Photoshop CC: Learn by Making Designs

In this lecture you will learn and practice creating a new canvas/document in Photoshop to start your design!

Learn how to change the Photoshop interface to suit your needs.

Remember: Don't worry if you can't think of an efficient layout. After using Photoshop for a while you will learn what you're using the most and what suits your needs.

Learn your first most important tool skill used every time you open Photoshop. The Pan and Zoom tool.

If you've made your document but want to re-size it, this lecture shows you exactly how to do that.

Learn how to save a Photoshop PSD file and other formats for web or background transparency. 

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the different Selection tools available in Photoshop.

Shortcuts used:

• Shift = Add to selection
• Alt = Remove from selection

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the brush and eraser tools. 

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the paint bucket or gradient tool to fill layers with color.

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the Shape Tool. You can create anything from a perfect square to a triangle.

Shortcuts used:

• Shift = Scale proportionately (all sides are equal)
• Alt = Scale from Center
• Shift + Alt Scale proportionately from the center

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the type tool and the settings you can adjust to achieving great typography layout.

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the healing brush and clone stamp tool for times when you need to remove blemishes or clone parts of an image.

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the Dodge and Burn tool to increase contrast in your images by making highlights brighter and shadows darker.

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the Blur, Sharpen and Smudge Tool.

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the Pen Tool. This tool allows you to create custom shapes and make selections out of them.

Shortcuts used:

• Hold Shift = Ensures a straight line is made with the pen tool

In this lecture you will learn and practice using the Free Transform Tool. This tool allows you to resize elements in Photoshop as well as rotating them.

Shortcuts used:

• Shift = Constrain Proportions
• Alt - Scale from center
• Shift + Alt = Constrain Proportions and Scale from Center

Learn how layers work. 

Think of Photoshop as a graphical design building tool that is like a cake, it takes layers on top of each other to build up to the final design.

Take a look at what layer blending modes are and how they can quickly change the visual appearance of a layer.

In this lecture you will learn and practice using masks to apply on to your layers.

Remember:

• White reveals the layer
• Black hides parts of the layer
• *make sure you have clicked on the layer mask before trying to hide or reveal

In this example you will learn how to remove a background from an image of a person.

Lesson Reminders: Refine edge allows your to make your selection clean. Also ensure to use masking to make sure you are working in a non-destructive. This is covered in the lecture.

>> "Refine edge" is called "Select and Mask" in the latest version of Photoshop (at least in the OSX version)

In this lecture you will be learning what layer styles are and the different ones available at your fingertips.

In this lecture you will be familiarized with Adjustment layers and what they do to help your designs.

Remember: there are many intermediate lessons that could be made for adjustment layers. Experiment with them as it will build up your memory of what they do if you see it in person.

Just like in the previous lecture, learn how to copy and paste your mask on to an adjustment layer so it only effects a specific part of your design.

Learn what filters are and how to apply them on to your design.

Remember: there are many intermediate lessons that could be made for filters. Experiment with them as it will build up your memory of what they do if you see it in person.

Combine all of your new skills and make a simple yet stylish magazine front cover. 

Remember: you don't have to copy me exactly, get creative...that's what Photoshop is all about!

Thank you for watching the course!

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