I've been wanting to learn Photoshop for ages - at the moment I'm using CS3 for really simple stuff...basic web site graphics and making photos look a bit better. Every now and then though you see all this amazing PS work and I'd love to know how it's done - I have no idea how most of PS works beyond basic use of layers, cropping and changing colours. Unfortunately most of the books I can find are incredibly basic...mainly based on using it to clean up photos or add effects to photos (sepia tone etc.) wheras I want to learn how to draw (I also have illustrator and have yet to use it...)and create stuff from scratch in PS. Anyone know any good books or sites for that?

What about the Help files, have you looked at those?

What about the Help files, have you looked at those?

 

Amazingly, yeah, and they're good for knowing how to do stuff as in "click this..then go to menu-->option and click this..." but they don't teach you...technique, I guess, in the same way as a tutorial or book does.

I used to like the Computer Arts tutorials. They had a nice balance of telling you what to do as well as why you're doing it. Haven't actually been there in a while, though, so I don't know if they're still good.

I used to like the Computer Arts tutorials. They had a nice balance of telling you what to do as well as why you're doing it. Haven't actually been there in a while, though, so I don't know if they're still good.

 

That site looks pretty good, thanks

Hi PickledBamboo,

 

I usually go to http://www.lynda.com/ and some members here might already know this site. They teach from basic to advance photoshop users and they also offer other tutorials. My favorite instructor is Deke McClelland who is a photoshop guru and has been teaching Photoshop for about 15 years. Try to go for a video tutorial rather than a book. The learning process is faster at least in my opinion. Deke's style is teaching with some sense of humor and fun so you don't get too bored as the training goes along. He is also very diligent with details. The site has an online store and a subscription for you to download the training videos.

 

MacDesign

I totally argree MacDesign Lynda.com offer in my opinion the best video tutorials on the web.

I have the dreamweaver set.

youtube is a great resource as well.

Check out Deke Mcclelland's One on One video tutorials for CS3. He takes you from begginer upway to advanced. His method of using Photoshop is more like opening ready made images and modifying them, not starting from scratch. He says that this is actually the purpose of the program so you'll learn a lot of stuff (+ some hidden nice tricks) from him because he is very good.

 

I'd also recommend Photoshop Top Secret but it's not as good.

youtube is a great resource as well.

 

Yeah I've noticed there is a lot of videos on cs3 on there.

tutorialized.com & psdtuts.com are pretty good.

You need to subscribe to Advanced Photoshop magazine: http://www.imagine-publishing.co.uk/

 

That's how i learned. And also from lynda.com. You should pick it up in no time, as long as you practice, practice and practice. But i am sure you already knew that. I will be more then happy to help you out if you get stuck on anything.

 

- Neil

It really helps if you stay motivated.