Photoshop Essentials Workshop

Transcription

1 Photoshop Essentials Workshop Robert Rector idesign Lab - Fall 2013 What is Photoshop? o Photoshop is a graphics editing program. Despite the name it is used for way more than just photo editing! What is Photoshop used for? o It is primarily used for: Image editing

2 Photos and graphics o Changing size o Correcting color Image creation Logos, artwork, etc. I: Explore the User Interface Standard Apple Menu Bar - at top of screen o This is at the top of the desktop on a Mac, but at the top of the window on a PC o There are the usual menu options (e.g. File, Edit, etc.) o Then there are menu items that are specific to Photoshop Image Allows you to edit image (image size, rotation, etc.) Layer Clearly, for working with layers. We will be exploring layers later in the workshop. Type For working with all things text Select For working with making selections (including inverse selection)

3 Filter To apply filters 3D For working with 3D images. We will not be doing that in this workshop. View For changing views of your work Windows Extremely useful for hiding and revealing Panels Help We all need some from time to time. Contextual Menu - at top of Photoshop window o changes according to what type of tool you are using. Toolbox at left of window o This contains all of the tools that we will be using o Examples include the Selection Tool, Quick Selection Tool, Brush Tool, etc. o Most tool icons have other tools grouped with them. To access them, simply right- click on the tool, and a submenu pops up with the other available tools.

4 Panels o Default position for Panels (e.g. Layers, Adjustments, etc.) is on the right side of the window. Workspace Menu o This dropdown menu is on the top right. You can choose different Workspaces or configurations of panels, based on what type of work you will do in Photoshop. We will be sticking with the Essentials workspace. You can move panels around to whatever position you like. If you lose track of a panel or you feel that you ve gotten yourself all mixed up don t panic. You can easily restore the Workspace to it s original, default configuration by selecting the Reset option in the dropdown. II: Start a New Project o Choose File > New Project In the window that opens, we can select dimensions, resolution, and the color mode for our project. Select whatever dimensions you like. Keep the resolution at 72 PPI (pixels per inch), because this is a good setting for using an image online.

5 RGB is the best color mode to use for online images. Press OK. o Choose the Brush tool from the Toolbox o Paint the white background o You have just made your first image in Photoshop! III: Selecting Part of an Image o Download the image at content/uploads/2012/03/7.jpg Save it to your desktop o Choose File > Open o Open the image on your desktop o Choose the Quick Selection Tool o Hover over the image of the woman o Hold down the left mouse button and trace around the outline of the woman IV: Working with Layers o Choose Layer > New Layer Via Cut o Notice the Layers panel on the right side of the Photoshop interface o Try selecting the visibility buttons to the left of the layers and see what happens

6 o Choose Layer > New Layer o Name it Background V: Combining Images o Make sure that the layer Background is highlighted by clicking on it o Make this the only visible layer o Find a background image on Google Images. It could be whatever you like: a forest, sky, a city, etc. Save the image to your desktop. o Open the image in Photoshop o Drag it into the top of your other open image (the image of the woman) VI: Transforming Images o Choose Edit > Transform > Scale o Hold down the Shift key, and drag the upper left corner until the image fills the blank area o Position the image within the blank area to your liking o Press Enter o You have now transformed the image! o Experiment with other Transform options (such as Rotate, Warp, etc.), but don t press Enter. We just want to see what happens. Press escape to get out

7 of the Transform mode. (If you do press Enter, don t worry. Just Choose Edit > Undo, or press Command + Z.) o Now make the layer with the woman visible. o Voila! She is now in a different place! VII: Playing with Filters o Highlight the layer with the woman o Open the Filter Gallery o Choose Filter > Filter Gallery o Open a filter category, and try choosing various filters. You can see a preview of what your image will look like to your left. When you like an effect, press OK. VIII: Saving Your Work o Choose File > Save o Choose a filename and a location to your liking o Save the document as a PSD file (this will enable you to edit it later, as all of the layers and component images will remain separate) o Now choose File > Save As o This time, in the Format drop down menu, choose JPEG JPEGs are the most common image files (they are a simple, flat image)

8 o Save to wherever you like o That s it you ve come a long way! IX: Other Resources o Check out these other resources to learn more about Photoshop: lynda.com (TC students have a FREE membership!!)