, igniting the vision for Photoshop. This collaboration transformed the way industries interact with images.
Initially named “ImagePro,” the brothers faced challenges as they pitched their software to various companies. Many turned them down, thinking they already had similar projects in the works. However, when Adobe saw the demo, they immediately understood its potential and secured the rights to distribute it. Photoshop 1.0 was born, catering to design agencies and graphic arts professionals.
But back then, consumer digital cameras and affordable quality printers didn’t exist. Getting a print meant a complex and costly process involving commercial presses. As Thomas Knoll pointed out in his interview, the software was waiting for technology to catch up. The arrival of the web in the early 1990s created a surge in demand for image processing tools. Suddenly, Photoshop was the go-to option for web designers and hobbyists alike, making it more accessible to the masses.
A recent survey by Statista showed that as of 2022, over 80% of digital creators use Photoshop in some capacity, highlighting its continued relevance. Adobe’s commitment to innovation has allowed Photoshop to remain a leader in the market. It has evolved from a desktop application to mobile versions, catering to a new generation of creators.
The Knolls’ intuition and hard work laid the groundwork for a tool that continues to adapt. In 2015, Thomas noted the importance of moving from bulky computers to mobile devices, marking a pivotal direction for future developments. Today, artists and designers are finding new ways to use Photoshop that Thomas never imagined, proving that creativity knows no bounds.
The original Photoshop 1.0 source code now resides in the Computer History Museum, preserving the legacy of this innovative tool that changed how we create and interact with images.
