GETTING STARTED
This tutorial is an introduction to using Adobe Photoshop. Here you will learn how to get started, how to use the interface, and how to modify images with basic editing skills.
- Getting Started
- Interface Layout
- Palettes
- Toolbox
- Selection Tools
- Alteration Tools
- Drawing and Selection Tools
- Assisting Tools
- Color Boxes and Modes
- Basic Image Editing
- Cropping
- Resizing
- Correcting
- Saving
Begin by opening Adobe Photoshop CS6.
On a PC, click Start > Programs > Adobe > Photoshop CS6, or click on the shortcut on the desktop.
On a Mac, click Go > Applications > Adobe Photoshop CS6 > Photoshop CS6 shown in Figure 1, or click the icon in the Dock.
Start >Programs
Adobe Master Collection CS6
Photoshop CS6
Navigation to Photoshop CS6 on a Windows 7
Setting up the document
Setting up your document correctly from the start will make your job much easier as you work through your project. This will require some advanced planning. For example, if your final output will be a brochure, you may need to set up your document to be horizontal and double-sided.
To create a new document, click File > New. This will open the Document Setup dialog box (Figure 2).
Setting up your document correctly from the start will make your job much easier as you work through your project. This will require some advanced planning. For example, if your final output will be a brochure, you may need to set up your document to be horizontal and double-sided.
To create a new document, click File > New. This will open the Document Setup dialog box (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Document Setup dialog box
Here you will be able to name your file, set up the correct page size and orientation for your document. Options include, but are not limited to:
Page Size and Orientation
Change the page size by typing in new values for width and height. Page size represents the final size you want after bleeds or trimming other marks outside the page. In the Preset dropdown menu you can find such common sizes as letter, legal, tabloid, etc. Typing in exact values for Height and Width gives you more control over the size and orientation of your page.
Resolution
Resolution is the number of pixels on a printed area of an image. The higher the resolution, the more pixels there are on the page, the better the quality of the image. However, high resolution increases the size of the file. The standard recommended resolution for printed images is 150-300, for Web images it is 72.
Color Mode
Choose a color mode that will best fit your project. For example, when making a graphic for a web
site, choose RGB. When making an image for print choose CMYK.
Background Contents
Choose the background: white, color or transparent. When you have entered all of your document settings, click Ok.
Opening an image from a disk
If the image you have is saved on a disk or to the computer, select File > Open, and then navigate to the disk drive/file where your image is saved. Choose the image file and click Open. At this point, you may want to save your image under a different name so that you can always have the original to fall back on in case of a mistake. To save your file, select File > Save As and type in the new name of the file in the dialogue box.
Page Size and Orientation
Change the page size by typing in new values for width and height. Page size represents the final size you want after bleeds or trimming other marks outside the page. In the Preset dropdown menu you can find such common sizes as letter, legal, tabloid, etc. Typing in exact values for Height and Width gives you more control over the size and orientation of your page.
Resolution
Resolution is the number of pixels on a printed area of an image. The higher the resolution, the more pixels there are on the page, the better the quality of the image. However, high resolution increases the size of the file. The standard recommended resolution for printed images is 150-300, for Web images it is 72.
Color Mode
Choose a color mode that will best fit your project. For example, when making a graphic for a web
site, choose RGB. When making an image for print choose CMYK.
Background Contents
Choose the background: white, color or transparent. When you have entered all of your document settings, click Ok.
Opening an image from a disk
If the image you have is saved on a disk or to the computer, select File > Open, and then navigate to the disk drive/file where your image is saved. Choose the image file and click Open. At this point, you may want to save your image under a different name so that you can always have the original to fall back on in case of a mistake. To save your file, select File > Save As and type in the new name of the file in the dialogue box.