Let's Take a Tour of Photoshop! | Day 1

Summary

Welcome to '30 Days of Photoshop', a comprehensive tutorial series that guides beginners to mastery in Photoshop. Day 1 introduces the basics, exploring Photoshop's interface, tools, and panels. Learn about the program's advanced features compared to simpler alternatives like Lightroom, and how to use tools for basic editing and advanced tasks. Discover how to customize workspaces, work with layers non-destructively, and utilize menus for file management and advanced controls. Stay tuned for daily lessons covering retouching, compositing, and more.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video introduces the first day of a '30 Days of Photoshop' series aimed at teaching Photoshop skills.
• 🖼️ Photoshop is described as the most advanced and comprehensive photo editing program available.
• 🔧 The video emphasizes the versatility of Photoshop, from basic adjustments to advanced compositing and retouching.
• 📸 Simple edits like changing white balance or exposure can be done in other programs, but Photoshop offers much more.
• 🔑 The tutorial starts with a tour of Photoshop, highlighting the interface and its components like tools, options bar, and palettes.
• 🖥️ The video guides viewers on how to open a sample image and use the fullscreen mode for an uncluttered workspace.
• 🛠️ It explains the purpose of various tools, such as the Move tool, selection tools, crop tool, and Spot Healing Brush tool.
• 🎨 The options bar is highlighted as a place where settings for the currently selected tool can be adjusted.
• 📑 Palettes are introduced as a way to access more information and control over the image, with examples like the Histogram and Character menus.
• 💾 The video touches on the importance of layers in Photoshop, which allow non-destructive editing and the ability to save documents with all layers intact.
• 🔍 The tutorial ends with a teaser for upcoming lessons on advanced techniques like retouching and compositing.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the '30 Days of Photoshop' series?

The main focus of the '30 Days of Photoshop' series is to guide users from beginner to master level in Photoshop, covering topics like compositing, retouching, and more.

Why is Photoshop considered the most advanced and comprehensive photo editing program?

Photoshop is considered the most advanced and comprehensive photo editing program because it allows users to do everything from basic adjustments to advanced compositing and retouching, with no restrictions on creativity.

What is the benefit of using Photoshop over simpler image editing programs for simple edits?

While simpler image editing programs can be used for basic edits like changing white balance or exposure, Photoshop allows for more advanced editing capabilities, providing more control and flexibility.

How can users access the sample images and calendar for the '30 Days of Photoshop' series?

Users can access the sample images and calendar by signing up for the '30 Days of Photoshop' through the provided link on phlearn.com.

What is the purpose of the F4 key in Photoshop as mentioned in the script?

The F4 key in Photoshop is used to toggle the fullscreen mode, allowing users to hide all other panels and see only their image for an uncluttered workspace.

What are some of the basic tools available in Photoshop for editing images?

Some of the basic tools available in Photoshop for editing images include the Move tool, Selection tools, Crop tool, Eyedropper tool, Spot Healing Brush tool, Clone Stamp tool, Brush tool, Gradient tool, and Pen tool.

How does the Options bar in Photoshop relate to the tools selected?

The Options bar in Photoshop changes based on the tool selected, providing different settings and options relevant to the tool being used, such as feathering edges, changing crop ratios, or adjusting brush opacity.

What is the significance of palettes in Photoshop and how can they be customized?

Palettes in Photoshop provide more information and control over the image, and they can be customized by being rearranged, organized, and saved as workspaces for different types of work.

Why are layers considered one of the cornerstones of working in Photoshop?

Layers are considered one of the cornerstones of working in Photoshop because they allow for non-destructive editing, meaning users can turn layers on and off, and save documents with all layers intact for future edits.

What is the role of the Help menu in Photoshop?

The Help menu in Photoshop provides a search function that allows users to quickly find tools, features, and tutorials within the program, enhancing the learning and editing process.

How does the '30 Days of Photoshop' series plan to make users proficient in advanced techniques?

The '30 Days of Photoshop' series plans to make users proficient in advanced techniques by providing daily lessons, covering a wide range of tools and features, and offering keyboard shortcuts to speed up the learning process.

Outlines

00:00

🖼️ Introduction to 30 Days of Photoshop

The video begins with an introduction to a 30-day series on Photoshop, hosted by Aaron Nace from Phlearn. The series aims to guide viewers from beginner to master level in Photoshop, covering topics like compositing, retouching, and more. Aaron emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Photoshop, contrasting it with simpler editing programs like Lightroom. He invites viewers to sign up for the series, download sample images, and follow along with a provided calendar. The first day focuses on a tour of Photoshop, highlighting its advanced features and flexibility compared to other image editing software.

05:01

🛠️ Exploring Photoshop's Tools and Palettes

In this segment, Aaron provides a detailed tour of Photoshop's interface, starting with the tools panel. He explains the functions of various tools, such as the Move tool, selection tools, crop tool, and Spot Healing Brush tool. Aaron also discusses the Options bar, which changes based on the selected tool, allowing for customization of tool behavior. He then moves on to palettes, which offer more information and control over the image. He demonstrates how to access and arrange palettes, save workspaces, and use common palettes like the Histogram, Character, and Paragraph. Aaron also touches on the non-destructive nature of Photoshop, emphasizing the importance of layers and the ability to preserve the original image.

10:03

📚 Navigating Photoshop's Menus and Features

The final paragraph covers the menu system in Photoshop, where advanced controls and file management are accessed. Aaron discusses the Preferences, File, Edit, Image, Layer, and other menus, explaining the functions and options available in each. He highlights the importance of learning keyboard shortcuts for efficiency and mentions the use of layers, layer styles, and layer masks. Aaron also covers the Filter menu, 3D modeling tools, View options, and the Window menu for workspace management. He concludes with the Help menu, which serves as a guide to finding features within Photoshop. The video wraps up with a reminder to sign up for the series and a look forward to the upcoming lessons on advanced techniques in Photoshop.

Keywords

💡Photoshop

Photoshop is a widely used software program for digital image manipulation and editing. It is known for its advanced features and comprehensive toolset, which allows users to perform a wide range of tasks from basic adjustments to complex image compositions. In the context of the video, Photoshop is the central theme as the tutorial series aims to guide users from beginner to master level in using this software, covering topics like compositing, retouching, and more.

💡Compositing

Compositing in Photoshop refers to the process of combining multiple images or elements into a single image. It is an advanced technique that allows for creative manipulation of visual elements. The video mentions compositing as one of the advanced features that can be achieved using Photoshop, showcasing its capability to merge different images and create a cohesive final product.

💡Retouching

Retouching is the process of digitally altering photographs to improve or restore them. This can involve removing blemishes, adjusting colors, or making other aesthetic changes. The video script emphasizes retouching as a key skill that will be taught throughout the 30 days of Photoshop, highlighting its importance in photo editing.

💡Palettes

In Photoshop, palettes are panels that provide additional information and control options for editing images. They can include tools for color adjustments, layer management, and other specialized functions. The script mentions palettes as an integral part of the Photoshop interface, allowing users to customize their workspace and access various editing features.

💡Layers

Layers in Photoshop are a fundamental concept where each layer represents a separate element or part of an image that can be edited individually without affecting the others. The video script discusses layers as a cornerstone of working in Photoshop, emphasizing their importance in non-destructive editing where original images remain unaltered.

💡Non-destructive editing

Non-destructive editing is an approach to image editing where the original image is preserved and any changes are made on separate layers or through adjustments that can be easily undone or modified. The video script promotes non-destructive editing as the best way to use Photoshop, ensuring that users can always revert to the original image or make further adjustments without loss of quality.

💡Tools

Photoshop tools are the basic functions used for editing images, such as the move tool, selection tools, crop tool, and more. The video script provides an overview of various tools available in Photoshop, explaining their basic uses and how they contribute to the overall editing process.

💡Options Bar

The Options Bar in Photoshop is a menu that appears at the top of the workspace and changes based on the selected tool. It provides settings and adjustments specific to the active tool. The script mentions the Options Bar as a place where users can customize the behavior of their selected tools, such as setting the feathering of a selection or the opacity of a brush.

💡Workspaces

Workspaces in Photoshop allow users to save and organize their layout of panels and tools for different tasks or projects. The video script discusses the customization of workspaces, demonstrating how users can arrange their palettes and tools to suit their specific needs, and save these arrangements for future use.

💡Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop are quick key combinations that perform specific actions or open menus, allowing for faster and more efficient editing. The video script emphasizes the importance of learning keyboard shortcuts as a way to speed up the editing process in Photoshop, and mentions that they will be provided throughout the 30-day tutorial series.

Highlights

Introduction to 30 Days of Photoshop series and how it covers everything from basic edits to advanced techniques like compositing and retouching.

Photoshop as the most advanced and comprehensive photo editing program compared to simpler alternatives like Lightroom.

Photoshop allows limitless creativity with features for basic adjustments to advanced compositing and retouching.

Day 1 focuses on a tour of Photoshop, starting with an introduction to the interface, including tools, options, and palettes.

Tools overview, beginning with the move tool, selection tools, crop tool, and Spot Healing Brush for basic edits.

Explanation of advanced editing tools such as the clone stamp, brush tool, gradient tool, and pen tool for more refined adjustments.

The options bar dynamically changes based on the selected tool, allowing customization of tool-specific settings like opacity, brush flow, and crop ratios.

Introduction to palettes like the layers, channels, and paths palette, emphasizing the non-destructive editing power of layers.

Users can rearrange and organize palettes for efficiency, and even save custom workspaces tailored to specific tasks like text or graphics.

A look at the menus in Photoshop, covering file management, image adjustments, selections, layers, filters, and advanced 3D modeling options.

Keyboard shortcuts are a key feature in Photoshop, and the tutorial emphasizes their importance for speeding up the editing process.

Photoshop's help menu is highly effective, allowing users to search for tools or features easily by typing keywords.

Emphasis on non-destructive editing practices, ensuring that edits can be reversed by saving images with layers.

Advanced techniques like layer masks, smart objects, and merging layers will be covered in future episodes.

By the end of the 30-day series, users will be confident with both basic and advanced techniques, such as retouching and compositing.

Transcripts

[Music]

all right welcome to 30 days of

Photoshop today is day 1 and we're

giving you a tour of Photoshop hey there

and welcome to phlearn my name is Aaron

NACE you can find me on phlearn comm

where we make learning fun and welcome

to this special 30 days of Photoshop

Series now if you haven't already done

so be sure to sign up for the 30 days of

Photoshop you can just follow the link

whoop right up there where you can

download the sample images you'll also

get a calendar where you can follow

along descriptions of each of the

individual days and everything that you

need to go from beginner and Photoshop

all the way to master things like

compositing retouching and more so today

is day 1 we're starting off with the

tour of Photoshop and talking about the

benefits of using Photoshop as compared

to other image editing programs so

Photoshop is the most advanced and

comprehensive photo editing program out

there it'll let you do everything from

basic adjustments all the way up to

advanced compositing and retouching and

that's why I love using this program

because there's really no restriction as

to what you can do with your images

however if you're just looking to make

very simple edits maybe changing the

white balance of the exposure of your

photograph there are programs that are

designed to be a little bit more simple

like Lightroom Photoshop actually allows

you to edit images just like you would

in Lightroom but a whole lot more so

there's really no limit on your

creativity when using an advanced photo

editor like Photoshop so we're starting

off with our tour let's jump into

Photoshop so here we are in Photoshop

now the first thing we're gonna do is

open our sample image and you can

actually download the sample image on

phlearn calm just follow the link right

down below so we're gonna go to file and

down to open and then here we're in our

images which you can download and we're

going to go to - or Photoshop jpg we've

got a fluffy looking awesome picture of

a dog and to start off I'm gonna click

on f4 fullscreen that's just gonna hide

everything else so we basically see just

our image so you'll notice we've got

quite a bit going on in the program and

it

looks like there's so much but it's

broken up into a couple of different

panels and understanding what those

panels to makes things a lot simpler so

let's start off with a general overview

of the different areas in Photoshop we

have our tools the options for our tools

and we have our palettes and then at the

very top we have our file menu so let's

get started with our tools which will

allow you to do basic editing in

Photoshop so we start off with our move

tool which will allow you to move layers

around we have a couple of selection

tools that allow you to select certain

areas now once you have an area selected

you'll only be able to edit in that area

and we've got an entire episode on its

selections coming up soon we've got our

crop tool for changing the size of your

image an eyedropper tool for selecting

certain colors we've got tools for

removing objects like our Spot Healing

Brush tool as well as the clone stamp

tool you can paint on your image with

the brush tool you can also add

gradients with the gradient tool you can

dodge and burn here add a blur and even

make advanced selections with the pen

tool you can create shapes with the

shape tool and change it if you like

rotate your canvas and zoom in and out

right here and then on the bottom you've

got your color Pickers where you can

simply click and choose what color you'd

like to edit with your photograph now

throughout the 30 days of Photoshop

we're going to go through all the most

commonly used tools and applications so

don't worry if it seems a little bit

overwhelming right now we're gonna go

through with them one by one so you have

a good idea of what everything does next

we're gonna go ahead and take a look at

our options bar so you'll notice as I

select different tools here on the left

hand side we have different options up

here that correspond to those tools for

instance if I grab a selection tool I

can choose what type of selection I'm

gonna make whether I want to feather

this edge and I can choose the different

style that I'd like for that as well if

I want to crop my image you can see that

I can change the ratio of my crop I can

add straightening and I have some other

options to delete cropped pixels and I

could do a content-aware crop as well

and then things like my brush tool I can

change the opacity the flow of my brush

as well so every different tool that you

choose has different options built into

it and that's right up here in your

options bar next we're moving on to our

palettes

and these give you more information and

control over your photograph

now pallets can be arranged in many

different ways so your version of

Photoshop likely looks a little bit

different from how I've got things

arranged we've got things here to

basically show a great presentation for

tutorials but if there's any time that I

mention something and you don't see it

here you can always go to window and

find any of your pallets right here so

for instance if I go to my histogram

there we go let's go ahead and bring

this up this will bring up the color and

light information in my photograph in

this case we have a spike on the right

hand side telling me that most of my

photograph is pretty light if we had a

spike on the left hand side it would be

saying most of my image is pretty dark

and that makes sense looking at my image

now let's say you don't have histogram

there you could always go to window and

down to histogram and it would go ahead

and open it up for you

now these palettes can be arranged and

organized however you'd like

let's say you're working on a graphic

flyer and you were working with a lot of

text well you might want to go out here

to your character menu which will allow

you to choose your different font faces

here you can choose your different font

weights your sizes and different things

like that maybe you want to pull this

out so you can see it's kind of docked

for me right now I can click here which

is gonna expand this out let's say I

want this to show up all the time I can

go ahead and click on this tab and

simply bring it out we're gonna put this

right over here and I'm gonna do the

same thing with my paragraph there we go

so as I'm using my type tools these are

always going to be there as I move my

image around you can see these are going

to stay there the entire time now I can

combine these together if I'd like by

clicking right here on this little tab

and putting it up here with the other

tab and you can see they're both in the

same menu and if I'd like I can go ahead

and collapse this down and expand it

back out again and of course I can put

it right back where it was the first

time so it's hanging out here with

everything else and everything is

condensed now you can also save

workspaces for different types of work

let's say I do want to have a workspace

just for when I'm making graphics and

text well I can go ahead and click these

out let's go ahead and expand them there

we go

so we have our character menu in our

paragraph menu which I want

to be always visible next I'm gonna go

ahead and save these out by going to

window down to workspace and going to

new workspace and we're just gonna call

this graphics and text now you can

decide what you'd like to actually be

part of this workspace you can save your

keyboard shortcuts your menus and your

toolbar in this case we're just gonna

hit save and this is gonna be my

graphics and text now now I'm gonna go

ahead and put these back and let's say

the next time we want to work on our

graphics and text workspace what we have

to do is go to window down to workspace

and go to graphics and text and take a

look at that they're exactly where we

save them as or I can go back to what we

were before

just aaron tutorial and they're back

right over here and I can go ahead and

nest them together again so you can add

or remove different palettes based on

the type of work that you're doing and

based on what you commonly use in

Photoshop so my suggestion after the 30

days a Photoshop would be to figure out

which of these tools you actually use

frequently and have those visible and

then go ahead and hide everything else

you can always get back to it again just

by going to your window menu so here's

some of the common windows that I tend

to use here we have our history our

property window our histogram and

adjustment layers next we have our

brushes and our brush settings next we

have our characters our paragraph and

some actions as well so you can

rearrange these again at any time you'd

like add or remove them there don't go

away permanently you can always put them

back next we're moving on to some larger

palettes now I have my Navigator palette

here very large the only reason for this

is so I can put a video of me right up

here in the very top corner so you can

see me at all times during these

tutorials when I'm working in Photoshop

generally I have a slightly different

layout if I'm not making a tutorial and

down here we have our layers channels

and paths which are all grouped together

for now we're just gonna talk about

layers which were one of the

cornerstones of working in Photoshop so

our day three of Photoshop is all about

layers we're gonna show you everything

you need to know but between your basic

tools and your layers that's where

you're going to be doing the majority of

your work so for instance

let's go ahead and create a new layer

just click on this little plus icon here

and I'm gonna go ahead and grab my Spot

Healing Brush tool and I want to remove

this little post on the background so

we're just gonna click and drag right

over here on this little post there we

go and let go and you can see it

completely removes it's incredibly easy

to do I will do a little bit more

cleanup and there we go now because that

was on a new layer I can turn this layer

off and on at any time and get that back

if I want to get it back or I can leave

it gone and layers are one of the things

that makes Photoshop so powerful because

you can actually save out a document

with all of your layers and tags so at

any time you can come back and turn

these layers off and on because at no

point are you doing anything destructive

to that original image so throughout

these 30 days not only are you gonna

learn Photoshop but you're gonna learn

the best way to use Photoshop and that's

non-destructively so by now we've gone

over our tools or options and our

different palettes now it's time to go

over our menus so photoshop's menu

system is where we access our more

advanced controls and do our file

management like opening and saving now

just a little note I'm using a Macintosh

computer if you guys are using a PC it

might look a little bit different but

everything is going to be there so we're

gonna start off with our Photoshop

here's where we can go down to our

preferences and things to see things

like our interface or export options and

change our performance options next

we're going to our file menu and here's

all of our file management so things

like opening closing saving and

exporting out in our edit menu we're

gonna see things like undo and redo we

have some more advanced tools here and

we can even go in down down the bottom

and change our keyboard shortcuts which

is very powerful we're gonna be giving

you keyboard shortcuts through these 30

days that's the one way to get fast at

Photoshop is learning your keyboard

shortcuts for every different tool and

feature and you're gonna be surprised at

what you learn by the end of these 30

days because we're putting the keyboard

shortcuts on the screen every time I

mention one next we have our image menu

and here's where you can do things like

Auto tone and color your image you can

change the size of your image and even

do more advanced things like Anna

the measurements and scales of your

image in our layer menu we can add new

layers you can change layer styles

including things like a bevel and emboss

maybe you want to do a pattern overlay

we'll show you how to use things like

layer masks and smart objects and you

can even merge your layers down in the

bottom we have a lot of options for type

and while we start using type in later

tutorials we'll show you how to use many

of these things to enhance the type in

your images our selection menu is just

for selections and again selections

allow you to only edit certain areas of

your photos we've got an entire episode

on selections coming up soon here you

can do things like select all deselect

you can select a color range you can

even just select your subject and you

can even save and load selections as

well in your filter menu you can do

things like blur and sharpen you can

even distort your image and make it look

like a painting some really cool things

or hidden in this menu and we're gonna

show you how to use some of the most

commonly filters throughout this series

Photoshop also includes tools for doing

basic 3d modeling and rendering and

that's all available in your 3d menu

here in your view menu you can do things

like zoom in and out you can show all

types of different features here in

Photoshop and you can add things like

guides or rulers if you need to do a

little bit of measuring in your photos

we've already talked about the window

menu but we'll show you how to arrange

everything so you have multiple images

together you can arrange them here you

can save and load different workspaces

and of course we have all of our

different windows to access different

parts of Photoshop and last but very

much not least we have our help menu

which is very very well done let's say

I'm describing something and you're not

sure where to find it in Photoshop let's

say I'm talking about gradients all you

have to do is type in gradients and all

of a sudden we have all these different

areas where we can add gradients so if

we want to just take a look at our

gradients window we can see that or look

at this there's a layer style called a

gradient overlay and we can take a look

at that as well so if I ever mention

something and you're not sure where it

was or if you think oh man Aaron talked

about gradients in Episode four but I

don't remember where they are simply go

to your help menu type it in and it's

going to

show you exactly where you can find it

within Photoshop so that's our tour of

Photoshop now I know there's a lot going

on but don't worry by the end of these

30 days you're gonna feel very

comfortable using Photoshop and even

confident with advanced techniques like

retouching and compositing thank you so

much for watching don't forget to sign

up for the calendar daily reminders and

your sample images you can follow the

link on your screen or right down below

join us for these 30 days of Photoshop I

can't wait to get started thank you so

much i'll phlearn you later bye everyone

[Music]