Photoshop: a guide to key tools and techniques

Media Studies involves both print and video work. While Final Cut Pro X is the main software you will use for video editing, for image editing it is Photoshop.

Use the guides below to help you develop your skills with Photoshop, a skill that should come in handy for many other subjects and opportunities outside of school too! There is also a Photoshop iPad app.

After you watch a quick runthrough you will be aiming to create a slightly silly image like this by following the steps in the PowerPoint and summarised below:

10 STEPS TO COMPLETE TODAY'S PRACTICE TASK

1. Create a new folder in My Documents called Media
2. Save the 4 images (below the PowerPoint) into this (just right-click and save link as, and check its saving into the Media folder)
3. Open Photoshop! (Start-All programs-Adobe Cs6-Photoshop or type Photoshop into the Mac finder: the little magnifying glass top right)
4. Set up a new document (File, New), changing (1) the name to Elephant practice; (2) Preset to international (A4 should appear, then the preset will switch to show 'custom'); (3) swapping the width and height settings (W to 297mm, H 210mm); (4) Background contents transparent.
5. SAVE THE DOCUMENT RIGHT AWAY!!! (File, Save As, select your Media folder) IF YOU GET A POP-UP ASKING IF YOU WANT TO KEEP COMPATIBILITY, CLICK OK.
6. Open the 4 images into Photoshop using either the 'MiniBridge' tool or the simpler File-Open. Read 'THINGS THAT TEND TO GO WRONG' (bottom of the post) if you can't see the MiniBridge option...
7. Add these to your Elephant practice document by right-clicking on the layer for each of these in turn; duplicate layer; and select which document to add it to.
8. Resize and reposition the images. Put the Coke ad layer underneath the elephant layers, resized to fill the frame.
9. Have a go with the magic wand and eraser tool to get rid of the background from the simplest image (on the desk). Use the eyeball (click it off) on the Layers toolbox (on the right) to get other layers to disappear! If you feel confident enough, have a go at one or both of the other 2.
10. Save it as a jpg or png file (File-Save As). .

At this point you can either help others, and develop useful transferrable skills, or have a go at the additional tools illustrated in the PowerPoint: opacity, text, filters... 

THE POWERPOINT WITH SCREENSHOTS
You can have this open in your iPad or on the computer.

Please try to check this (or ask a neighbouring student!) before you put your hand up to ask a question that is probably answered in the guide! Check out the 'Things That Tend To Go Wrong' list further down this post; most issues can be solved by looking at this!

Photoshop starter elephant compressed from DB3igs

SAMPLE IMAGES
Save the following 4 images to your Media folder. You will find that the elephant images range from very simple and quick to edit (removing the background) to very complex and time-consuming!

FILM finding Photoshop guides for impressive FX!

You can find very specific guides online to create all sorts of effects and types of text, and this includes lots of guides for film posters generally, and also for particular film styles or FX.

JUSTCREATIVE - THE PROCESS, AND A SAMPLE TEMPLATE TO EXPERIMENT WITH
This designer includes images you can work with to follow his instructions, and he guides you the design process - including drafting, getting audience feedback, and then re-drafting, making it clear what changes were made and why!

You too should be able to picture your final poster as a huge display in public!

VANDELAYDESIGN - 39 SPECIFIC GUIDES
There is a very wide range of step by step tutorials: sci-fi, 80s, 60s, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones ...

Making a convincing action poster is challenging; this guide could help you achieve that!

CLICK READ MORE below TO SEE MORE LINKS AND EXAMPLES