Photoshop 7

This series is designed for beginning and intermediate Photoshop users. This series teaches users about image editing, what's new in version 7, the Photoshop interface, pixels, saving and printing, using the tools, making and modifying selections, layers, creating text effects, filters, color correction, and web graphics.

Syllabus

THE APPLICATION AND ITS ELEMENTS

Provides an overview of the use of the Photoshop 7 interface and new product features.

• The capabilities of Photoshop
• Painting and editing features
• Changes in version 7
• Starting Photoshop
• Using the windows in Windows
• Using the Finder in Macs
• Navigating the menus
• Using the dialog boxes
• Managing the palettes
• Accessing the toolboxes
• Using presets

OPENING AND NAVIGATING IMAGES

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to open images from a variety of sources (including CDs and digital cameras), navigate the File Browser, zoom in and out, as well as manage rulers, grids and guides.

• Opening a non-Photo CD image
• Opening a Kodak Photo CD image
• Opening an image from a digital camera
• Using the new File Browser
• The Image Window
• Moving the screen
• Zooming in and out on your work
• The Navigator palette and screen modes
• Using rulers, guides, and grids

PIXELS, IMAGE SIZES AND COLOR

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to adjust image size, resolution, dimensions, and canvas size. It also covers how to mix channels, set up color management, choose color settings, define colors, and work in greyscale.

• Pixels
• Image size and resolution
• Changing dimensions
• Using the Image Size dialog box
• The Resize Image and Canvas Size commands
• Understanding color
• Mixing channels
• Photoshop color management
• Choosing your color settings
• Foreground and background colors
• Defining colors
• Grayscale

SAVING AND PRINTING

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to save images in a variety of formats (TIFF, JPEG, GIF, EPS, PICT, BMP, PDF, PSD) and print images, contact sheets, picture packages, as well as prepare images for off-set printing.

• Saving Files
• TIFF File Format
• JPEG File Format
• GIF, EPS, PICT, and BMP File Formats
• PDF File Format
• Photoshop Format and Choosing File Formats
• Printing an Image
• Choosing a Printer
• Getting Image and Paper in Sync
• Color Management and Print Dialog
• Printing Contact Sheets and Picture Packages
• CMYK Color Separations
• Creating Spot Color Separations
• Annotations and Exiting

THE PAINT TOOLS

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to work with the Pencil and Brush tools, select brushes and create new brushes, and experiment with Brush modes. It also covers how to create and modify shapes.

• Trying out the painting tools
• Choosing brushes
• Making your own brush
• The new brush options
• Other Brush palette features
• The Options bar
• Experimenting with brush modes
• Drawing basic shapes
• Modifying shapes

MODIFYING IMAGES

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to crop, trim, retouch, smudge, blur, dodge, burn, saturate, and liquify images.

• Using the Crop tool
• Cropping and trimming
• Editing with the retouching tools
• Smudging images
• Using the Blur tool
• Dodging and burning
• The Sponge tool
• Getting rid of red eye
• The Liquify command

CLEANING IMAGES AND UNDOING

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to work with the Dust & Scratches command, Rubber Stamp tool, Healing Brush, and Patch tools when cleaning images. It also covers how to undo and redo past actions using a variety of methods (Undo/Redo command, erasing, reverting, History palette, Erase to History option, History Brush, and Art History Brush).

• Using the Dust & Scratches command
• The Dust & Scratches dialog box
• Using the Clone Stamp tool
• Other Clone Stamp features
• The Healing Brush and Patch tools
• Using the Undo command
• Undo limitations
• Erasing and reverting
• The History palette
• The Erase to History option
• The History Brush
• The Art History Brush

MAKING SELECTIONS

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to create selections and paths with the Lasso, Marquee, Magic Wand, Pen, and Eraser tools. It also covers how to make selections using the Color Range and Extract commands.

• Selection tools
• Throwing lassos
• Exploring lasso options
• Selecting shapes
• The Magic Wand tool
• The Pen tool and paths
• Creating paths with the Pen tool
• Editing paths to perfection
• The Freeform Pen and the paths palette
• Clipping paths
• Selecting with the Color Range command
• The Magic Eraser tool
• The Background Eraser tool
• The Extract command

MODIFYING SELECTIONS AND COLOR FILLING

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to transform selections and paths, as well as move, clone, paint, and fill selections. It also covers how to create gradients and patterns.

• Selection Arithmetic
• Modifying Selections
• Transforming Selections
• Transforming Paths
• Moving and Cloning Selections
• Painting a Selection
• The Paint Bucket and Filling a Selection
• The Fill Command
• The Gradient Tool
• Gradient Options
• Designing a Custom Gradient
• Creating a Simple Pattern
• Using the New Pattern Maker
• The Stroke Command

LAYERS

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to create, move, manipulate, lock, and organize layers. It also covers how to change the opacity of and erase layers, as well as apply and manage layer styles.

• Combining images
• Pasting within a selection and resizing
• Using the Layer palette
• Moving and manipulating layers
• Locking and organizing layers
• Layer opacity and erasing
• Using blend modes
• Layer styles
• Notes about layer styles

ADDING TYPE

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to create and edit point, box, outline, shadowed, and ghosted text. It also covers spell checking, rasterizing text, making shapes and paths from text, and creating type selection outlines.

• The Type tool
• Creating Point and Box text
• Typing text
• The Character and Paragraph palettes
• Warping type
• Editing the Type layer
• Spell checking, Rasterizing, and Converting to Shapes
• Type Selection Outlines
• Creating Outline type
• Adding Drop Shadows
• Ghosted Text

FILTERS AND COLOR CORRECTION

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 to create a variety of effects (such as sharpening and blurring) using filters. It also covers how to use the color correction tools to improve an image.

• Filters
• Simple sharpening filters
• The Unsharp Mask filter
• The blur filters
• Specialized filters
• Color corrections with Auto Levels, Levels, and Variations
• Auto Color and other correctors
• Adjustment layers
• The Levels command
• The Levels histogram
• Boosting color saturation
• Removing color cast

CREATING GRAPHICS FOR THE WEB

Shows users how to use Photoshop 7 and Image Ready to create dynamic graphics for the Web. It also covers the pros and cons of common file formats (PNG, JPEG, GIF, WBMP), creating type and color palettes, and slicing graphics.

• Web Graphics and ImageReady
• PNG and JPEG formats
• GIF format
• The Save For Web command
• GIF save options
• JPEG Save Options and Previewing
• Type and Color Palettes for the Web
• Slice graphics
• Slice options
• Creating a Web Photo Gallery

Qualifications

Qualification: Printable Transcript

On completion of this course you may print a transcript off as evidence of your progression throughout the course.

Requirements for Entry

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

Study Options

If you do not have Internet access, or would prefer to study this course via the traditional paper/postal based study method, you can find more information on the course by clicking on the link below.

Study Hours

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 40 hrs.