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OverviewAdobe Photoshop is the most widely used professional photo manipulation tool. For many years it has been distributed by the California company Adobe, but it was originally developed by Ann Arbor native Thomas Knoll, graduate of the University of Michigan and son of a University of Michigan physics professor and a Washtenaw Community College nursing instructor (Gladys Knoll, recently retired).
Over the years, Photoshop has grown in its capabilities to the point that it is almost impossible to learn all of its features before a new version is released. In spite of this wealth of features, it has a consistent and powerful interface, making it possible to pick up its basic operations fairly quickly, and extend your knowledge as you need to by using the built-in help features and the many on-line and print publications that give tips and techniques to use with Photoshop.
In this exercise, we'll begin the process by opening a file, exploring some of the basic tools, and making use of the built-in help resources.
Opening an Image in Photoshop Run Photoshop
Look at the Photoshop window and its parts. Locate:
- Menu bar (top)
- Tool pad (usually left side)
- Status indicators (bottom)
- Other pads (may or may not appear at first; can be anywhere, but usually start on the right)
- Work area (large, dark gray space in the center)
Use the File menu's Open command
By default, Photoshop shows its Samples directory when you go to open a file. A fun one to work with is the file "CMYK balloons.tif". Double-click to open it.
Using Photoshop Help ResourcesPhotoshop has several help resources:
- Pop-ups: these little yellow tags appear when you hold your mouse for a second or two over an icon or button. They give a very brief clue as to when something is. Try it by making your mouse pointer hover over a tool on the Tool Pad.
- Help menu: by selecting Help Topics from the Help menu, you get a standard (Windows or Mac) help document, with interactive features such as context sensitivity and hypertext. Try it: find the Quick Reference section.
Viewing an ImageIn the Quick Reference section of Photoshop Help, locate the section that refers to viewing, and answer the following questions. Verify that you understand the instructors by trying them on the image.
- Which tool is used to magnify an image (zoom in)?
- When using the magnifying tool, how can you de-magnify the image (zoom out)?
- What keyboard shortcuts are used to zoom in and out?
- What does the hand tool do?
- What key do you use to move the the upper left corner of an image? ...to the lower right corner?
The Tool Pad The tool pad allows you to change the function of the cursor, like picking up a different tool to perform different artistic functions. Knowing the general purpose of each tool is the first step in using Photoshop effectively.
Identifying tools
Use Photoshop's help resources to identify each of the tools on the tool pad. Click on this link and print out the document. Fill in your name and section, and write the name of each tool in the apropriate blank.
Getting to Hidden Tools
In addition to the tools immediately available on the tool pad, there are a number of others hidden "underneath" related tools. For example, in the upper left corner of the tool pad is the marquee tool. A number of similar tools are available - a circular marquee, a cropping tool, and others. Find out how to get to them; then click this link to print out a second document. As with the first, put your name and section on this page, and fill in the identification of each hidden tool.
Selecting, Copying and PastingNow that you have some idea what the tools do, let's use a couple of them.
- Use the rectangular marquee tool to select an area that includes two of the smaller balloons near the top of the picture.
- Using the Edit menu (or keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C), copy the area you've selected.
- Using the File menu, create a new window.
- Accept the values suggested in the New dialog box by clicking OK.
- Paste the copied selection into the new window
- Use the Text tool and type your name somewhere in the picture
- If necessary, use the Move tool to move your name so it shows in the window.
- Save the image on your own disk.
- Print a copy of the image to turn in with the assignment. (Black-and-white is OK.)
Click back in the original Balloons image. Get out the oval marquee tool and repeat the process with an oval section showing one of the larger balloons. Again, create a new image, put your name on it, save it and print it.
What to Turn InTo complete this exericse, you'll need to turn in these 4 papers:
- Identification of tools showing on the tool pad
- Identification of hidden tools
- Rectangular balloon picture
- Oval balloom picture
Your name should be on each of the four pages - written by hand on the first two, and printed as part of the two balloon pictures.
Audience: This is for people who know how to use computers,
and want to begin learning to use Adobe Photoshop.
Objectives: When you successfully complete
this lesson, you will be able to...
About this document...
Module d11h: This document is part
of a modular instruction series in computer technology. For more information,
see the overview
or the list of modules in this series, D: Desktop Publishing
and Computer Graphics. This document has been used in the following classes:
INP 143