Photoshop ACA Jumpstart: Zero to Hero

Before taking this course, you should have a basic understanding of your computers operating system. For example,you should know how to launch an application, create and save files, and copy files from CD and other media.

• Enhance an image by removing colour cast
• Compensate for flash lightning and red eyes
• Increase/Decrease the contrast and brightness of your artwork
• Create simple compositions by blending images together or selecting only parts of an image
• Use colour in Photoshop effectively
• Create type and produce simple adverts
• Output an artwork for web
• Produce advanced face retouching & manipulation techniques
• Use colour in Photoshop effectively
• Maximise the potential of Photoshop Brush engines
• Work with advanced compositions
• You will also be prepared for and take the Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) exams in Photoshop. Get recognised for the skills you’ve just gained: Get Certified!*

Managing the Adobe Photoshop Environment

• Exploring default Workspace & Bridge
• Introduction to the Toolbar
• Palette management & Screen real estate
• History Palette & Undoing Actions
• Navigation shortcuts

Working with Selections

• Creating Selections using Magic Wand
• Adjusting Selections
• Quick Selection and Lasso tools
• Combining Selection tools for complex objects
• Saving and Reloading a Selection

Enhancing an Image

• Using Levels and Curves
• Compensate for flash with Shadow & Highlight
• Variations to quickly decide about a colour cast
• Hue & Saturation controls
• Blurring and sharpening using Filters

Painting and Retouching Images

• Digital darkroom techniques
• Clone Stamp and Heal tools
• Creating, saving and loading custom colours
• Painting with Paintbrush, Pencil or Paint Bucket tool
• Introduction to Gradients and painting with Gradients
• Working with Quick Mask mode & Layer Masks

Working with Layers

• Importing images, Layers and Selections
• Transforming Layer Objects & using the Smart Objects
• Starting to build layered compositions
• Applying Transparency
• Basic Blending Modes
• Other goodies as Text Layers, Adjustment Layers and Layer Styles

Outputting your artwork

• Colour modes, Resolution and Image Size
• Cropping an image Vs Extending the Canvas
• File formats & optimizing artwork for Web

Managing the Adobe Photoshop Environment

• Working with Tool Presets
• Using Layer Comps for layouts
• Exploring default Preferences
• Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts
• Camera Raw files functionality
• Colour management
• Actions, Droplets & Batch processing

Advanced Image Adjustments

• Face Retouch & Manipulation
• Sharpening with Lab Mode
• Greyscale with Black & White Conversion
• Advanced effects with Gradient map
• Photo Filters
• Creating Panoramic images with Photomerge
• Affect Perspective using Vanishing Point

Advanced Painting & Retouching

• Exploring the Brush Engine and creating custom Brushes
• Working with Patterns
• Using Smart Filters
• Liquify Techniques
• Lighting effects and 3D Textures

Advanced Layer Compositions

• Replace colour & Colour Range vs Extract
• Selecting Pixels using Paths
• Advanced Masking with Calculations
• Advanced use of Blending Modes
• Knockouts and Clipping Masks
• Type on a Path

Advanced Outputting features

• Animated bitmaps
• Combining Photoshop and Illustrator
• Creating Multi Package
• Getting It Right In Print

Adobe Certification Prep and ACA Exam day

• Take Practice exam
• Work through exam preparation sheet
• Any other questions?
• Photoshop ACA Exam
• Pass or fail?