What is a good way to learn photoshop?

[iSaygoodbye]

What is a good way to learn photoshop? i keep getting told youtube videos, if you say youtube videos can you provide a specific one? cause there are hundreds of youtube tutorials and i dont know which one to start with. I need something that will teach me EVERYTHING. starting at the very beggining. i dont know how to do anything on photoshop. thanks!

 

[jackerin]

Maybe start with the manual, then buy a photoshop book, then start a subscription to a magazine dealing with image manipulation.

Really, saying you want to learn "everything" about photoshop is like saying you want to become fluent in a new language from scratch. You don't get to that point of proficiency just by reading, but by using. Focus first on one thing that you want to do, then search out tutorials for that.

Also, just like there are more than one way to say something, there are also multiple ways to do things in photoshop. You may like some better than others.

 

[js81]

What is a good way to learn photoshop?

Maybe you could take a class at your local college/university? That is, IF you can find a competent teacher. I had one years ago, but he taught version 5.0 or so of the PC version of Photoshop. I'm a bit lost in CS (what I have) and newer, but its coming along.

 

[iSaygoodbye]

Maybe start with the manual, then buy a photoshop book, then start a subscription to a magazine dealing with image manipulation.

Really, saying you want to learn "everything" about photoshop is like saying you want to become fluent in a new language from scratch. You don't get to that point of proficiency just by reading, but by using. Focus first on one thing that you want to do, then search out tutorials for that.

Also, just like there are more than one way to say something, there are also multiple ways to do things in photoshop. You may like some better than others.

Maybe you could take a class at your local college/university? That is, IF you can find a competent teacher. I had one years ago, but he taught version 5.0 or so of the PC version of Photoshop. I'm a bit lost in CS (what I have) and newer, but its coming along.

um. the torrent didnt come with a manual?.im only in the 7th grade so no college courses. I was told to use paint.net as a learning program. anyone think thats a good idea?

 

[velocityg4]

um. the torrent didnt come with a manual?.im only in the 7th grade so no college courses. I was told to use paint.net as a learning program. anyone think thats a good idea?

Then buy it first, as a 6502a I am sure you are well aware the this communities position on torrents for pirated material. If you can not afford it then wait until you can.

David Pogue is supposedly a great source for learning manuals.
Photoshop CS4 the Missing Manual

Until you can afford Photoshop or to get your parents to buy it for you try GIMP. You can also buy an older version of Photoshop for much less, most features do not change much. ie There is nothing wrong with PS 7.0 the first to support OS X I believe.

 

[iSaygoodbye]

yeah i know you most of you guys dont approve of torrents. sorry. my parents arent gonna spen 600$+ on something i might suck at. thats more then i get for christmas most of the time

 

[Schtumple]

I would take the moral high ground, but hell, I started out with a pirated version of photoshop, it's the only way I could justify getting it later on, by actually being somewhat good at it...

So yeah, you're only a kid, next birthday, hunt out photoshop CS3, you're not missing much with CS4, and it'll be quite a bit cheaper, hunt out eBay etc, and get it for your birthday, that way you keep both crowds happy, the "OMG DON'T DOWNLOAD IT" and the "You've gotta be good at PS before we buy it for you" crowd (your parents )

 

[Thomas Harte]

Until you can afford Photoshop or to get your parents to buy it for you try GIMP. You can also buy an older version of Photoshop for much less, most features do not change much. ie There is nothing wrong with PS 7.0 the first to support OS X I believe.

Further to this, you can also save quite a lot of money by getting an old version from eBay and then purchasing an upgrade to the latest version from Adobe. If I recall, anything from CS onwards can upgrade all the way to CS4 in one quick jump. It's not as beneficial as obtaining a license for PageMaker 6 if you want InDesign, but it can really help.

 

[synth3tik]

Def start with the manual. Skimming through this will help fill in some of the blanks. It has been awhile since I looked into photoshop books, but books by Scoot Kelby were the ones I always grabbed. He also is the editor of a magazine called "Layers" that specifically deals with Adobe program on the Mac.

I have been out od the design market for quite some time, but Kelby's stuff should still be around.

 

[iSaygoodbye]

I would take the moral high ground, but hell, I started out with a pirated version of photoshop, it's the only way I could justify getting it later on, by actually being somewhat good at it...

So yeah, you're only a kid, next birthday, hunt out photoshop CS3, you're not missing much with CS4, and it'll be quite a bit cheaper, hunt out eBay etc, and get it for your birthday, that way you keep both crowds happy, the "OMG DON'T DOWNLOAD IT" and the "You've gotta be good at PS before we buy it for you" crowd (your parents )

this birthday ive gotta be hunting for a mac mini. until im amazing at it, i cant justify paying for it

 

[InTheUnion]

I've only recently started to play about with photoshop myself and youtube videos do actually seem to work. You need to know what you want to create and find a video that might help. If you watch watch what the person does then try to replicate it by yourself then you'll hopefully pick up skills find your own way around. Trust me you do feel a sense of accomplishment

that might not teach you EVERYTHING though...

 

[theblueone]

um. the torrent didnt come with a manual?.im only in the 7th grade so no college courses. I was told to use paint.net as a learning program. anyone think thats a good idea?

You're not too young for college courses. There was a very well-behaved 11 year old in my first photography class. He started pretty much from scratch, and, technically speaking, he was the most plugged-in person the whole semester. He was no super genius either. He was just extremely interested. Some things are just easier to learn when you're younger.

 

[synth3tik]

yeah i know you most of you guys dont approve of torrents. sorry. my parents arent gonna spen 600$+ on something i might suck at. thats more then i get for christmas most of the time

Then download Gimp. If you want photoshop and you want to learn it then you'll have to buy it, you can get a student discount, simply put, I am actually kind of pissed that you would steal software then ask for help with it. IF your smart enough to steal it, your smart enough to learn it without help.

The best part about buying software (and in some cases the reason software companies don't mind illegal downloads) is the manual. I remember working at the music store and people would come in and lay down $600 just so they could have the manuls for their pirated software.

 

[Schtumple]

this birthday ive gotta be hunting for a mac mini. until im amazing at it, i cant justify paying for it

Ok well then get gimp as said by other forum members have said, it'll give you all the experience, so when you do get PS you'll already be great at using it

 

[iSaygoodbye]

Then download Gimp. If you want photoshop and you want to learn it then you'll have to buy it, you can get a student discount, simply put, I am actually kind of pissed that you would steal software then ask for help with it. IF your smart enough to steal it, your smart enough to learn it without help.

The best part about buying software (and in some cases the reason software companies don't mind illegal downloads) is the manual. I remember working at the music store and people would come in and lay down $600 just so they could have the manuls for their pirated software.

you dont have to be smart to get stuff for free. not saying im dumb just alot of retards download stuff for free.

 

[sl1200mk2]

I highly suggest Lynda.com and particularly the various series from Chris Orwig. Good stuff indeed.

 

[miles01110]

alot of retards download stuff for free.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Have you google searched "photoshop tutorials" by any chance?

 

[iSaygoodbye]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Have you google searched "photoshop tutorials" by any chance?

i will soon. ive been kinda busy lately

 

[deej999]

designprovideo.com

Look no further than www.designprovideo.com as your one stop resource to learning Photoshop!

Jim Kanter the Photoshop 101 trainer at designprovideo is thorough but keeps the training light and relevant in small bite size chunks, unlike Lynda which can be overwhelming IMO.

Also, you can choose to buy the HD version of the Photoshop 101 tutorial or subscribe.

If you subscribe, you can view all of the online videos there and you get the first month free! Even if you don't subscribe, just registering gives you the first 10% of all titles free to view!
https://www.designprovideo.com/tutorial/photoshopcs4101

They should include these tutorials with Photoshop. So much better than the manual. I can't rave about these guys enough



deej

 

[iSaygoodbye]

Look no further than www.designprovideo.com as your one stop resource to learning Photoshop!

Jim Kanter the Photoshop 101 trainer at designprovideo is thorough but keeps the training light and relevant in small bite size chunks, unlike Lynda which can be overwhelming IMO.

Also, you can choose to buy the HD version of the Photoshop 101 tutorial or subscribe.

If you subscribe, you can view all of the online videos there and you get the first month free! Even if you don't subscribe, just registering gives you the first 10% of all titles free to view!
https://www.designprovideo.com/tutorial/photoshopcs4101

They should include these tutorials with Photoshop. So much better than the manual. I can't rave about these guys enough



deej

i didnt even pay for photoshop. im definetly not going to pay to learn photoshop

 

[Lordedmond]

i didnt even pay for photoshop. im definetly not going to pay to learn photoshop

Tho should no tho don't get owt for nowt

 

[iSaygoodbye]

Tho should no tho don't get owt for nowt

huh?

 

[deej999]

designprovideo

i didnt even pay for photoshop. im definetly not going to pay to learn photoshop

Did you pay for your Mac? Your internet/broadband connection?

.... well, no worries. I'm not going to get all moralistic on you, despite my personal views.

Think of it this way. How much do you value your time? I spent weeks trawling through *free* videos on youtube and the like to learn photoshop, but at the end of the day i wasted a lot of time. That time I could have spent making money.

When i signed up (for free) at www.designprovideo.com I decided I would try out the subscription service for a month (for free - yes, that's right. No fee if i cancel inside the month). The quality of training is so good I am now really confident in PS and able to use the videos I've watched as an online manual. The time I saved by purchasing the subscription (which I carry on because its my choice & I can learn new titles on Flash, Dreamweaver etc being released all the time) means I have time to spend doing other things. That, for me, is good value for money and cheaper than stumbling through PS on my own. There are so many tips I just would not have found out by myself.

My 0.02$

Deej

 

[Melrose]

What is a good way to learn photoshop? i keep getting told youtube videos, if you say youtube videos can you provide a specific one? cause there are hundreds of youtube tutorials and i dont know which one to start with. I need something that will teach me EVERYTHING. starting at the very beggining. i dont know how to do anything on photoshop. thanks!

You will never find a resource to teach you everything. Photoshop is a tool for creative expression, the same as a paintbrush or a pencil is.

If you need to learn how to use Photoshop, you need to start with technique and the app's tools. Find a reference book that will exhaustively teach you the shortcuts, the tools, etc etc (the manual, as mentioned ^^). Then, find tutorials that accomplish a task or create a look or effect you want to use in your own artwork. Keep in mind that nothing can take the place of creativity, so combine tutorials or modify them as you go to create your own artwork.

There's really no point in learning it if you'll only be copying someone else; You really need to spend the time getting familiar with the nuts and bolts of the app. I didn't start getting good with Photoshop until using it became second-nature, the same way I pick up a pen and sketch.

m2c.

Try PSDTuts.com and Abduzeedo.com.

yeah i know you most of you guys dont approve of torrents. sorry. my parents arent gonna spen 600$+ on something i might suck at. thats more then i get for christmas most of the time

I decided to steal a car too. I didn't want to actually pay for a Bimmer just to find out I wouldn't like it..
You really should buy a license for the software.

 

[oli2140]

Look no further than www.designprovideo.com as your one stop resource to learning Photoshop!...I can't rave about these guys enough

When i signed up (for free) at www.designprovideo.com I decided I would try out the subscription service for a month (for free - yes, that's right. No fee if i cancel inside the month).

I don't have a problem with this but from looking at Deej's recent posts I think it's pretty obvious he is affiliated to Designprovideo.com and macprovideo.com