The main concept behind the image-editing software is that it is actually a skill and not a program and it can take a long time to perfect the skill and become familiar with the array of tools available on the software. Additionally, no idea is even completely 100% original as all ideas come from what we see in the environment and surroundings around us and we take in the images we see on a daily basis and store the ones we like and use them when we need to come up with a visually creative idea. This was demonstrated in Derren Brown's experiment looking at the impact that visual advertising has on society.
There are many tools involved in the image-editing software including the lasoo, move, select and edit tools. These tools essentially allow you to use the software effectively. The lasso tool involves being able to either connect lines using the magnetism tool or draw a circle around the desired area to select. I discovered that you have to have a really steady hand when using this tool and it is also important to remember to double click when you have finished drawing around the desired area in order to select it. Additionally, the select tool looks like an arrow and this tool allows you to select or highlight the desired area. The move tool allows you select a particular image and move it to a different location. I also discovered that when you want to change the size of an image then you go into edit then click transform and then scale and a top tip for doing this is that in order to keep the image in the same proportions you should hold down the shift button to do this.
Photoshop also utilities something called layers which enable you to place image on top of or behind other images. It is important to make sure that you are on the right layer before making any changes. Photoshop layers are essentially like sheets of stacked acetate as you can see through transparent areas of a layer to the layers below which allows you to literally 'layer' the images on top of each other. You have to move a layer to position the content on the layer, like sliding a sheet of acetate in a stack. Additionally, you may also change the opacity of a layer to make content partially transparent which provides the vibes of an indie genre or can allow you to merge the photos together seamlessly.
I discovered that it is always a good idea to draft your ideas on paper before you start using Photoshop as this allows you to mind map your ideas and sketch out your thoughts before spending loads of time making it look precise on the computer. This is especially important in the industry as often people can dislike your ideas and so it is much easier to change them if you have drafted them out on paper rather than if you have spent hours or even days making the idea and image perfect on Photoshop. It also allows you to visually plan your ideas and make easy adaptations and minor changes to your design which can be very difficult to do on Photoshop since there is only 1 undo button and it can only take you back one step.
There are many tips when using Photoshop including many do's and don'ts. One of these is to always hold down the shift key when manipulating the size of an image as this will ensure that you keep the dimensions and the scale the same and this will ultimately ensure that the picture is not contorted or manipulated in a negative way. In addition, another tip when using Photoshop is to plan things on paper first before starting to use the image-editing software as this will ensure that you practically and effectively plan out your ideas and this will ultimately save you time in the future. Another tip when using Photoshop is to try and not be overly creative or experimental with your ideas and just let the ideas flow to you and remember to follow the clear steps and stages to creating something using the program and let your creativity flow and don't force it. Finally, another tip when using Photoshop is to be careful and precise and mean every click and think carefully about what you are trying to do as it is very easy to make a mistake when using this software and due to the fact that there is only one undo button, it can be very difficult to go back to a few stages before you made a decision.
Below is a video that I found on YouTube which provides an introduction to Photoshop for beginners and it goes through all of the stages and top tips that you need to get familiar with this image-editing software. However, it is important to note that Photoshop is a skill and not a program and therefore it takes a lot of time to practice and therefore perfect the techniques.
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