Beginners Guide to Photoshop

Everything you need to know about the Photoshop basics...

I thought a thread like this would be helpful to people learning Photoshop, most of it is copy/pasted from various places. I will add more when I can think of it.



Workspace



Tools Palette:
Self explanatory - the palette that contains the tools that can be used to directly edit the image.
Tool Options:
A selection of options that relate to the currently selected tool and alter its effects.
Drop down Menus:
Standard drop down menus as seen in most Windows and Macintosh applications. Offers access to most of Photoshop's features. Commands for the drop down menus in these tutorials are written in bold.
Info Palette:
Shows information about the current image, or shows a thumbnail via which you can navigate the image. Information provided includes crop/selection area, file size, image dimensions, etc.
Colours/Styles Palette:
Allows you to select a colour via RGB sliders or preset web-safe colours ('Swatches'). Also lets you apply layer styles - preset combinations of layer styles (effects) that can achieve effective results if you're in a hurry. Use the expansion arrow (just underneath the close button) to load more styles that are included with Photoshop.
History Palette:
Gives a list of actions that can be undone - lists around one hundred. You can save snapshots to return to at key points in your image creation, or return to the saved file/a recent step. Also contains actions and tool presets for the currently selected tool.
Layers Palette:
The layers palette has many features, too many to list here. They are described later in the tutorial.

Layers



Palette Objects

Layer Opacity:
The opacity of the current layer, 0-100%.
Blending Mode:
The manner in which this layer interacts with layers below it. See below.
Active/Linked Layers:
A small paint brush icon appears in this space to indicate the active layer, and chain icons signify other layers that are linked with the active layer.
Layer Visibility:
An eye in this area signifies that the layer is visible, and an empty box means it is hidden from view and exempt from formatting.
Layers:
Two example layers showing an example background layer and new (transparent) layer (Layer 1).
New Fill/Adjustment Layer:
Creates a layer that can add a gradient to or adjust the hue, etc. of the layer below.
New Layer:
Creates a new layer [ctrl/cmd + shift + N].
Delete Layer:
Deletes the currently selected layer.
New Layer Set:
Creates a folder for layers to be put into for easy organisation of layers.
New Layer Mask:
Creates a sub-layer with which you can use all normal tools. Adding black to a layer mask, for example, means that that part of the layer is invisible.
Layer Effects (Styles):
Applies various effects to the current layer - can also be reached via Layer || Layer Style.

Blending Modes

Normal/Dissolve:
All layers appear as normal - dissolve doesn't blend the colours that are layered, but instead applies the colour to pixels at random in accordance.
Darken > Linear Burn:
Subtly different methods of darkening the layers beneath the selected layer.
Lighten > Linear Dodge:
Subtly different methods of lightening the layers beneath the selected layer.
Overlay:
Crudely put, reduces the opacity of the layer.
Soft Light > Pin Light:
Methods of lightening layers below the current one at varying strengths.
Difference/Exclusion:
Quite complicated - this is as it appears in the PS help files: "Looks at the color information in each channel and subtracts either the blend color from the base color or the base color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Blending with white inverts the base color values; blending with black produces no change." Exclusion is pretty much the same but at lower contrast.
Hue > Luminosity:
Effects the respective value of the layer below.

Tools



The shortcut for the tool is between the ( )

Marquee Tool (M)
Use this tool to make selections on your image, in a rectangular shape. This changes the area of your
image that is affected by other tools or actions to be within the defined shape.
Holding the Shift key while dragging your selection, restricts the shape to a perfect square.
Holding the Alt key while dragging sets the center of the rectangle to where your cursor started.
Move Tool (V)
The move tool can move around all objects within a layer. To move entire image, Flatten the layers by selecting Layer > Flatten Image.
Lasso Tool (L)
The lasso tool can select areas within in a layer that can't be reached with the marquee tool.
Magic Wand (W)
Use this to select a color range. It will select the block of color, or transparency,
based on wherever you click. In the Options Bar at the top, you can change the Tolerance to make your selections more/less precise.
Cropping Tool (C)
This tool changes the size of the image. To use, Select the area you want to crop and then press enter.
Slice Tool (K)
This is used mostly for building websites, or splitting up one image into smaller ones when saving out.
Heal Brush Tool and Patch Tool (J)
The patch tool is another form of the heal brush. It is in the options for the heal brush. The Heal Brush deletes the high contrast of a picture and is used when retouching a photo. To use, hold down alt while clicking on the source (an area that looks like what you want the damaged part to look like) and drag the mouse around the damaged picture to repair it.
The patch tool fixes damaged parts of a picture by blending the damaged part with a better one. Just use the patch tool to select part of the image, then drag the selection to another part of the image. This will combine the selections.
Brush Tool (B)
Draws or paints a line. Same as the pencil or brush tool in paint. Change the color of the paint brush by clicking on the color picker .
Clone Stamp Tool and Pattern Stamp tool
The clone stamp tool duplicates part of the image. Hold down alt while clicking to choose the part of the image which you want to duplicate. Drag the mouse over the damaged area.
The pattern stamp tool can create and save a pattern you want to use over and over again. To make a pattern, use the marquee tool or the lasso tool to select part of the image. Go to Filter > Pattern Maker and click generate. Click on the floppy disk underneath the Tile History called Save Preset Pattern. This will save the pattern. Do not push OK unless you want to fill the entire image with that pattern. Press cancel and select your pattern from Pattern on the top center of Photoshop. Drag the mouse over the area with the pattern stamp tool to edit the picture.
Clone Stamp Tool (S)
This is very similar to the Healing Brush Tool. You use it the exact same way, except this tool doesn't blend at the end.
It's a direct copy of the information from the first selected area to the second.
History Brush Tool and Art History Brush (Y)
The history Brush tool can go back and undo certain changes in a picture. To delete everything you did since the opening of the picture simply drag the history brush over the area to be repaired. The history brush works best when transforming snap shots. Using the snap shot will only change certain parts of the picture and can go back in editing to change major errors. To make a Snap Shot, save the picture then click on the small camera on the bottom of the history window. The snap shot will be saved once it is named. If you click on a previous snap shot, you can edit a previous version of your picture. Click on the last snap shot then use the history brush tool to undo the editing to make the unedited section look like the previous snap shot.
The Art history Brush tool can artistically undo an image and warp the original picture. Click on the top snap shot and chose what kind of brush to use on the top of the window under Style. Click on the area you want to edit with the art history brush.
Eraser Tool (E)
This is the anti-Brush tool. It works like an eraser and erases whatever information wherever you click and drag it.
If you're on a Layer, it will erase the information transparent. If you
are on the background layer, it erases with whatever secondary color you have selected.
Paint Bucket/Gradient Tool (G)
Makes an area one color. To edit all layers at one time, click on All layers at the top of the window/You can use this to make a gradiation of colors. It creates a blending of your foreground color and background color when you click and drag it.
The Blur tool, Sharpen Tool, and Smudge Tool (R)
To use, drag over part of photo you want to edit. The hardest part of this tool is selecting the right strength, brush size and mode. This tool is capable of blurring part of the image, undoing the blur with the sharpen tool, and slightly liquefying with the smudge tool.
The Dodge Tool, Burn Tool, and Sponge Tool (O)
To use any of these tools, just drag it over the image. The dodge tool can lighten an image, the burn tool darkens it, and the sponge tool soaks color out of the image.
Text Tool (T)
Puts text in a picture. Click on the picture with the type tool and select a box the size of the area you want to add text. Type in the box then adjust the size of the text box.
Pen Tool (P)
The pen tool can make lines and be used with shape tools to create different shapes. To create lines, use the pen tool to create anchors (the little boxes on a line) and change the shape of the line by moving around the anchors.
Custom Shape Tools (U)
Creates shapes in the image. The custom shapes tools can create all shapes in the shape section located at the top center of the Photoshop window.
Annotation Tool (N)
This can create notes and sound effects in an image. The only difference between the note tool and the text tool is that the note comes up in a little white box and when the note is too long for the given space, there will be a scroll bar. This is usually used in PDF formats and Acrobat Documents.
The audio Annotation tool can add audio notation to the picture. To use, click on the audio notation tool and press start. Record your voice with the microphone then press stop. You can import the audio by File > Import > Annotations. Make sure the file you import is a PDF file or a FDF file.
Eyedropper Tool (I)
Samples a color from the picture, color swatches, or the color picker. To use, click on the color on the image you want to take and right click.
Hand Tool (H)
Moves around image within an object. Is used with the zoom tool when you want to adjust the section of picture you want to look at.
Zoom Tool (Z)
Zooms in on part of the picture for closer editing.

Installing Brushes, Layer Styles, Shapes, and Other Shit

Brushes:
Place the *.abr files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Brushes where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

Brushes created in Photoshop 7 or later will not work in earlier versions of Photoshop. Any Photoshop brushes should work in Photoshop 7 and later.

From the Brushes Palette in Photoshop, click the small arrow in the upper right corner of the palette, and choose load brushes. The brushes will be added to the current brushes.

Layer Styles:
Place the *.asl files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Styles where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

Shapes:
Place the *.csh files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Custom Shapes where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

To load a file, go to the Styles palette, then click the small arrow in the top right corner and choose one of the layer style collections from the menu.

Patterns:
Place the *.pat files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Patterns where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

To load a pattern set, go to the Patterns palette (in the fill tool, Pattern overlay style, etc.), then click the small arrow in the top right corner and choose one of the pattern collections from the menu, or choose "Load Patterns" if the set is not listed in the menu. You can also load patterns via the Preset Manager in Photoshop 6 and up.

Gradients:
Place the *.grd files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Gradients where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

To load a file, go to the Gradients palette, then click the small arrow in the top right corner and choose one of the gradient sets collections from the menu.

Color Swatches:
Place the *.aco files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Color Swatches where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

To load a file, go to the Swatches palette, then click the small arrow in the top right corner and choose one of the swatch collections from the menu.

Actions:
Place the *.atn files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop X\Presets\Photoshop Actions where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop.

To load an action set, go to the Actions palette, then click the small arrow in the top right corner and navigate to the location where you saved the action. Select the file you'd like to load and it will be added to the actions palette.

Common Photoshop Shortcuts

Ctrl+N -- New Document
Ctrl+O -- Open Document
Ctrl+Tab -- Switch between actively open documents
Ctrl+A -- Select All
Ctrl+C -- Copy
Ctrl+X -- Cut
Ctrl+V -- Paste
Ctrl+S -- Save
Ctrl+P -- Print
Ctrl+Shift+S -- Save As
Ctrl+Z -- Undo
Ctrl+Y -- Redo
Ctrl+Alt+W -- Close all documents
Ctrl+K -- Toggle Preferences Dialog Box
Ctrl+J -- Duplicate Currently Selected Layer
Ctrl+Shift+N -- Create New Layer
Ctrl+L -- Open "Levels" Dialog Box
Ctrl+Shift+L -- Apply "Auto Levels" (note that this is the same effect as opening the "Levels" Dialog Box and hitting the "Auto" button)
Ctrl+M -- Open "Curves" Dialog Box
Ctrl+F -- Reapply Last Used Filter (it retains the last settings used)
Ctrl+U -- Open Hue/Saturation Dialog Box
Ctrl+B -- Open Color Balance Dialog Box

Ctrl+Alt+Z -- One "Step" Back in History (this is a glorified "Undo"; the number of "steps" that Photoshop remembers can be adjusted in the Preferences Dialog Box)
Ctrl+Shift+Z -- One "Step" Forward in History

Ctrl+R -- Toggle Ruler Display (adjusted in Preferences Dialog Box)
Ctrl+' -- Toggle Grid Display (adjusted in Preferences Dialog Box)
Ctrl+; -- Toggle Guide Display (adjusted in Preferences Dialog Box)

Ctrl+E -- Merge Down (this merges one layer into the one directly below it; it also merges layers in a group or a selection)
Ctrl+Shift+E -- Merge Visible (this merges all layers that are currently visible, indicated by the presence of the little eye icon by the layer thumbnail)

Ctrl+T -- Free Transform
Ctrl+Shift+T -- Reapply Last Used Transform

Complete List can be found Here

 

Brilliant innu3ndo. Thank you.

 

Also when you guys use tools.....right click on each tool, it will give you more options.

 

Looks like that took some effort. Sure it will help some peeps out. Good job!

 

It's going to take me a long time to figure out all of that, Thanks.

 

I soo will try ! Maybe even a old fart as me can do some "magic" !

Thanks anyway Innu ! ... Good one !

 

Ya, I second that.

Ive been wanting to start trying my hand with this for some time now... when I finally decide to give it a serious try this guide will be very handy

Thanks Innu3ndo

 

Thanks for doing the guide, makes things a lot easier to understand

 

Awesome Innu3!

 

I started an "Art of Photoshop" thread about a year ago but it died on its arse after a few days. hopefully this one will stick around for longer.

Is it an open thread?

 

Yeah, If anyone wants to add anything you can.

 

Using the Save for Web & Devices (Alt+Shift+Ctrl+S) option to optimize it for minimum bandwidth.

Go to File>Save for Web & Devices...



Use these settings...

*Select JPEG
*Set Quality to 80, this will cut down the file size without noticeable loss of quality.

Then Click Save

Below is a comparison between Save As... and Save for Web... at absolute Maximum quality and 80% quality.

Save As: Quality 12
105.45kb

Save for Web: Quality 100%
79.82kb

Save for Web: Quality 80%
41kb

 

Innu, Thank you! What a great job you have done with starting this thread! :worshippy:

I have learned two things already.

1. Use the "Save For Web" tool instead of the "Save As". I will actually get a better resolution and smaller size...

2. Photoshop Shortcuts - My mouse can get a much needed rest...

 

good guide lots of work, here's some more keys:

When working on a very in-zoomed picture its hard work to pull out the hand, a fast way is:

SPACE. hold it in and drag with your mouse to go to other places within the picture.

Another i use frequent: When you work with layers and want to move the layer slightly without clicking your transform tool or moving tool, use the:
Arrow keys, up down left right.

 

I never used the save for web function. I had no idea it cut down on so much size. Ace tip.

 

'Unsharpen' Tool

One of the most misunderstood tools in the Photoshop inventory is the 'unsharpen' tool. Rather than unsharpening an image - it does just the opposite. It sharpens - but with much more control and precision than the 'sharpen' tool.

Its found under the pull-down menus - as a sub-function under 'Sharpen'.



I use the 'unsharpen' tool on nearly every one of my images to tweak the sharpness. Generally you're fairly safe using anywhere from 1-30 increments on the 'Amount' slider - anything more and you risk over-sharpening and pixelizing the image.

You can also use it selectively by sharpening small areas in an image (instead of the entire image).

It can often make the difference between a mediocre pic and one that 'pops'.

 

Brilliant idea, great post. Thanks a lot Innu.

:worshippy:

 

It depends on the pic, "save for web: works great for some stuff (like that nice Innu3ndo example pic) but it's lame for others.

plus that example has the 'progressive' jpg setting and not Baseline standard. Fine for 450x150 size but large progressive jpg pics sort of suck IMO. When they download, they load 100% in frames size but blurry, then sort of slowly come into focus due to the interlacing .

Progressive was outright banned some places, in the old school dial up days. It still sort of sucks for anyone not on high speed too, for larger pics..

plus for like say a 1400x1200 hd vidcap build ups (for the beginner's I'll mention jpg saving in PS goes up from 1-12, 12 being max)
level 7 = 215k
level 8 = 272k
Save for web 80 is a massive and ridiculous 486k
equal in size to what a level 10 jpg would be (and anything over level 8 is gratuitous)

if one looks at the jpg again at 100% zoom and 300% zoom for the same save levels one can see that at 100% zoom level 7 and 8 are pretty much the same and sort of close at 300% zoom. Sure the 400k+ "Save for web" pic is way cleaner at 300% zoom but people view pics at 100% and it's also near x2 the K size.


Don't get me wrong, Innu3ndo is 100% correct in his tips for the sort of pic he posted as an example. I went and cut out a 450x150 part of the pic I used in my example and I get the same results he posted.
Level 7 = 23k
Level 8 = 26k
Save for web = 19k

plus progressive for smaller pics is not going to annoy anyone really, they load fast anyways.

but IMO one is still better off using "save as" and picking the best JPG level on a pic by pic example rather then the save for web.. Best still being a photo action that dupes and saves a range of versions at different jpg levels, then one scrolls past them in a pic viewer and keeps the one they feel works best for quality vs file size.

 

I'll tag on to this one from experience building Web pages.

Save for Web is great for sigs (450 x 150), because of their small physical size. As the width and height of your image increase (like if you're making a 1024 x 768 or 640 x 480 image), then I suggest DeadLamb's approach. In other words, I'm agreeing with the bold letters above.

 

You have one in imageready called optimize picture (under file options) if you turn 80/100 here its losless from what i can tell. or is this two features the same?