Online classes in Photoshop Elements

This class is SELF STUDY. It was originally written as an instructor led class, so you will find references to message boards and posting homework. Self Study courses have no instructor support and you are not required to post any homework. There is no message board, and certificates are not awarded. You will be able to download the whole course and supporting materials all at once and work at your own pace.

Photoshop Special FX

LVS Online Join me for tricks and special effects using Adobe Photoshop! We will talk about layer styles and how to create and save your own styles, and adding Actions to automate the program. We will also learn some tricks for composites and collages, text effects, and more.

Photoshop includes a folder of Goodies on the CD, and some of them are worth your time installing to the program so they are always available. There are some things here that are well worth taking the extra time to copy to the Photoshop folders. We will look at some filters on the CD that are not installed when you install Photoshop 7, CS, CS2, and CS3 by default. These filters will be used in the lessons.

This class does not work with PS CS4 and up.

Prerequisites:

You should have taken the basics Photoshop classes first. You will need web space if you intend to post homework. Homework can be posted to your own site, or students have the option of using the Student Upload Area or free web hosting made available for LVS students. Details are provided in the classroom.

Enrollment:

This class is now in Self-Study. A self-study class is offered for personal studyon your own without an instructor. You can enroll at LVS Online.

Syllabus

Week 1

Installing the extra filters and textures from the CD
Adobe Color Picker vs. the System Color Picker
Clipping Groups, Clipping Masks: You Say To-may-to, I Say To-mah-to
The Eyedropper Tool Trick
Tips and Tricks for Duplicating Images
History Logging
It's Easter and the Eggs are Hidden
Transferring Activation: What to Do if You Get a New Computer
The Scrubby Slider on Steroids
Working with Layer Styles: Adding, Editing, Creating, and Saving Sets
An Introduction to Channels: a Neon Type Effect

Week 2

Fixing Hot Spots
Copy and Pasting into a New Image
The Reselect Command
Restoring Order when Palettes Go Wild
How to Get Reset Buttons in Dialog Boxes
Floating the Options Bar
Collapsing the Options Bar and Toolbox to Make a Bigger Work Area
Working with the Plastic Wrap Filter
Correcting Perspective with the Lens Distortion Filter
Adjustment Layers
Dreamy Porcelain Images
Using the History Palette
Faking Holga Images
Layer Blend Modes

Week 3

Turning Off Font Preview
Saving Custom Workspaces
Some Tricks for Pasting and Dragging and Dropping to Another Image
Work Area too Cluttered?
Grayscale vs. Desaturation
Podcasts: Audio and Video Tutorials for Photoshop
Isolating Highlights and Shadows in an Image
Understanding Levels
Creating Duotone Images
Quick and Easy Sepia Images
Using the Texture Grain FIlter to Create and Paper Texture
Saving Patterns
Making Seamless Tiles
Photos in Type
Glowing Photo Type

Week 4

Adjustment Layers: Keeping Down File Sizes
Fast Copyright and Trademark Symbols
Saving Custom Pattern Sets
Photoshop's Clouds Filter
Using the Fill Dialog
Parchment Paper Fill
Woven Fabric Texture
Stamp Visible
Home on the Range: Cowhide and Pinto Pony Texture
Cowhide or Pinto Photo Frame
Cropping to the Rule of Thirds
Soft Focus Effect

Week 5

Temporary Move Tool
Shape Palette at your Fingertips
Fill Keyboard Shortcuts
Deleting Text when you Make a Mistake
Setting Brush Sizes on the Fly
Changing Foreground Color on the Fly
Making an Instruction Layer
When Tools Attack: Setting Tools to Default Settings
Finding and Marking the Center of an Object and an Image
Reveal All Command
The Trim Command
Adding Notes and Audio Annotations in Photoshop
Quick Grunge Text
3D Transform Filter: Making a Photo Cube and a Sphere
Robot Man!

Week 6

Resize Pasted Images Automatically
More Image than Window?
Modifying Selections Using Quick Mask
Rounded Rectangle Trick
Make a New Layer Go Down Under
Quick Mask: for Selections, Edges, and Vignettes
Layer Masks: Effects, Painted Photo Edges, and Vignettes
Blending Photos
Painted Edgings with a Reverse Mask
Vector Masks
Double Stroke Style
Comic Style Background
Drawing Outside the Box: Out of Bounds Images

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If you aren't sure what an online class is, read What are Online Classes?

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Disclaimer

All designs and images on these pages are copyrighted to me, Sara Froehlich and Northlite Designs, or in the cases of software boxes and logos, their respective copyright holders. If you want to use something of mine you see, please contact me for permission. Thank you!