Finding your way around Photoshop

Kids, first you need to GET Photoshop if you don't have it already.  But good news!  Photoshop Elements is competitively priced, and there's a free-trial download for a lot of Adobe's products!

2022 note: what sucks about Photoshop these days is that they've moved to a subscription model.  Before, you shelled out a few hundred and got a disk that you could install on your computer and the program was yours.  Now they want you to pay month to month.  I don't know, man.  You might be able to find old disks?

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Ok, so learning Photoshop.

There's no one way to do this.  Each of us learn differently, and each of us come into this hobby with differing levels of computer understanding and competence.

The biggest thing that will help you learn to digi-scrap is simply knowing the ins-and-outs of your program.  In this case, we're talking about Photoshop.  Get to know the toolbar -- what the tools are called, what they do, what settings they have.  I'm a bigger fan of knowing first what the buttons are and what they do, and learning what shortcut I can use to get them active later.

I won't be telling you EVERYTHING about Photoshop in this blog.  I don't know all that much, and there are plenty of other sites to get you really in depth if that's what you want.  My goal with this blog is to show you what you need to know to START your digi-scrappin' journey.  Once you get over the initial apprehension and jump over that beginner's learning curve, you'll be able to delve deeper on your own.

It's ok to jump in after learning just a few basics.  Don't think you have to know Photoshop inside and out before you start.  I made 54 layouts in my first 3 months and I am still constantly learning new tricks.  You don't have to click on these links below right now if you don't want to.  It's supplemental material, not required reading.  ;o)
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And here are some other books that I can say with confidence are awesomely helpful:

---> Scott Kelby has several books about Photoshop; I found them thorough.

---> Adobe "Classroom in a book" series for Photoshop -- there is a different one for every version.

Do an Amazon search for those books.  Do a Google search for learning Photoshop.  I believe in your searching skills.

From what I understand, most everything in a book about Elements or version 2.0 or 3.0 will apply if you have a later version -- I have 7.0.  Each version has improvements and additions, but the basic functions always remain the same.

Happy studying!

Comments

[Lesley]

The Classroom in a Book for Photoshop 7.0 rocks!! :)

[TaniaJPS]

I can't get enough of your site! I LOVE it! I mean, my eyes hurt and I'm getting dizzy. But, I have to say, it's HUGE! There's just soo much!

[TaniaJPS]

OH, and you're FUNNY! I love that!

[Jenna]

Like many others, I want to thank you for your site. You're right about there being 10 ways to do everything in photoshop. My husband uses PS everyday for his work and for pleasure and I had never used it before except to crop a few photos. He would get so upset when I asked for help when I was trying to do something but wasn't HIS way. With your webpage and the tutorials of others, I am going to take Photoshop on by myself and see what I come up with! (He really is a nice guy, he just knows way to much about Photoshop to try and help a complete newb like myself.)

[lori]

thanks much for these additional site listings to view and learn from!

[Zakirah]

Lesley, my eyes are hurting too for staring at the screen for so long, but I just can't get enough of this site!

[Photoshop Tutorial]

Hopefully this will help me at work, I need it.

-Slumberg

[Photoshop Warrior]

Photoshop can do so many things and I love reading about Photoshop techniques. Great reading and I will recommend this site!