Objective:
Learn how to navigate the Photoshop home screen, workspace, and essential tools like the Discover Panel, Toolbar, Options Bar, and more.
- Home Screen Overview
When you first launch Photoshop, you’ll see the Home Screen. This is your central hub for opening recent files, creating new documents, or accessing helpful tutorials.
- Recent Files: Located in the center of the Home Screen, this section shows thumbnails of recently opened files for easy access.
- Create New: Click this button to start a new project. You can select from preset document sizes or create a custom one.
- Open: This allows you to browse your computer for files to open in Photoshop.
- Learn & Discover: On the left panel, you’ll find helpful tutorials and links to resources that can guide you in mastering Photoshop tools.
- Understanding the Workspace
Once you’ve opened or created a document, you’ll be in the Workspace. The Workspace in Photoshop is flexible and customizable, allowing you to arrange panels and tools in a way that works best for you.
- Document Window: The main area where your image or design is displayed.
- Panels: These are located on the right-hand side of your screen by default. Common panels include Layers, Properties, and Adjustments. You can show or hide panels via Window > Panel Name.
- Menu Bar: At the top, the menu bar contains dropdown menus like File, Edit, Image, Layer, and more.
- Photoshop Search with the Discover Panel
Photoshop’s Discover Panel makes it easy to search for tools, features, and tutorials directly in the application.
- Open the Discover Panel: Press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Command + F (Mac) to open the search bar. Alternatively, find it in the upper-right corner of the workspace.
- Search Anything: Type the name of the tool, feature, or topic you need help with. Photoshop will offer results, including tutorials, tool options, and suggestions.
- Toolbar & Options Bar
Photoshop’s Toolbar is located on the left side of the workspace and contains all the tools you’ll use to create and edit your designs.
- Common Tools:
- Move Tool: For moving layers and selections.
- Brush Tool: For painting.
- Selection Tools: For making selections like the Lasso and Marquee tools.
- Crop Tool: For cropping images.
- Type Tool: For adding text.
The Options Bar is context-sensitive, located right below the Menu Bar. It changes based on the tool you’re using, providing options for modifying that tool’s settings.
- Dock and Undock Panels
Photoshop’s Panels can be docked (grouped together) or undocked (floating individually), giving you flexibility in how you arrange your workspace.
- Docking Panels: To dock a panel, drag it by its tab and move it to the desired location in the panel area until you see a blue line indicating where it will be placed.
- Undocking Panels: To undock a panel, drag it out of its dock. You can also resize or move floating panels to suit your workflow.
- Resetting Workspace: If your panels get disorganized, go to Window > Workspace > Reset [Workspace Name] to restore the default layout.
- Place Embedded
The Place Embedded feature allows you to insert images or graphics into your current document while keeping them as linked, editable layers.
- How to Use Place Embedded:
- Go to File > Place Embedded.
- Choose the image you want to embed.
- The image will be inserted as a Smart Object, meaning you can resize it without losing quality.
- Resize with Free Transform
The Free Transform tool allows you to scale, rotate, and move objects or images in your document.
- How to Access Free Transform:
- Select the layer or object.
- Go to Edit > Free Transform or press Ctrl + T (Windows) or Command + T (Mac).
- Drag the corners or edges to resize, or rotate the image by hovering near the corners until you see a curved arrow.
- Straighten Tool
The Straighten Tool is available within the Crop Tool and is used to straighten crooked images.
- How to Straighten an Image:
- Select the Crop Tool from the Toolbar.
- In the Options Bar, click on the Straighten button.
- Draw a line along a horizon or other feature that should be horizontal or vertical. Photoshop will automatically rotate the image to straighten it.
- Adjustment Tools – Non-Destructive Editing
Photoshop offers non-destructive editing through Adjustment Layers, meaning changes can be made without permanently altering the image.
- Common Adjustment Tools:
- Brightness/Contrast
- Levels
- Curves
- Hue/Saturation
To add an Adjustment Layer, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer and select the adjustment you need. These layers sit above the image layer and can be edited or removed anytime.
- Patch Tool
The Patch Tool is used for retouching images, allowing you to remove unwanted areas by replacing them with nearby content.
- How to Use the Patch Tool:
- Select the Patch Tool from the Toolbar.
- Draw a selection around the area you want to fix.
- Drag the selection to another part of the image. Photoshop will use this area to blend over the selected section.
- Saving Files
When you’ve completed your work, you’ll want to save your project.
- How to Save:
- Go to File > Save As.
- Choose the format you need, such as PSD (for retaining layers) or JPEG (for a flattened image).
- Name your file and select the location to save.
Final Tips:
- Explore Panels: Learn the different panels, such as Layers, Properties, and History, to speed up your workflow.
- Customize Your Workspace: Don’t hesitate to customize the layout by dragging, docking, or collapsing panels to fit your needs.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Learn keyboard shortcuts to increase your efficiency in Photoshop.