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Tips for Success

Lesson 2 from: Practical Adobe Photoshop Basics

Khara Plicanic

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Lesson Info

2. Tips for Success

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Class Introduction

08:02
2

Tips for Success

05:53
3

How To Undo Mistakes

06:05
4

Adobe Workspace

16:01
5

Using The Brush Tool

03:33
6

Using The Zoom Tool

04:25
7

Adobe Preferences

02:27
8

Correcting Exposure

19:15

Lesson Info

Tips for Success

some tips to help you along the way. You want to keep in mind, but there's no wrong way to do things in front of shop anyway. Um, which is really refreshing. Um, in many ways, I think photo shop is like a nice metaphor for life. I think that could be a whole course on its own. It's own Photoshopped as a metaphor for life because there's not a wrong way to do things. There are multiple ways to do almost anything in photo shop, and some ways are easier, faster or more flexible than others. So the argument could be made that they might be more beneficial ways. But ultimately all that really matters is that you are able to accomplish whatever it is you're doing. So keep that in mind. And, you know, as an instructor, I try to teach. I try to strike a balance between teaching away that is simple and straightforward, but also teaching ways that that give you more flexibility for later. So we'll walk that line as we go, but just no, no wrong way, no wrong answers. It's not like math class. Fle...

xibility tends to be the king in photo shop so along those lines of not there's not one wrong way to do things. There are multiple ways, and usually the way that gives you the most flexibility is usually what you want aimed for, Um, so when we're making adjustments, we want to be making adjustments that we can tweak later. If we need Teoh and I'll be showing you how we do that when we talk about nondestructive editing, the other thing that is helpful. Ah, helpful tip is to remember that this is all an experiment. It's all trial and error, and I think, especially when you're new and you watch a instructor who's teaching some, you know, exercise and, you know, you see them talking about choose this blend mode and this percentage and and this typeface and this color and this, whatever this opacity, all of these settings. It's so easy to to think that the instructor just, like, threw it together and pulled all of those numbers and setting out of a cloud and nailed it. But at least for me, it is not like that. So these little fun exercises that we will dio and in a few minutes and they'll be great and we'll learn something and we'll move on. I spent like ridiculous amounts of time preparing them, and that's the part that you guys at home don't see, which is good, cause I'm usually in my pajama of, and it's like late at night and nobody should be seeing that. But, um, just remember that when you're at home doing your own thing, it will not be so neat and tidy as it isn't. Of course, it will be messy. You will make mistakes, you will try things and they will not work and you will undo them and try something else. So you have to approach it as a as an experimenter, you are trying something new, and it's got a lot of trial and error, so keep that in mind. Hopefully, what I present to you in this course will be nice and tidy, and we won't be having to do too much of that. But that was all done ahead of time. So just keep that. Keep that in mind and also in this course it's really easy, I think, especially in photo shop, especially when you're new to get sucked into the details, and this is True and Photoshopped, but also in photography. I think people like this because it's artsy and creative and fun, and then they get, like, really freaked out by numbers and systems and, like there's a math and science behind this too, right? They are connected. But that's the part that people don't always embrace so much. And it's OK in this class, we're not going to get into all of that. And when you see me choosing blend modes and we talk about, um, different capacity settings for things and all of that, just try to not get caught up in those specifics in those details and try to zoom back your perspective so that you are really seeing the bigger picture. So my goal with this class is to teach you how layers work, what they are, how to use them, how to use blend modes. You don't have to memorize what every blend mode does. I mean, honestly, most the time I have a vague idea of a blood mode that will give me what I want, and then I'm just experimenting. So try to zoom back and have a more zoomed out perspective. I guess that to just really understand the process and how things work and not the specific details quite so much. And I think you'll get more out of it that way. And, of course, again, those keyboard shortcuts there really just a fact of life in photo shop. So sometimes I think people like to think that they can like Photoshopped with one hand and drink their lattes with the other, and you can sometimes. But, uh, most of the time you've got one hand on your keyboard and one hand on a mouse or a pen or something, so it zed dual hand process. So I guess just sort of embraced that people like are used to doing things with file menus and maybe in some other programs. But in photo shop, it's really your keyboard is like, part of the deal. So embraced that. And then lastly, of course, I want to see what you guys make out there. So the best way to find me is probably on instagram. So find me, uh, semi tag me with your stuff. Let me see what you're making. If you follow along and do the projects, um, you take it in a whole other direction I can't wait to see. So show me, especially those of you who are going to be up for the little hidden, hidden picture challenges. I want to know that people are doing it and liking it and and all that. So find me and come say hello.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
Photoshop Resource Guide
Practical Photoshop Basics (PS action file)
Word Art
Course Files

Ratings and Reviews

Kim Williams
 

I tuned into this class hoping to glean what I cold since it was free. I ended up purchasing the class because it is FILLED with so much great information in a fun and easy to understand format. Khara is an amazing instructor - I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Worth EVERY penny. Thank you Creative Live for offering such great material, at even more amazing prices.

smurfy
 

What an unbelievable teacher Khara is. I have wanted to learn photoshop forever but was intimidated, overwhelmed, then I watched this course. OMG I learnt so much, more then I imagined. I am so excited now to start using Photoshop, I can't wait to try out everything she taught us. With the skills we learnt over these two days I think this course provides everything I need to know to feel and more. She was outstanding, the absolute perfect teacher for someone who has never ever used Photoshop. Also great moderation by Kenna. Thank you for this awesome, amazing, wonderful course. I am sure anyone who watches this course will agree it is incredible. I couldn't recommend it more. This course was just Smurfy!

Roz Fruchtman
 

I would highly recommend Khara Plicanic's Practical Adobe Photoshop Basics. The name of the class, implies that the class is for beginners, but that's not exactly true. Most of us learn Photoshop by the features we need to know at any given time. As many will agree, there are a number of ways to get to the same end. I can only speak for myself, but... I would bet that many of us don't know all the strategies that are taught in this class! Check it out, I doubt you'd be disappointed! Khara brings a fun and relatable approach to everything she does. She is very entertaining, while being a superb instructor. Last, but not least... This class brings with it a ton of useful bonuses. Warm Regards, Roz Fruchtman aka @RozSpirations

Student Work

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