Are you new to Photoshop and looking to learn the basics? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get started with Photoshop, from the interface and tools to basic edits and more advanced techniques.
Note: the screenshots used in this tutorial are generated from Photoshop 2022. If you have an older version of Photoshop, you might find the menu layout slighly different. Otherwise, the tools themselves remain largely the same.
There are so many tools in Photoshop – so which ones I should focus on first? We lay out 4x areas, read on:
1. Familiarize Yourself with the Photoshop Interface
The first step to learning Photoshop is to get comfortable with the layout and tools available to you. Take some time to explore the interface and get a feel for where everything is located.
The tools palette is typically located on the left side of the screen, and contains all of the tools you will need to edit and manipulate images.
The layers palette is typically located on the right side of the screen, and is used to manage the different layers of an image.
The options bar is located at the top of the screen, and displays options for the currently selected tool.
2. Learn the Basic Tools
Once you have a feel for the layout of the interface, start learning about the different tools available in Photoshop.
There are many tools to choose from, but some of the most commonly used tools include the selection tools (such as the lasso and magic wand), the painting tools (such as the brush and eraser), and the retouching tools (such as the clone stamp and healing brush).
As you become more familiar with these tools, you can start learning about more advanced tools, such as the pen tool and the gradient tool.
3. Make Basic Adjustments to Images
Now that you have a basic understanding of the interface and the tools available to you, it’s time to start editing and enhancing images.
Begin by learning how to make basic adjustments to the color and exposure of an image. This can be done using the curves and levels adjustments, as well as the hue/saturation and vibrance adjustments.
You can also learn how to crop and resize an image, as well as how to retouch blemishes and other imperfections using the healing brush and clone stamp tools.
4. Explore More Advanced Techniques
As you become more comfortable with the basics of Photoshop, you can start exploring more advanced techniques.
This might include learning how to use layers and masks to make selective edits to an image, or how to use the pen tool to create vector graphics. You can also start learning about more specialized techniques, such as how to create composites or how to retouch and restore old photographs.
There are many resources available for learning Photoshop, including tutorials, books, and online courses. Adobe’s own website is a great place to start, as it offers a wide variety of tutorials and other learning resources. You can also find tutorials and other resources on websites such as YouTube and LinkedIn Learning.
