Learn Photoshop: All of the Basics for Beginners
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How Do I Learn Photoshop?
While there are plenty of great learning resources available online, it’s often difficult for beginners to know where to start, because everything seems to be scattered. With this post, you’ll find links to plenty of resources to teach you all the basics and fundamentals of Photoshop, including:
- How to install and use Photoshop brushes and actions
- Keyboard shortcuts for Photoshop
- An introduction to Photoshop layers
- How to install and use Photoshop styles
- Various introductory guides to Photoshop tools
Intro to Photoshop’s Tools and UI:
The resources in this section will serve as an introduction for those who are new to Photoshop. Some people appear to be so deaf and dumb when it comes to the use of adobe photoshop and different tools associated with it. There are a guide and tutorial available for each of the single process so that it becomes really easy for the beginners to start working on adobe photoshop. They will help you to learn your way around the interface and with some of the basics of Photoshop.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Adobe Photoshop
There are keyboard shortcuts available for wide range of processes to make the things happen quickly for professionals.
The Photoshop Workspace (video)
Photoshop workspace is the official platform containing all the useful tutorials and basic things to make it easy for the beginners.
The Ultimate Guide to Customizing How You Work in Adobe Photoshop CC
Before you start working on adobe photoshop, this guide will make it really simple for you to use adobe photoshop and understand how
More resources for learning the tools and UI:
- Learn Photoshop CC (video series)
- Photoshop Basix (series)
- The Photoshop CS6 User Interface (PDF)
- Introduction to Photoshop CS6 (series)
- Customize the Way You Work in Adobe Photoshop CC
- Photoshop Toolbox Reference
Layers, Layer Styles, Layer Masks and Adjustment Layers:
In order to be able to efficiently and effectively work with Photoshop, you will need a solid understanding of layers. The resources in this section provide guides for working with layers in Photoshop, as well as layer styles, layer masks, and adjustment layers.
The Ultimate Guide to Adjustment Layers (series)
In order to customize any photo, you must have a better understanding of how to use different adjustment layers.
Intro to Photoshop Layer Styles (series)
Layer styles are used to transform the text and convert it into colorful and attractive calligraphic fonts. These customized calligraphic fonts can be used for different purposes.
How to Install and Use Photoshop Styles (video)
It is important to use photoshop styles if you want to customize the whole picture in a single click.
A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Masking in Photoshop
More resources for learning about layers, layer styles, layer masks, and adjustment layers:
The Pen Tool:
Photoshop’s pen tool can be used for impressive results, but it can be very difficult to use if you don’t understand how it works. The following resources will provide helpful guides to explain the pen tool and how you can use it in your own work.
Photoshop’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide
Pen tool can be used for any geometrical figure or any other desired shape in no time.
Pen tool can be used to draw the variety of geometrical figures and shapes sharply and precisely.
Making Selections with the Pen Tool
You will have to use the pen tool in a variety of processes including poster designs and other works. So, the pen tool will be an important asset while working your way through the whole process.
Become a Master of the Pen Tool in Under 30 Minutes
More resources for the pen tool:
Brushes and Other Presets:
Brushes, patterns, shapes, and the other presets are an essential part of Photoshop. Whether you are using the presets that come with the software, downloading those created by other designers, or creating your own, learning the potential of these presets and how to work with them should be a priority.
Photoshop’s Brush Tool – Basic Guide
Brush tool can be used to paint a particular object, surface or draw different shapes using the pen tool.
How to Install and Use Photoshop Brushes (video)
Another detailed video describing applications of photoshop brushes.
Installing and Managing Brushes and Other Presets
Brush tools come with a variety of drawing shapes and other presets offer you full freedom to customize the picture in your own desired way.
How to Install and Use Photoshop Actions (video)
Photoshop actions refer to the visual effects that are used in different photos and videos to
More resources for brushes and presets:
- Creating and Modifying Brushes
- Photoshop Brushes: The Brush Dynamics Options
- How to Use Scripted Patterns and Fills in Photoshop CC
- Mastering the Preset Manager
- Guide to Patterns in Photoshop
- How to Use Patterns
- Creating Custom Patterns
- Creating Custom Shapes in Photoshop (video)
Type Tool:
The type tool is a little more straightforward than some of the others for beginners, but it still helps to have a firm grasp of how the tool works and what you can do with text in Photoshop.
A Comprehensive Introduction to the Type Tool
More learning resources related to the type tool:
Transform:
With Photoshop’s transform capabilities you can edit and manipulate objects in a variety of different ways. The links provided below with get you started.
- Free Transform Essential Skills and Shortcuts
- Using Transform in Photoshop
- Transforming Selections in Photoshop
Selections:
The are several different ways to make selections in Photoshop, and each technique has certain situations where it works better than others. Here you’ll learn about the basic selection tools and when to use them.
Basic Selection Tools in Photoshop CS6 (video)
While editing, you will have to manage all the layers and smart objects precisely and carefully. So, there are range of selection tools available for you to do so.
Quick selection tool makes it easy and simple for you to choose any particular smart object, layer or any other similer object.
More resources for selections:
- The Selection Tools
- A Comprehensive Introduction to Photoshop Selection Techniques
- Master Photoshop’s Selection Tools in Under 30 Minutes
- 5 Quick Selection Tools in Photoshop
Clone Stamp Tool and Content Aware Fill:
The clone stamp tool allows you to duplicate, or clone, an area. The resources below will explain how to tool works and how you can use it.
Clone stamp tool can be used to remove any unwanted or inappropriate thing from the picture carefully and precisely.
How to Use Content Aware Fill in Photoshop
Sometimes, it becomes necessary to remove a particular object or material from the scene. This content aware fill tool enables you to do so by creating multiple layers of that object and background.
More learning resources related to the clone stamp tool:
Blend Modes:
Photoshop’s various blend modes give users a lot of potentials to create different results quickly and easily. The links in this section will explain how you can play with the blend modes of your layers and what types of changes it will have.
An Explanation of Photoshop Blending Modes
It is another state-of-art technology to blend and mix different colors or effects to produce a unique color contrast.
More resources for blend modes:
Filters:
Photoshop has a number of different filters that you can use, and each has its own purpose and use. These links will explain some of the different filters, how they work, and when you should use them.
Photoshop CC Filters Help Salvage Photos Once Deemed Unusable
Filters customize each and every aspect of the picture as a whole and produce a wonderful unique contrast.
How to Use the Camera Shake Reduction Filer in Photoshop CC
Camera shake reduction filter stabilizes all the colors of the photo and this feature is accompanied with some other simple customizations as well.
Create Vignette Effects with the Radial Filter in Photoshop CC
The radial filter allows you to create vintage effects and customize that effect as well.
More learning resources related to filters:
Smart Objects:
Photoshop smart objects can help you to save time on repetitive tasks, and these links will show you how to use them.
- Genius Ways to Use Photoshop Smart Objects
- Making Non-Destructive Transformations with Smart Objects (video)
- Transforming Smart Objects (video)
Efficiency and Performance:
If you use Photoshop a lot you will want to make the most of your time with it. The resources here will help you to work smarter with as little wasted time as possible.
How to Tune Photoshop CS6 for Peak Performance
Many people have to face problems as they use a lot of different features collectively or create many layers. So, they can make some simple changes that you can make to boost up the performance of this software.
Manage Your Layers More Efficiently with Photoshop CS6
Sometimes it becomes really tricky to manage all the different layers in adobe photoshop. This tutorial discusses few tips and tricks to make this simple and easy for the beginners.
More resources for efficiency and performance:
- 14 Tricks & Tweaks to Speed Up Photoshop CS6 Performance
- Optimize Photoshop’s Performance
- How to Set Preferences and Memory Usage for Peak Performance – Photoshop CS6 and CC
- Photoshop CC Keyboard Shortcut Cheatsheet
- Batch Processing (video)
Saving Images:
These links will show you how you can save and optimize images that are going to be used on websites, for maximum performance.
Saving Images for the Web in Photoshop CC
You will learn to save the photo to make the good use of it afterward.
How to Save a Photo for Print in Photoshop CC
You will learn to save and print the photo for desired use.
Working with Colors in Photoshop:
Colors are, of course, an essential part of any design. These resources will explain the basics of working with color in Photoshop.
Color Settings in Photoshop CC (video)
You will learn to apply a suitable color contrast and make the best use of it.
Color Replacement in Photoshop CS6 (video)
Colors can be replaced with light or dark and other suitable colors to produce an amazing contrast that is worth your time.
More resources for working with color:
- Photoshop Color Profiles for Web Images
- Essential Color Settings for Photographers
- New Color Lookup Adjustment in Photoshop CS6
- Create Custom Photoshop Color Swatches and Sets
Now that you’ve learned the basics of Photoshop, here are some tutorial collections that you may want to check out: