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Photoshop for Beginners: Start Your Photoshop Journey

Name: Photoshop for Beginners: Start Your Photoshop Journey
Rating: 3.9 (27 reviews)

Looking for a Beginner Photoshop course with no (or little) experience? This Photoshop for Beginners Course is for you!

Created byNick Henry

Last updated 11/2016

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

know how to make the best of Photoshop.
edit images and files both professionally and the correct way.
understand photo manipulation and the value of Photoshop software.
efficiently work with their projects.

Course content

13 sections • 41 lectures • 3h 9m total length

Welcome and Glad You're In The Course!2:46
Hey, I’m Nick. I’ll be going over what to expect in the course, when to download things (if necessary), and how to find out about more resources.

Be sure to download the zip file resource (in the first lecture) that contains the images I used throughout the course. These will be helpful to follow along with. There are two folders included: images & linked file.

Also, if you're like me and want to learn quicker, be sure to use the speed option in Udemy. You can increase the speed of the video to 1.25x, 1.5x, or even 2x.
I've trained myself to watch videos at 2x! As you'll find out through the course, I'm all about efficiency.

Let’s dive in!

Quick Export, Performance, and Scratch Disks3:44
Quick Export
This is the option to set up your default export option to either a .PNG or .JPG file. Generally you'll use .PNG to retain transparency and .JPG for a higher quality image.
Performance
Setup for around 70% of CPU, these are basics. Depending on what you’re computer specs are, this will determine your setup.
Graphics Processor: advanced (for smoother zoom and better usability)

Scratch Disks
Remember: plenty of unused space and fast read/write speeds. An SSD as primary is better than a secondary traditional hard drive.
Units & Rulers, Plug-Ins, & New Document Settings2:02
Units & Rulers
Set to pixels in case there is a high need for creating print designs.
In the case of printing, change units to inches. 300 pixels/inch and CMYK.
Plug-Ins
Enable Generator. It allows for super fast creation of files behind the scenes without having to export each file.
New Document Settings
Depends on individual project needs. Keep in mind units, resolution, and color mode.

Creating and Saving a Workspace3:25
We’ll be working with the Essentials workspace, but take note of the other options available for use. Keep in mind you can revert to one of the other workspaces at any time by using ‘reset workspace’.
Add character and paragraph panels. Info and properties panels.
Navigating4:03
Zooming - bottom left option
Using space bar for moving the canvas
Top Options - 100%, Fit Screen, and Fill Screen
Opening the Navigator Panel

The Importance of Using the Keyboard1:53

The best way to master Photoshop is to move fast. And, I mean, real fast.

I remember my first course learning Photoshop and I thought I’d never learn all the keys. But, it comes naturally after working in the program repetitively.

My suggestion? Learn the keyboard shortcuts first, then the speed will follow. There’s nothing better than moving fast in Photoshop and getting a 20 minute project done in half the time. Or, watching others work in it and getting frustrated at their slowness!

How Layers Work5:05
Layers Panel

Keeping a clean layers panel (grouping)
Importance of renaming layers
Select a layer on canvas with Ctrl
Auto select option upper left for layer, not group
Using both Ctrl & Shift to select multiple layers
Opacity, Aligning and Layer Styles5:08
Importing Files4:37
Using ‘Place Embedded’ instead of File > Open
Drop an image into Photoshop from the web
Open an image from the desktop with Photoshop
Rasterized vs. vector images
Dragging images from one tab to another
Shift key to center an image when dragging from another tab

Common Keyboard Shortcuts / Tools1:31
Okay, so there’s so many tools in Photoshop and I’m only going to talk about the ones that I use all the time. I will be designing another more advanced course that talks about the other remaining tools.
Most Common Shortcuts

Move (V)
Marquee (M)
Quick selection (W)
Crop (C)
Brush (B)
Eraser (E)
Gradient (G)
Type (T)
Pen (P)
Zoom (Z) affected by performance selection in preferences
Space to move canvas
Speed Difference with Shortcuts vs. Mouse4:40
Once you start working with keyboard shortcuts, you'll never want to go back! Here's a demonstration of the difference with only using the mouse vs. using shortcuts.
Shapes & Strokes7:59
Properties of a shape

Stroke
Fill
Dashed, dotted
Border radius
Rulers & Smart Guides2:52
Rulers can be used for aligning layers and measuring distance.
Power of Gradients5:17
5 Uses For Gradients

Blend two images together
Fading color to black and white
Fading solid color into a photo
Creating a photo reflection
Faded text
Miscellaneous Shortcuts4:25
Switch colors (X)
Duplicate layer (Ctrl + J)
Undo (Ctrl + Z) *not a typical undo
Step Backward (Alt + Ctrl + Z)
Deselect (Ctrl + D)

Adding and Formatting Text With Character Panel4:16
Use Ctrl + Enter to set text on canvas.
Drop Shadow and Inner Glow Layer Styles for Text5:00
Example Layer Styles

Drop shadow
Adds shadow around text

Outer & Inner Glow
Adds an expandable glow around text
Changing Fonts Without Affecting Layer Styles2:29
Great fonts make a great image. Some of the default fonts are okay to use, but find some online to help your work stand out. You’ll be amazed at what a font will do with your editing.
Character & Paragraph Styles8:27
Create and apply character styles and paragraph styles in Photoshop to save time formatting multiple layers, with live preview and the type window.
Finding Great Fonts (for free)4:38
Resources

fonts.google.com
https://www.fontsquirrel.com/ (100% free for commercial use)
https://creativemarket.com (free, quality downloads with newsletter sign-up)
Typekit (free with Adobe subscription)

Difference Between Quick Export and Export As...4:51
Don't forget about the setting we changed at the beginning about changing the 'Export As...' option. It defaults to PNG
Understanding Adobe Generator4:06
This is a tool that many people don't use very often. It's very efficient, and automatically updates files in the background.

Be careful with exporting only single layers. Photoshop will automatically clip the boundaries of images without the canvas. Ex: you're trying to export a 1280x720 image and it crops your 500x1000 imported picture.

Check out this resource from Adobe:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/generate-assets-layers.html

Requirements

You will need to download a free trial of Adobe Photoshop CC. This will give you access to the software to learn the curriculum.
A Windows or Apple computer or laptop can be used.

Description

In this Photoshop for Beginners course, you're going to learn the fastest way to edit in Photoshop. Not only will you learn the fundamentals, but there's also an advanced section at the end to help with more complex editing in the program. You'll also get advanced techniques along the way!

A few (kind!) words from Matt R: ★★★★★
"This is the best Photoshop course I have ever watched to get you from opening the software to fast results even if you just need to export layers from or slightly edit existing images......shortcuts and all the tips from experienced instructor really add to practical skills you should use every time when working with Photoshop."

Most beginners don't understand the importance of working quickly in software. I teach from a keyboard shortcut first approach to help teach Photoshop for Beginners in a practical and useful way. Interested in shaving 10-20 minutes (or more) from your projects?

What's Unique About this Photoshop for Beginners Course?

I've taken all of the trial and error parts from learning Photoshop as a beginner and packaged it into a course. I'm really adamant about teaching fast and effective methods. Don't think that just because you're a beginner that you can't learn the quick ways from the start.

Many of the Photoshop for beginners tutorials I watch don't always show the quickest method to get projects done. Even though there are multiple ways to get one task done, it's helpful if you can save time.

I've used Photoshop for years with web design, image manipulation, social media marketing, and continue to push out Photoshop tutorials on YouTube. The trick? More work in the software = more learning! Not really a secret, huh?

Olaf Z. (cool name!) says this: ★★★★★
"I am working from time to time with Photoshop. It always takes me a lot of time to work on my photos. I thought it is too complicated to use it just once in a while and be effective. This course teaches effective methods to work with photoshop in just 3 hours."

Don't worry about the learning curve in the software. You'll understand even more than just basic skills with Photoshop for Beginners and how to effectively work in your projects.

Here are some examples of what to expect in the course:

Complete setup of the program from the start
How to set preferences for an efficient workflow
Creating a workspace for easier navigation
The importance of keyboard shortcuts
How to save time with exporting

Who is this Photoshop for Beginners Course Designed For?

⏩ If you're a novice with no experience or you've been hesitant to learn Photoshop and you're ready to get started, this course is definitely for you! Even if you have some experience and are looking to be more efficient in the software, this will help.

This Photoshop for Beginners course is made for amateurs that have not opened Photoshop before. The tutorials are at a great pace to follow along and start mastering the software. You'll even receive updates in the future when I post new videos!

What is My Software Expertise and How Can I Help You Learn Photoshop?

For almost two decades, I've learned hundreds of computer programs and I have a degree in Computer Information Systems. This has helped me teach Photoshop in the most efficient and workflow-friendly way. Photoshop for Beginners uses all of this prior experience to help you get the grasp on Photoshop -- and work faster!

Don't wait any longer! Join the creative community and start conquering (and only hitting the tip of the iceberg) with Photoshop now! It truly is an amazingly powerful piece of editing software. Of course, you'll understand using Photoshop as a beginner and then transitioning to understanding, mastering, and perfecting your creative art.

Who this course is for:

This Photoshop course is perfect for those who are interested in, new to, or have never used Photoshop before.
There is absolutely no editing experience required as the course teaches from the basics.
Even with intermediate skills, you can still benefit from this course by becoming more efficient and learning other techniques.
A student who considers themselves well-versed in Photoshop and has skills such as advanced layering and years of experience will not gain much out of this course.

Photoshop for Beginners: Start Your Photoshop Journey

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction & What to Expect From The Course1 lecture • 3min

Installing Photoshop1 lecture • 3min

Setting Preferences2 lectures • 6min

Workspaces2 lectures • 7min

Keyboard Shortcuts1 lecture • 2min

Using Layers3 lectures • 15min

Tools6 lectures • 27min

Type5 lectures • 25min

Libraries2 lectures • 7min

Exporting Files2 lectures • 9min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: