Adobe Photoshop CS5 & CS6

Become a Photoshop expert with this engaging online course. Whether you’re a complete beginner or someone who knows your way around the basics of this image editing software, this is the course for you if you want to master all the techniques and tricks the experts use to easily create stunning images.

How Does It Work?

Whether you need to get up to speed on the essentials of Photoshop for work or you want to use it to create professional-standard personal projects, this easy-to-navigate 11 chapter course, led by Photoshop professional Amadou Diallo is the way forward. Amadou uses Photoshop every day in his work and his practical, real-world approach to learning means you’ll pick up all the tips and tricks you’ll actually use, fast. The course is divided into eleven accessible units ranging between 1 and 3 hours for you to access and return to whenever suits you within the 12-month period you’re signed up for

What Will I Learn?

The early chapters are easy to understand, so if you’re a complete beginner you won’t be bamboozled - however if you’ve got a bit more experience, this is your chance to revisit and refresh the skills you already have. The course is especially useful for intermediate users who’ve skipped a version of Photoshop and quickly need to get to grips with the new features and interface enhancements of the latest version.

Key Learning Points

Add an impressive new life skill to your repertoire by becoming a confident beginner-to- intermediate user of Photoshop and discovering all that’s new with the software.

• In Getting Started with Photoshop CS5 or CS6, take an hour to get a good grounding of the basics when it comes to composing an image, using the Mask panel and more.
• Move on to Exploring the Workspace, where you’ll learn to master the tools panel, navigate the image area, use tabbed windows and screen modes and use, expand and customise panels.
• In Using Adobe Bridge, find out how to use folders, find files, create metadata and keywords, create a web photo gallery, create a PDF contact sheet and how to change the Adobe Bridge view.
• Understanding Photoshop Basics takes you through how to combine images, transform combined images, remove backgrounds and stacking layers, refine edges, add text, save Photoshop files, choose a new colour profile and adjust the image size to save as a PDF.
• In Making the Best Selections, Amadou shows you how to take your skills up a notch by guiding you through how to use the Pen, Lasso and Magic Wand tool and more.
• Painting and Retouching gets you going on this important skill. Be careful who you tell though - you’ll soon have all your friends and families sending you their snaps so you can give them a Hollywood smile, and there’s much more to it than a simple click of a mouse!
• In Creating a Good Image you’ll become an adjusting and sharpening whizz.
• Working With Layers gets you to grips with this important aspect of Photoshop. Learn to build and select layers before adding to your layers of knowledge by finding out about stacking order, visibility, masks, cloning, aligning and applying filters to layers and more.
• Just when you thought you knew all you need to know about layers, move on to Doing More With Layers, where you’ll discover more advanced techniques such as adding tints, gradients, text layers and more.
• In the Using Smart Objects unit, Amadou shows you how to open an image and convert a layer to a Smart Object, place and edit a Smart Object and replace the contents of a Smart Object Layer.
• Add the final flourish to your Photoshop skills by getting filter smart and taking advantage of Smart Filters and Vanishing Point.

Advantages of this course

• Our interactive simulations led by Photoshop professional Amadou Diallo, let you experience your learning in a real-world environment.
• Every unit has its own test exercises so you can easily monitor progress and gain experience.
• The handy glossary and search features mean you can easily reference any term.
• New features covered in the course include new UI, the Refine Radius tool, Content-Aware Move, Content-Aware Patch tool, the Mixer Brush, live workspace updates, Mini Bridge, 3D text with Repousse, Puppet Warp, grain and noise reduction in Camera Raw and Paragraph Style and Character Style panels.
• Guarantee the best-looking photos and professional-looking graphics projects.
• Wow your friends and colleagues with your impressive new skill of being a confident Photoshop user.

Take the first step to Photoshop prowess today by signing up to Adobe Photoshop CS5 & CS6 today.

• Units of study

Getting Started with Photoshop CS5 or CS6

• Taking a Look at the Final Project
• Composing an Image
• Using the Mask Panel
• Adding Graphics with the Clone Tool
• Adding an Adjustment Layer
• Adding a Text LayerMaking a 3D Image

Exploring the Workspace

• Exploring the Tools Panel
• Navigating the Image Area
• Using Tabbed Windows and Screen Modes
• Using Panels
• Expanding and Customizing Panels

Using Adobe Bridge

• Working with Adobe Bridge
• Using Folders
• Creating Metadata and Keywords
• Finding Files
• Creating a Web Photo Gallery
• Creating a PDF Contact Sheet
• Changing the Adobe Bridge View

Understanding Photoshop Basics

• Combining Images
• Transforming Combined Images
• Removing Backgrounds and Stacking Layers
• Refining Edges
• Adding Text
• Saving Photoshop Files
• Choosing a New Color Profile
• Adjusting Image Size and Saving as PDF

Making the Best Selections

• Square and Center-Point Selections
• Creating a Layer from a Selection
• Using the Magic Wand Tool
• Using the Lasso and Quick Selection Tools
• Refining Selection Edges
• Saving and Copying Selections
• Using the Pen Tool
• Selecting an Area with the Pen
• Pen Tool Selection Tips

Painting and Retouching

• Selecting Colors
• Painting in Photoshop CS5 or CS6
• Changing Opacity and Applying Color
• Blending Modes and the Eyedropper
• Retouching Images and Repairing Fold Lines
• The History Panel and Healing Brushes
• The Patch Tool and Clone Source Panel
• Cloning from Another Source

Creating a Good Image

• Color Settings and the Histogram
• Making Image Adjustments
• Defining Highlights and Shadows
• Adjusting Midtones and Neutrals
• Sharpening Images

Working with Layers

• Building Layers
• Selecting Layers
• Stacking Order, Visibility, and Masks
• Preserving Transparency
• Creating Compositions
• Creating and Editing Layer Masks
• Cloning and Aligning Layers
• Applying Filters to Layers
• Creating Type Layers
• Layer Styles and Clipping Masks

Doing More with Layers

• Changing Colors with Adjustment Layers
• Refining Adjustment Layers
• Adding Pattern Fill Layers
• Adjusting Black and White
• Adding Tints and Gradients
• Adding Text Layers
• Using Layer Styles
• Saving and Accessing Layer Styles

Using Smart Objects

• Open an image as a Smart Object
• Convert a layer to a Smart Object
• Place and edit a Smart Object
• Replace the contents of a Smart Object layer

Using Filters

• Work with filters and the Filter gallery
• Fade filter effects
• Take advantage of Smart Filters
• Use Vanishing Point

Creating Web and Video Images

• Create Web and video presets
• Save a still image for use on the Web
• Save a still image with transparency for video
• Build animation for Web and video

Working with 3D Objects

• Prepare an image for 3D
• Create a 3D object
• Adjust 3D lighting
• Animate a 3D object