Photoshop Course: An Introduction | City, University of London (2024)

Taught by a leading design professional, our Photoshop: An Introduction short course provides a thorough introduction to the highly versatile industry-standard imaging and photo-editing software, Adobe Photoshop CC.

By the end of the Photoshop course you will have completed three projects where you will gain hands-on experience, for example creating collages, preparing artwork for a variety of end uses, and incorporating typography into images, while learning the fundamental principles of design.

Learn how to use Photoshop shortcuts to increase your productivity, and learn best workflow when using Photoshop in conjunction with other industry-standard packages, such as Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.

This short course provides a comprehensive overview of the industry's most flexible photo editing and manipulation software. You will learn not just the fundamentals of Photoshop and digital imaging (such as what is a pixel? what are vectors?) but also how to create your own digital creations.

Please note: you must have your own copy of Photoshop installed to enrol in our online course.

Who is it for?

Photoshop: An introduction is a London-based online course for anyone wanting to learn Photoshop from scratch. Working knowledge of the Windows or Macintosh operating system is required.

Timetable

This practical course takes place over ten weekly evenings.

City Short Courses follow the academic year, delivering courses over three terms. These include:

• Autumn-October
• Spring - January
• Summer - April

Benefits

• Delivered by an industry professional
• Taught in small groups
• Awarded a City, University of London certificate

During the Photoshop course, you will acquire skills and develop your theoretical knowledge of digital design.

You will learn the tools and techniques to empower you to carry on using Photoshop once the course has finished.

Course topics include

• Basic concepts:
  • vector graphics
  • bitmap images
  • pixels
  • image size and resolution
  • colour modes RGB
  • greyscale, CMYK
  • anti-aliasing
  • selecting with lasso
  • using the tool box
  • using the painting tools and using blending modes
  • converting colour modes
  • feathering
  • using palettes
  • saving
  • changing image
  • size and resizing a selection.
• Selection tools:
  • cropping and erasing
  • free transform
  • transform selection
  • feathering and modifying a selection
  • straighten and cropping an image
  • adjusting the tonal range of a image
  • removing a colour cast
  • the sponge and dodge tools
  • unsharp mask filter, saving an image in different formats
  • magnetic lasso
  • polygon lasso
  • colour range command.
• The history palette:
  • cropping an image
  • using filters
  • colour adjustments
  • reading histogram level
  • highlight and shadow
  • colour balance
  • clone tool.
• Transforming an image and transforming a selection;
• Creating a composite image:
  • intro to layers
  • cutting and pasting selections
  • quick mask mode
  • more on selection tools.
• More on layers:
  • colour range
  • cutting and pasting layers
  • scaling a layer
  • filters
  • gradient tool.
• Adjustment layers:
  • layer mask
  • creating snapshot
  • the history brush
  • colourising
  • backgrounds
  • masks.
• Drop shadows:
  • retouching and repairing
  • pattern stamp tool
  • layer effects, typography.
• Curves, actions and batch processing;
• Colourising:
  • screening
  • more on typography
  • info palette
  • using guides.
• Incorporating illustrator files into photoshop images;
• Introduction to the pen tool:
  • basic pen tool techniques
  • paths and converting to a selection.
• Montaging:
  • resizing
  • and using the pen tool as a selection tool using a path
  • masking
  • blurring and effects.
• Using the channel palette:
  • saving a selection
  • using alpha channels layer effects and pattern stamp tool.

By the end of the Photoshop: An introduction short course you will have completed three projects using the methods learnt over the ten-week part time course.

By the end of the short course you will know

• The terminologies used in Photoshop
• Different image types and size and the unique properties of each type
• Using Photoshop tools and filters
• Be able to learn and use various techniques for image correction and enhancement
• Manipulating and combining images, montage and collage, to create new images or create images from scratch
• How to save, import and export different types of images.

You will be awarded an official City, University of London certificate if you attend over 70 per cent of the classes. The course is not formally accredited.

Assessment

Hands-on training is provided using Photoshop CC in practical teaching sessions. Realistic examples are used throughout.

Informal assessment will take place through group discussion, class room activities, and questions and answers sessions as guided by your tutor.

Working knowledge of the Windowsor Macintosh operating system.

English requirements

Applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English.

Handouts will be given in class.

The tutor will recommend books in class.