Project-based Learning with Photoshop

Course Length: 3 days

Delivery Methods: Available as private class only

Course Overview

If you have a group of five or more people who need to get up to speed on Photoshop quickly, this project-based Photoshop course is what you are looking for. After introducing your team to the Photoshop interface, one of our expert instructors will guide you through multiple real-world Photoshop projects.

The course can be customized to help you get started on a Photoshop project of your own.

Course Benefits

Become familiar with a wide array of Photoshop features.
Gain experience completing real-world projects with Photoshop.
Leave class with a portfolio of Photoshop projects that you build yourself.

Course Outline

Getting to Know the Interface
1. Explore the Photoshop Interface
2. Understanding the Application Frame
3. Explore the Arrangement of Photoshop Panels
4. Customizing the Tools Panel 1
5. Accessing Photoshop Tools
6. Create a Saved Workspace
7. Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus
8. Explore the Photoshop Document Views
9. Summing Up the Photoshop View Options
10. Explore the Arrangement of Multiple Documents
Project 1: New Music Artwork
1. Stage 1: Compositing Images and Artwork
  1. Open and Resize an Image
  2. Crop the Canvas and Place Ruler Guides
  3. Understanding File Saving Preferences
  4. The Crop Tools in Depth
  5. Copy and Paste Selected Pixels
  6. Create a Feathered Selection
  7. Understanding the Lasso Tool Variations
  8. Rasterize a Vector File
  9. Place Files as Smart Object Layers
  10. Working with Embedded and Linked Smart Objects
2. Stage 2: Managing Layers
  1. Name Layers and Layer Groups
  2. Move and Transform a Smart Object Layer
  3. Understanding Smart Guides
  4. Move and Transform Regular Layers
  5. Transform the Background Layer
  6. Navigating the Photoshop File History
3. Stage 3: Creating Complex Selections
  1. Create and Refine a Color-Based Selection
  2. Automatically Selecting and Replacing the Sky
  3. Understanding Channels
  4. Edit Layer Mask Properties
  5. Arrange Layer Position and Stacking Order
  6. Filtering Photoshop Layers
4. Stage 4: Saving Files for Multiple Media
  1. Save a Flattened TIFF File
  2. Reduce the Physical File Size
  3. Save a JPEG File for Digital Media
  4. Project Review
  5. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 2: Car Magazine Cover
1. Stage 1: Enlarging Source Files
  1. Resize and Resample the Existing Source Image
  2. Sharpen the Enlarged Image
  3. Edit the Canvas Size
2. Stage 2: Working with Vector Tools
  1. Use the Freeform Pen Tool
  2. More about Working with the Paths Panel
  3. Understanding Anchor Points and Handles
  4. Add to an Existing Path
  5. Edit Vector Paths
  6. Create a Vector-Based Layer Mask
  7. Drawing with the Curvature Pen Tool
  8. Create a Vector Shape Layer
  9. Understanding On-Screen Controls for Vector Shapes
  10. More about Vector Shape Options
  11. Understanding Vector Path Operations
  12. Clone and Align Layers
  13. Selecting and Modifying Paths
  14. Auto-Select Layers
  15. Create Clipping Masks
3. Stage 3: Applying Styles and Filters
  1. Add Texture to a Shape Layer
  2. Apply Custom Layer Styles
  3. Layer Styles in Depth
  4. Use the Filter Gallery
  5. Duplicate a Layer
  6. Liquify a Layer
  7. More About the Liquify Filter
  8. Use the Eyedropper Tool
  9. Create a Custom Gradient
  10. Create a Gradient Fill Layer
  11. Adjust Blending Mode and Layer Opacity
  12. Distinguishing Photoshop Blending Modes
  13. Finish the Magazine Cover
  14. Sharing Photoshop Files
  15. Print a Composite Proof
  16. Understanding Print Output Options
  17. Project Review
  18. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 3: Museum Image Correction
1. Stage 1: Retouching Damaged Images
  1. Remove Grain with Blur and Sharpen Techniques
  2. Understanding the Noise Filters
  3. Understanding the Blur Filters
  4. Understanding the Shake Reduction Filter
  5. Heal Random Color Spots
  6. Aligning the Healing Source
  7. Clone out Major Damage
  8. The Clone Source Panel in Depth
2. Stage 2: Correcting Lighting Problems
  1. Correct Problems with Brightness/Contrast
  2. Correct Contrast and Tonal Range with Levels
  3. Identifying Shadows and Highlights 80
  4. Correct Lighting Problems with the Exposure Adjustment
  5. Understanding the Gradient Map Adjustment
3. Stage 3: Correcting Color Problems
  1. Understanding Color Terms
  2. Correct Color Cast with the Color Balance Adjustment
  3. Correct Gray Balance with Curves
  4. Adjusting Curves On-Screen
  5. Correct Contrast with Curves
  6. Understanding Curve Display Options
  7. Understanding Automatic Color Correction
  8. Understanding the Match Color Adjustment
4. Stage 4: Preparing Images for Print
  1. Color Management in Theory and Practice
  2. Define Color Settings
  3. Understanding Color Modes
  4. Identify Out-of-Gamut Colors
  5. Adjust Highlight and Shadow Points for Print
  6. Converting Image Color Modes
5. Stage 5: Working with HDR Images
  1. Use Merge to HDR Pro
  2. Converting Images to Grayscale
  3. Understanding the Channel Mixer Adjustment
  4. Project Review
  5. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 4: City Promotion Cards
1. Stage 1: Creating New Files
  1. Create a New Color-Managed File
  2. Control the Background Layer
  3. Control Missing and Mismatched Profiles
2. Stage 2: Manipulating Pixels
  1. Apply Content-Aware Scaling
  2. More About Content-Aware Scaling
  3. Use the Content-Aware Move Tool
  4. Apply a Tilt-Shift Blur Effect
  5. More About the Content-Aware Move Tool
  6. Apply an Iris Blur Effect
  7. More About the Blur Gallery
3. Stage 3: Working with Type
  1. Place and Format Point Type
  2. More About Working with Fonts
  3. The Character Panel in Depth
  4. Use the Move Tool with Type Layers
  5. The Paragraph Panel in Depth
  6. Create Vertically Oriented Type
  7. Create and Control Area Type
  8. Create Paragraph Styles
  9. Load Paragraph Styles from Another File
  10. More About Working with Type
  11. Create a Solid-Color Fill Layer
4. Stage 4: Working in 3D
  1. Create a 3D Postcard
  2. Move an Object in 3D
  3. Create a 3D Sphere
  4. Create Layer Comps
  5. Project Review
  6. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 5: Calendar Cover
1. Stage 1: Managing Missing Fonts
  1. Evaluate Project Requirements
  2. Working with Adobe Fonts
2. Stage 2: Creating Custom Vector Shapes
  1. Create and Warp a Shape Layer
  2. Create Warped Text
3. Stage 3: Creating a Complex Mask
  1. Select the Focus Area
  2. Erase and Paint the Alpha Channel
4. Stage 4: Working with Spot Channels
  1. Define a New Spot Channel
  2. Copy Layer Information to a Spot Channel
  3. Understanding Duotones
  4. Save the File without Spot-Color Information
  5. Working with Adobe CC Libraries
  6. Project Review
  7. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 6: Advertising Samples
1. Stage 1: Cleaning and Adjusting Images
  1. Remove Unwanted Image Elements
  2. Using Content-Aware Fill
  3. Painting Image Correction Tools
  4. Painting Image Exposure and Saturation
  5. Replace Colors in Parts of an Image
  6. Understanding the Selective Color Adjustment
  7. Adjust Hue and Saturation with an Adjustment Layer
  8. Adjust Image Shadows and Highlights
2. Stage 2: Working in Perspective
  1. Transform the Perspective of a Layer
  2. Understanding Free Transform Options
  3. Apply a Perspective Warp
  4. Use the Vanishing Point Filter
  5. Understanding Vanishing Point Controls
  6. Warp the Sample Ad
  7. Apply a Custom Warp
  8. More About Custom Warps
3. Stage 3: Working with Lighting
  1. Apply a Point Light Effect
  2. Apply an Infinite Light Effect
  3. Apply a Spot Light Effect
  4. Understanding the Rendering Filters
  5. Project Review
  6. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 7: House Painting
1. Stage 1: Filling Solid Areas
  1. Import Custom Swatches
  2. Create Fill Shapes
  3. Fill Areas with the Paint Bucket Tool
2. Stage 2: Painting with Brushes
  1. Use Hard Brushes
  2. Use Soft Brushes
  3. Paint Strokes Around Selections
  4. Apply Strokes to Closed Paths
  5. Apply Strokes to Open Paths
  6. Paint Behind Existing Color
  7. Modify Selections to Fill Behind Color
  8. Painting with the Mixer Brush
  9. Create Texture with a Faux Finish Brush
  10. Use Opacity and Blending Modes to Create Shadows
  11. Painting Back in Time
3. Stage 3: Working with Patterns
  1. Define a Pattern from Existing Artwork
  2. Understanding the Pattern Stamp Tool
  3. Erasing Pixels
  4. Save a Custom Pattern
4. Stage 4: Painting Nature
  1. Use a Filter to Create Trees
  2. Change Brush Settings to Paint Random Elements
  3. Understanding the Brush Settings Panel
  4. Create a Brush Preset
  5. Understanding the Tool Presets Panel
  6. Finish the Painting
  7. Export a PDF File for Print
  8. Project Review
  9. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 8: Web Page Design
1. Stage 1: Automating Repetitive Tasks
  1. The Actions Panel in Depth
  2. Save an Action Set
  3. Create a New Action
  4. Batch-Process Files
  5. Inserting Action Stops and Menu Options
2. Stage 2: Editing Layers for Visual Effect
  1. Use Frames to Place Images
  2. Use Puppet Warp to Transform a Layer
3. Stage 3: Generating Web-Ready Assets
  1. Examine a Photoshop Artboard
  2. Generate Image Assets from Layers
  3. More about Adobe Generator
  4. Copy CSS for Text Layers
  5. Creating Image Slices
  6. Copy and Edit Artboard Sizes
  7. Adjust Content for the Alternate Display Size
  8. Project Review
  9. Portfolio Builder Project

Class Materials

Each student will receive a comprehensive set of materials, including course notes and all the class examples.

Request a Private Class

Private Class for your Team
Online or On-location
Customizable
Expert Instructors

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