Fundamentals of Photoshop: Color, Swatches, and Blending (Photoshop IV)

In collaboration with Adobe, we're excited to announce a free 5-class series on Adobe Photoshop CC for Beginners that'll run from March 1 – March 31st 2015. Each week, you’ll create projects in Photoshop and submit your work on Skillshare for feedback from your classmates, pushing your skills even further.

If you complete all project assignments before the final deadline, you’ll be eligible to receive a free voucher to take the Adobe Certified Associate exam in Photoshop (a $95 value). The top student chosen by the class teaching assistants (TAs) will also be awarded 1 free year of Creative Cloud membership. Judging will be based on quality of projects submitted and student participation.

This is the fourth class in the 5-class series.

Important Notice

A trial of Adobe Photoshop CC or Creative Cloud membership will be needed to get the most out of this course. If you’re not a Creative Cloud member we recommend that you download a free 30-day trial of Adobe Photoshop CC when you start the course.

→ Click here to start your 30-day free trial of Adobe Photoshop CC

→ Click here to purchase a Creative Cloud membership

Welcome to the fourth class in this five-part series of Photoshop classes. Throughout this series we'll cover everything you need to know to become a Photoshop pro. Knowing how to use Photoshop is an incredibly useful skill and is commonly used by anyone from photographers to graphic designers and illustrators. It is such a robust program that can be extremely overwhelming. I'll do my best to make you feel comfortable while I teach you the ins and outs.

This series is perfect if you're slightly familiar with yet aren't completely confident in your Photoshop skills. If you have never opened Photoshop and are feeling brave; this class is great for you too! It’s absolutely fine if you’ve never opened Photoshop until now.

Photoshop is such an exciting program as it allows you to produce so many kinds of beautiful things. Anything from beautiful business cards and stationery to websites tailored just for you can be created in Photoshop. The goal of this series is to get you to expert level so that your imagination can go straight to Photoshop’s canvas.

What You'll Learn
In this class (Photoshop IV) we'll study inspiration and learn how to archive that inspiration. We'll save color swatches and add them to our library. I'll show you how to use filters to your advantage and use brushes to take your work to an expert level. Topics covered in this class include:

• Color Options and Windows. We'll get familiarized with Photoshop’s many color features, windows, and settings. I’ll also let you guys in on the difference in color between designing for print and web.

• Color Swatches. We’ll start off by taking an image from the internet and sampling colors. I’ll show you guys how to find color inspiration and then save those colors to your Photoshop swatches. We’ll then study how to save and load swatch libraries so that you can archive beautiful color combinations.

• Blending Modes and Transparency. Blending modes can be very tricky. When used properly, they can create a beautiful effect that only Photoshop can master. I’ll show you guys when to use blending modes and how they can be most effective. We’ll also look at opacity vs transparency and when to use each.

• Filters. Filters are a crazy thing that is unique to Photoshop. When used incorrectly, they can make your work look terrible. However, there is a time and a place for filters. I’ll show you guys which filters you need to know and which to leave behind.

• Brushes. Brushes are such a cool aspect of Photoshop that can create stunning work. Knowing how to use brushes will really take your Photoshop abilities to the next level. I’ll show you how to apply various brushes and load new brushes that you’ve found online. We’ll also take a look at some gorgeous examples of Photoshop art made with brushes.

What You'll Make
At the end of the class you'll design a retro-style poster using color, typography, and the new techniques learned in this class. Take a look above at my retro reproduction to see what type of work you'll be able to complete in this class.

Required Class Supplies
Adobe Photoshop. If you don’t have the program you can download a 30 day free trial here. All class tutorials are recorded on a Mac using Photoshop via Adobe Creative Cloud. You do not need a Mac or the most recent version of Photoshop to follow along. Most of the tools are consistent across all versions of Photoshop. 

Please note: Photoshop Elements is a limited version of Photoshop and is not recommended for this course.

Other Classes in This Series:

• Photoshop I: Getting Started with the Interface
• Photoshop II: Drawing, Layers, Masks, and Selections
• Photoshop III: Typography and the Pen Tool
• Photoshop V: Creating Efficient Workflows, Tips, and Tricks