Intro to Photoshop

1. Open a File.

Assuming that you are reworking an image, you'll need to download it to your desktop or a folder.

  • Go to the "File" menu and select "Open" (or press Ctrl+O).
  • Find and select the image on your computer that you wish to edit, and click "Open."
  • The image will open within the Photoshop window.

2. Resize Image.

You can resize images to a certain degree. If you try to make an image larger it will "pixelate" or get fuzzy. You can make an image smaller, but at some point it will begin to distort.

  • Click "Image" across the top horizontal menu bar.
  • Select "Image Size."
  • Make sure "Constrain Proportions" is selected at the bottom of the window (this is the default in PS). CP changes width in proportion to height and vice versa. If the height is changed, the width will be changed at the same ratio.
  • You can change the image size by pixels, percentages, or inches. I usually use pixels so I can match table/page widths.
  • Click "OK" and the image will be resized. If it is not quite the right size, you can go to "Edit," "Undo" and try again.

3. Crop Image.

Often times you will want to cut an image down to one particular part or section. Cropping is the easiest way to do this.

  • Click the "Marquee" tool in the left vertical tool bar. (Rutgers has a nice explanation of the tool bar.)
  • Select the section you wish to keep by placing the cursor at the top left corner and pulling it to the bottom right corner.
  • Once the area is highlighted, Click to "Image" across the top horizontal menu bar.
  • Select "Crop."

    (This procedure can also be done with the "Crop" tool in the left horizontal tool bar.)

4. Erase Text.

If you are reworking an ad, you'll likely want to erase text and add in new text.

  • Click the "Eye Dropper" tool in the left vertical tool bar.
  • Select a background color behind the text you want to cover over by clicking the "Eye Dropper" on the background (the color should show up in the box at the bottom of the vertical tool bar).
  • Click one of the "Brushes" or the "Pencil" in the vertical tool bar.
  • Drag the brush across the text with your mouse to paint over it.

(This procedure can also be done with the "Erase" tool or the "Stamp" tool.)

5. Insert Text.

Once the old text is gone, it is easy to enter new text.

  • Click the "Text" tool on the vertical tool bar (it's the big "T").
  • Click in your image where you'd like to add text.
  • Type in the text you want to add (Photoshop automatically puts your new text in a new layer).
  • You can change the font, style, size, anti-aliasing, and color of your text on the text menu directly below the main Photoshop menu.

6. Create Layer.

If you decide you don't like the text you added, you can simply delete the layer it is on. If you want to paste in another image and move or edit it without altering the original image, you can create a new layer to paste it into.

A layer is literally placing one layer on top of another, all of which can be edited independently and then combined to form a single, flat image. When you first create or open an image, that establishes the "Background" layer. Not all effects work on a background layer, so you may need to create a new one.

  • To create a new layer, click "Layer" from the top horizontal menu bar.
  • Select "New," and then pick "Layer."
  • (Or, skip those steps by clicking Shift+Ctrl+N).
  • In the new window that pops up, click "OK."
  • There should be a dialog box to the right that lists the layers you create.
  • The dialog box will have three tabs: Layers, Channels, and Paths. Select the main "Layers" tab.
  • From here you can delete and edit different layers by selecting a layer and performing an operation.

7. Copy/Paste Image.

Once you have a new layer, it is easy to paste in a new image to cover over or juxtapose to an original image.

  • You can open more than one image at a time in PS. Open the second image you want to copy while keeping the original one open that you want to paste on to.
  • Click the "Marquee" tool in the left vertical tool bar.
  • Select the section you wish to keep by placing the cursor at the top left corner and pulling it to the bottom right corner.
  • Click "Edit" in the top horizontal menu bar, and select "Copy."
  • Click into the original image you want to paste into.
  • Make sure you select the proper layer you want to paste into from the Layer dialog box to the right.
  • Click "Edit" in the top horizontal menu bar, and select "Paste."
  • You should be able to move and edit the new image in relation to the original background layer.

Tutorials/Links


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