About this course

About This Class

I learn by doing and I have found a lot of people are the same way.  Having the ability to step through a Photoshop effect and then apply the effect on your own is a proven way to learn faster.

Photoshop has a lot of moving parts and can be very intimidating. Whether you're a Photoshop novice or someone who is just trying to keep up-to-date, these effects are for you. These courses are designed to give you applicable skills to make you more efficient while creating great work you can be proud of.

Photoshop is the industry standard for any graphic designer but you don't have to be a graphic designer to harness the power of Photoshop. With these courses, learn the effects the professionals are creating with a minimal learning curve.  It's not the effects that make a good designer, it's how you creatively apply the effects that will make the difference.

What You'll Learn

You'll learn Photoshop tools and techniques by creating your very own effects.  Through a series of video lessons on techniques such as superpowers, blown away, nitty gritty, big head, and more, we’ll add effects to your tool belt that you can apply anywhere at any time. 

• Layer Management. Learn create, rename and organize your layer pallete.

• Importing Brushes. Using brushes are one thing, knowing how to utilize free resources to not only make you more efficient but more effective is another.
  
  
• Lighting Effects. The cream always rises to the top right? Well lighting effects can mean the difference between good and great.

• Efficiencies. Good things take time. But if you are working as efficiently as possible, they don't have to take that much time. Your time is valuable, learn how to use it wisely.
  
  
• Tool Usage. Proper use of tools is important. So is knowing all the different ins-and-outs of using those tools.

What You'll Make

This series of video lessons will allow you to create effects that you can  such topics as enhancing photographs, adding typography to a composition, creating shapes, applying effects, and exporting for print and web. No matter your intent, work or pleasure, you'll find effects to use day in and day out to create fun and flexible work. 

Some great applications are: 

• Graphic Design
  
  
• Web Design
  
  
• Advertising

• Marketing

• Self Expression
  
  
• Art

Required Class Supplies

• Adobe Photoshop. If you don’t have the program you can download a 30 day free trial here. Tutorials and shortcuts are recorded on a Mac using Photoshop CC. You do not need a Mac or the most recent version of Photoshop (CC) to follow along. Most of the tools are consistent from version to version. 

• Please note: Photoshop Elements is a limited version of Photoshop and is not recommended for this course.
  
  
• Starter Image (attached)
  
  
• Brushes (attached)

What to expect?

This course is not necessarily introductory level. It's focus is on learning Photoshop tools by using them to design and create effects.  While the content and the process is thoroughly explained, if you're looking for more specific information about Photoshop tools or basics, check out Meg Lewis' five Photoshop introductory series.