Mastering Photoshop Elements 11 Made Easy Training Tutorial

Explore the organizer environment in Photoshop Elements, mastering the menu bar, catalog manager dialog, keyboard shortcuts, and filtering by media views to quickly organize photos into albums and folders.

Copy photos to your computer, choose JPEG or Camera Raw, and import them into the default organizer from files and folders; select multiple images and apply keyword tags during import.

Master Photoshop Elements 11 organizer basics: resize thumbnails with the zoom slider, switch to single photo view, and run full screen slideshows with optional music and captions.

Use the Photoshop Elements 11 full screen view toolbar to control slides, toggle panels, and access quick edit and quick organize features for color, tonal range, and album management.

Compare two images side by side or above and below to easily contrast versions, using slideshow, view dropdown, and zoom tools to edit and examine.

Create and organize albums in Photoshop Elements 11 using the organize panel and the content tab. Drag media from folders into new albums, name them, and categorize.

Share and organize photos by creating online albums in Photoshop Elements, selecting templates, and using the share dropdown to publish to Photoshop Showcase or export to devices and sites.

Organize and manage albums by creating album categories, grouping albums, importing or exporting to CD, DVD, or external drive, and renaming or deleting items via right-click.

Master Photoshop Elements 11 by learning the taskbar in the organizer: hide panel, undo/redo, rotate in 45-degree steps, and organize media by people, places, and events with quick filters.

Learn to create and manage multiple catalogs in the elements organizer, name new catalogs, optionally import free music, and switch between catalogs to organize images by dates or occasions.

Learn to name your images in Photoshop Elements 11 using two quick methods: rename from file menu in the organizer, or rename in the information tab on the right side.

Create and manage keyword tags to organize images in the organizer, using the tags panel to add new tags, assign them to images, and view files by tag.

Create new tag categories in Photoshop Elements 11 by selecting new category, choosing a color and icon, naming it, and clicking OK to add and assign tags to level categories.

Assign and manage tags in the Photoshop Elements organizer by dragging images to categories and subcategories, using the contextual menu, and rating media from one to five stars to filter.

Automate tagging of media in Photoshop Elements 11 with smart tags and the auto analyzer, enable automatic analysis in preferences, and filter by faces, high quality, or shaky.

Master how to create and manage stacks in Photoshop Elements 11 by stacking selected photos, viewing stack with the stacked icon, unstacking, and avoiding flatten stack which deletes other photos.

assign captions and notes to images using the information tab or show file info from the context menu, then rename and have changes saved automatically.

Sort images in organizer by newest, oldest, or import batch date via the sort by dropdown. Use people, places, and events buttons to filter and sort by ratings within groups.

Search and filter images in organizer using tags, keyword groups, and star ratings, then use find and visual searches to locate by file name, water, and objects appearing in photos.

Use date view to sort and find images by date in Photoshop Elements 11, selecting view, set date range, choosing 2011, then click okay; clear the date range when needed.

Explore three edit modes in Photoshop Elements: expert edit, quick edit, and guided edit. The course emphasizes expert edit mode while presenting quick and guided options as supplementary tools.

Master the expert edit mode environment in Photoshop Elements 11, navigating the menu bar, the tool box, the main image window, and the tool options bar.

Navigate the panel bin in Photoshop Elements to view and hide panels, adjust their width, and create custom workspaces using the window menu.

Explore how the photo bin organizes open images with thumbnails, letting you switch between files, view multiple views of the same image, and zoom in and out.

Learn to use undo and redo with keyboard shortcuts and menu options, and manage the undo history panel by adjusting history states in preferences to revert to any previous step.

open images in photoshop elements using the file open command, navigate with look in to my pictures, view as extra large icons or list by name, and open by clicking.

Master zooming in Photoshop Elements 11 using the zoom tool, status bar magnification, plus/minus and alt shortcuts, the zoom slider, and fit, actual pixels, or print size options.

Discover how to view and switch document information in the Photoshop Elements status bar, using the right arrow to display dimensions and color profile while magnification stays fixed.

Learn how to reposition images in Photoshop Elements 11 using the hand tool, navigator panel, and spacebar shortcut as you zoom and pan around a large image.

Learn to set default preferences in Photoshop Elements 11 via edit > preferences, navigate the dialog and side menu, adjust file compatibility and performance options, then save or cancel.

The quick photo edit environment offers a smaller toolset, including zoom, hand, quick selection, red-eye removal, whitening teeth, and a limited panel, with switch to expert mode for greater control.

Explore the differences between bitmap (raster) images and vector graphics. Learn how pixels define color and position, why bitmap editing focuses on individual pixels, and how resolution affects clarity.

Master vector graphics using lines defined by mathematical algorithms; learn how vector graphics are resolution independent, allowing moving and resizing without quality loss, ideal for text and geometric shapes.

Learn how pixel dimensions and pixels per inch affect image quality and file size, then resize with the image size dialog using constrained proportions and an interpolation method.

Create a brand new image in Photoshop Elements by opening the blank file dialog, naming the image, choosing a preset or custom size and resolution, and RGB color.

Place files on separate layers above the original image, resizing, moving, and rotating within a bounding box; placed content rasterizes to the target resolution and appears as its own layer.

Learn how to display and use rulers and the grid in Photoshop Elements 11 to measure, place, and align objects, adjust the origin, and reset it for precise layouts.

Compare RGB and CMYK models to see how color channels and file size differ. Explain HSP perception and how grayscale, bitmap, and indexed modes extend color options in Photoshop Elements.

Learn how to convert an image between color modes, such as rgb to cmyk for printing, and how flattening layers and saving a copy preserves edits.

Learn to keep image colors consistent across screen and print with color management, under edit > color settings, offering no color management, screen, printing, or allow me to choose.

Learn how Photoshop Elements uses foreground and background colors to paint strokes, fill selections, and create gradients, with quick tools to switch and reset colors to black and white.

Open the color picker from the foreground or background box, adjust with the color field and slider, type RGB/HSB values for exact matches, then click OK.

Use the color picker tool to sample colors from images or the screen and set the foreground color, choosing point, 3x3, or 5x5 for exact or averaged results.

Explore how to use the Photoshop Elements swatches panel to select colors, set foreground and background colors, and save, load, or replace custom swatch sets.

Explore the painting tools in Photoshop Elements, including brush and pencil tools to paint lines and color areas, with airbrush options and filling selections.

Master the brush tool in Photoshop Elements 11 by selecting the brush, choosing a foreground color, painting on the correct layer, and adjusting size and opacity for precise edits.

Explore how blending modes affect color interactions when painting with the brush tool, comparing base color, blend color, and resulting color across modes like normal and linear burn.

Explore the impressionist brush in Photoshop Elements 11 to simulate expressive strokes with the same brush options, enhanced by advanced settings for style, brush size, and tolerance.

Use the pencil tool to draw hard edged lines in Elements images by clicking and dragging, adjusting size, and applying color, with the auto race option and brush tool similarities.

Master the color replacement tool in Photoshop Elements 11 to replace a color with the foreground color while preserving tones, using sampling methods, limits, tolerance, and blending modes.

Use the eraser tool to apply a background color to an image, not erase pixels, then select the tracer tool, adjust size and opacity, and undo as needed.

Master the magic eraser tool to remove similar pixels across an image, adjusting tolerance, opacity, anti-aliasing, and contiguous or all-pixels settings.

Master the background eraser tool to remove background pixels while preserving foreground edges, with brush tip options, tolerance controls, and contiguous or discontiguous modes to prevent halos.

Master the smart brush tools to selectively apply color and tone with edge-detection selections and 50 presets, all non-destructive via adjustment layers and masks.

Select the brush tool and use the brush preset picker to choose preset brushes, explore default, dry media, and special effects options, and save or load custom brushes.

Load new brush sets in Photoshop Elements via brush preset picker and load dialog; navigate to AVR brush files, load into the palette, and resize or use as a brush.

Create and save custom brush tips in Photoshop Elements by sampling pixels or specifying your own settings, then define the brush from the selection, name it, and save.

Explore shape dynamics in Photoshop Elements 11 by adjusting brush dynamics with sliders for fade, hue and jitter, scatter, spacing, hardness, roundness, and angle, and set as default.

Reset brush and tool settings in Photoshop Elements 11 by selecting the brush tool, opening the tool options, and choosing reset tool or reset all tools.

Identify and isolate image regions with pixel-based selections or vector paths in photoshop elements 11, using selection borders and tools, and convert between pixels and paths to edit precisely.

Explore pixel-based selections in Photoshop Elements 11 using marquee, lasso, and select brush tools, plus menu-bar commands to add, subtract, intersect, invert, and move selections across layers.

Master the marquee tools to create rectangular or elliptical selections, refine edges with feathering and refine edge, and manage selections using layers, anti aliasing, aspect ratios, and edge adjustments.

Master the lasso tools in Photoshop Elements to create freeform, straight-edge, and polygonal selections. Use the magnetic lasso for edge snapping, add fastening points, and close selections precisely.

Use the magic wand tool to select colored regions by adjusting tolerance and anti-aliasing, with options like contiguous, sample all layers, add to selection, and refine edges.

Master selection brush tool to paint pixels for selection or mask, adjust brush size and hardness, refine edges using overlay color and opacity, with alt key to correct mistakes.

Learn to use the quick selection tool to create selections by color and texture, adjust brush size, enable auto enhanced, and refine by adding or subtracting areas.

Refine pixel selections in Photoshop Elements using select and grow to expand edges with adjacent similar colors, and avoid select and similar across the image to prevent background picks.

Copy and paste pixel selections within or across images, using copy merged for all layers, and paste into selections or new locations with the move tool.

Save a selection you create, name it pink flowers, and reuse it later by loading the saved selection; invert to grab the background, then press delete.

Use the magic extractor to mark foreground and background areas with brushes, preview the selection, refine with add or remove, smoothen, feather, fringe, then click okay to extract.

Apply fills to selections in Photoshop Elements 11 using foreground or background colors, gradients, or patterns, and optionally stroke the selection or fill via fill layer dialog with blending modes.

Master the paint bucket tool to fill adjacent pixels of similar color using foreground or pattern fills, adjust opacity and tolerance, and apply across layers with anti-aliasing.

Use the gradient tool in Photoshop Elements 11 to create gradient fills from presets or custom gradients by dragging from start to end on a selection or layer.

Create and edit gradients with the gradient editor by selecting presets, adjusting color and opacity stops, midpoints, and then save as presets or apply as solid or noise gradients.

Fill a layer or selection with a pattern in Photoshop Elements 11 via the fill dialog, select a pattern, adjust blending mode and opacity, and preserve transparency when needed.

Use the stroke command in Photoshop Elements to outline a selection or layer, adjusting width, color, location, and blending mode to enhance objects such as a flower.

Master layers in Photoshop Elements by creating, editing, and organizing them with the layers panel, understanding background versus normal layers, opacity, blend modes, and moving, locking, and masking layers.

Learn about layer types in Photoshop Elements, including image, adjustment, fill, shape, and type layers, and how to apply non-destructive edits with layer masks and blending.

Create new layers quickly with the new layer button or layer from background, convert the background layer to a normal layer, name the layer, and adjust blend mode and opacity.

Learn to manage Photoshop Elements layers by selecting them in the layers panel, toggling visibility, duplicating, rearranging, and linking layers to move content together.

Use the move tool to move layer content by selecting the correct layer, clicking and dragging, or nudging with the arrow keys after selection.

Lock layers to protect their contents by applying full lock or partial lock on transparent pixels, using the lock icon in the layers panel and the lock toggle to unlock.

Master common layer management tasks in Photoshop Elements 11, including renaming layers in the layers panel, deleting layers with or without confirmation, and using the history panel to recover mistakes.

Merge selected or visible layers and linked layers to reduce file size in Elements, then flatten the image into the background layer, discarding hidden layers and filling transparency with white.

Master layer styles in Photoshop Elements by applying and customizing styles on layers, using the effects panel to preview drop shadows and outlines, and copying, pasting, hiding, and scaling styles.

Learn to use adjustment layers and fill layers in Photoshop Elements for non-destructive color and tonal edits that affect below layers, with options like brightness and contrast.

Create clipping groups by using a base layer as a clipping mask for adjacent layers, so the image appears only within the shape and shares the base layer's opacity.