I love teaching people to use Photoshop Elements. It's not a very expensive program, and it can do so much! I use it for photo editing and digital scrapbooking. The more you use PSE, the quicker and easier it becomes. Knowing a few shortcuts can really kick things into high gear. I like to work with my right hand on my mouse, and my left hand on the keyboard, ready to use shortcuts. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. CTRL+Z (Undo) has to be the best part of PSE, hands down. It's so freeing to know that you can undo anything you want. Don't hesitate to play because you can't permanently mess anything up.
2. Knowing the keyboard shortcuts for the tools that get used the most: V=Move, B=Brush, C=Crop, W=Magic Wand, I=Eyedropper, K=Paint Bucket, S=Clone Stamp, M=Marquee, L=Lasso, U=Shape Tool. If a tool shares a spot with another tool (like the shape tool, pressing the key again will move it to the next tool. So, pressing U once gives you the Rectangle Shape tool. Press it again and you have the Rounded Rectangle tool. Again, and you get the Ellipse tool, etc.).
3. ALT+Click on the line between layers in the layers palette instead of CTRL+G for a clipping mask. I like it because you can use it to unclip as well.
4. CTRL+J to copy a layer or a selection,Shift+CTRL+J to cut a selection and paste it onto a new layer.
5. Hold the ALT key while resizing to resize from the center instead of from one side.
6. After applying a style (especially one you have customized), right click on the layer in the layers palette and choose "copy layer". Then, highlight and layers you want the style applied to, right click, and choose "paste style".
7. Hold the Space Bar down to get the "Hand" tool, especially when you are zoomed way in for fine brush work or making a detailed selection. Don't switch tools or zoom out, just hold the Space bar down, move to a new spot, and keep working.
8. Brackets [ and ] to change the size of your brush. And Right+Clicking to get the Brush Palette.
9. To quickly lighten an under exposed photo, make a copy of the photo layer (just drag the photo layer up on top of the New Layer Icon at the top of the Layers Palette and release), and change the Blending Mode to Screen. If it still isn't light enough, make a copy of the copy layer. The Blending Mode will be copied too. You can keep making copies until you get it light enough. Merge all of the layers together when you are done.
10. To quickly darken an over exposed photo, make a copy of the photo layer and change the Blending Mode to Multiply. If it still isn't dark enough, make a copy of the copy layer. You can keep making copies until you get it dark enough. If it's too dark, you can lower the opacity of the copied layer to get the look you want.
I am going to read every single one of these tips ten times each. I have PSE and don't know the first thing about it.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any other suggestions for tutorials, etc?
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Amanda, I teach PSE classes for www.scrapgirls.com. If you are interested in learning to do Digital Scrapbooking, I highly recommend Scrapbooking Secrets Revealed tutorials (http://store.scrapgirls.com/product/11266/Scrapbook-Software-Secrets-Revealed%3A-Photoshop-Elements----Downloadable-version).
ReplyDeleteIf you want to learn photo editing, I would recommend starting with a book by Scott Kelby (something like http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Elements-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321660331/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279654489&sr=1-9, but he's got books for every version of PSE, so get the one that goes with your version).
Thanks for this post...I am always at a loss when I try using Photoshop.
ReplyDeleteI will have to use your list to help me get started.
Currently I use Picnik.com to edit my pictures. It works well and is really fun to play around with, but I'm sure PSE is more professional.
(visiting from Top Ten Tuesdays)