Getting things ready

Before we start our lesson we have to get a few things ready . Follow the below steps to open your resource documents , new document, photograph etc...

Step 1: download your resource files

Download the source files from this link : [resources]. This file consists of 4 files : "animalbox.psd","flowerbox.psd",backgroundbox.psd", and "facebox.psd" which have been compressed ( zipped) .These files have a variety of backgrounds , facial parts ,flowers and animals for you to use in your work.: Once you click oneach of the files in the page [resources} , a window will open which prompts you about saving the file. Chose "save" , and the files will be downloaded and saved on your computer. Chose the folder to save your file and remember the path for later use.

Step 2: Open your Photo shop workspace

On the bottom left corner of your computer screen, there is a button named "start" . Click on this button and open the computer menu. Now click on "all Programs" and find " Adobe Photo shop" in the list. Double click on Adobe Photo shops' icon and title. This will open the software workspace for you

Step 3: Import your photos and downloaded documents into your workspace

On the top of photo shop workspace , you will see a menu bar. Click on "file" on this menu bar and then double click"open" in the drop down list. This will open a window to your computer where you can browse your drives and folders and find your saved files. Find "backgroundbox.psd" , "flowerbox.psd" and "animalbox.psd" using the path that you previously recorded. Double click on them and they will open in photo shop work space.Ask the open house guide to Unzip your resource file and to import your photograph for you and adjust the file size.

Start your lessons!

before we start creating your artwork let's spend some time knowing Photo shop application:

Lesson 1: Photo shop workspace and tools

Photo shop application has a work area , menu bar and various tools ,palettes and options that are accessible through the menu bar. In this workshop we will focus only on a few of these such as the work area , layer palette and a few of the tools of toolbox

Lets start by learning about the work area and tool box.

Photo shop's work area consists of all the gray area on the screen ( in PC) and includes the menu bar on the top , the tool box and all the floating palettes that open in it. Every document or file that you open is seen in it's own workspace. These workspaces can be zoomed in and out or float in the workspace area.

Floating document windows : Sometimes you need to see more than one document window in your workspace, in that case you have to make your documents "float" in Photo shop workspace. Having floating documents, enables you to move between windows and cut and paste elements of one in the other.

To create floating documentspaces, go to the upper right hand corner of your workspace and click on the "restore" button. Please note that the "restore" and " minimize" button of each document is right behind photo shops general work area "restore and minimize " button, but in a different color ( see pictures)

restore button

two floating documents

Tool box
The tool box has a selection of different tools that make different actions possible on the images , such as : selecting, pasting, filling colors,transforming, cropping , painting, etc ( see picture below).In this lesson we will learn the function of a few tools within tool box. These include : selection tool, lasso tool, move tool and zoom tool. ( see picture)

Marquee or Selection tool : The marquee tools or selection tools make rectangular, elliptical, single row, and single column selections.

Move tool : The move tool lets you drag a selection or layer to a new location in the image. To move a selection or layer:Move the pointer inside the selection border, and drag the selection to a new position. If you have selected multiple areas, all move as you drag.

Lasso tool : The lasso and polygonal lasso tools let you draw both straight-edged and freehand segments of a selection border.

To use the lasso tool:
1. Select the lasso tool , and select options. (See Setting options for the lasso, polygonal lasso, and magnetic lasso tools.)
2. Drag to draw a freehand selection border. To erase recently drawn segments, hold down the Delete key until you've erased the fastening points for the desired segment.
# To close the selection border, release the mouse without holding down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS).

zoom tool : # Select the zoom tool zoom tool . The pointer becomes a magnifying glass with a plus sign in its center zoom in pointer . Click the area you want to magnify. Each click magnifies the image to the next preset percentage, centering the display around the point you click. When the image has reached its maximum magnification level of 1600%, the magnifying glass appears empty.

To zoom out: Do one of the following:
* Select the zoom tool. Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) to activate the zoom-out tool. The pointer becomes a magnifying glass with a minus sign in its center Zoom out button . Click the center of the area of the image you want to reduce. Each click reduces the view to the previous preset percentage. When the file has reached its maximum reduction level, the magnifying glass appears empty.
* Click the Zoom out button Zoom out button in the options bar to reduce to the previous preset percentage. When the image has reached its maximum reduction level, the command is dimmed.

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