Learn more about Photoshop & our classes
Created to edit photos, Adobe Photoshop has become the go-to program for many graphic design tasks. As the world has shifted from print to digital, many people have begun to use Photoshop for tasks beyond editing photos. Photoshop is the most popular of Adobe’s programs and a must-have that every graphic designer should learn how to use.
What Does Photoshop Do?
Before learning Photoshop, it’s helpful to know a few essential details about what the program can do. First, Photoshop was designed to edit photos. If you want to remove a blemish, change colors, or alter a photo in any way, Photoshop is your best choice. Photoshop is a raster program, meaning that the images are represented by millions of dots of color called pixels. Television and computers also use raster graphics, which is why Photoshop works well for images with special effects.
Here’s What Adobe Photoshop Is Useful For:
- Editing Photos - As the name suggests, Photoshop is best used for editing photos. Adding filters, colors, and special effects are Photoshop’s greatest strengths.
- Effects, Video Graphics, and Web Banners - To create a GIF or other type of animated photo or for images that will be used on the web, Photoshop is the best program. This also includes web banners that have special effects.
- User Interface Design - Photoshop’s special effects work well for designing an app prototype that will have interactive features. You can export UI files from Photoshop into InVision app to turn them into an interactive prototype.
Should I Learn Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign?
Though Photoshop is a powerful program, there are some cases where another Adobe program might be a better fit. Photoshop is typically used to edit images and artwork with layers, color, animation, or interactivity. If you plan to make additional changes to the photo, resize it, or use it in various sizes, it may be a better idea to use a companion Adobe product.
The following tasks are best suited to Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign.
- Logos - Logos are used in business cards, brochures, on websites and other brand identity products from pens to t-shirts. It’s best to design logos in vector format, which allows the design to stretch and be resized without distorting its appearance.
- Text-heavy designs - Photoshop has limited ability to set text. If you’re designing a presentation or business card with mostly text, it’s best to use a program with text-specific tools.
- Artwork - If you would like to design graphic art to be used on the web and in print in a variety of sizes, it’s best to use a vector-based program. Photoshop’s pixel format is not well-suited for resizable artwork.
What Skills Will I Learn in Photoshop?
If you’re a graphic designer that plans to work with images or retouch photos, there are a variety of helpful skills that you will learn in a Photoshop course, including the following:
- Learn to manage photos and digital assets with Adobe Bridge
- Straighten and crop images
- Adjust and replace the colors in images
- Adjust lightness
- Repair images
- Apply masks and filters to images
- Rearrange layers
- Flatten and compress image files
- Work with masks and channels
- Rearrange and apply gradients to layers
- Automate frequent tasks
Remember, Adobe programs were designed to be used together. If you plan to take Photoshop courses, consider taking Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign to learn all the skills you will need for graphic design.