Graphic Design and Photoshop Resources
Digital photo editing and graphic design are popular hobbies and are instrumental skills for many different careers within graphic design. For those interested in exploring digital photo editing and graphic design, there are many programs available. Of those programs, Adobe Photoshop is the most popular. Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphic, photo editing program that was first released by Adobe in 1990. It allows the user to edit their digital photographs with multiple tools and plug-ins. Adobe Photoshop also provides multiple effects and supplemental programs, making it extremely useful for graphic designers and creative professionals. Whether you’re a graphic designer, photographer, or a creative person with an interest in graphic design, learning how to use Adobe Photoshop can advance your creative endeavors. Aside from Photoshop, there are also other editing programs out there that serve a similar purpose. These programs include GIMP, Photo Pos Pro, Paint.NET, Pixlr Editor, Adobe Photoshop Express, and many others. Those who are learning to use Photoshop or similar programs independently can benefit from many tutorials and resources available online.
This article provides the rundown on Adobe Photoshop as a whole and describes its purpose. It then goes into more details about each program that has been created to either supplement it or serve another purpose in graphic design.
Photoshop Basics for Beginners
Rather than giving a descriptive background, Adobe’s official website offers an interactive overlook on how to use the basic functions of Photoshop. It describes the most basic functions including copy, paste, zoom, saving your work, and other little details needed firsthand.
Learn Photoshop in Under 25 Minutes
Created by a popular DIY blog, this article provides a more descriptive look into the basics of Photoshop by going into detail about more tools. The basic tools are touched upon, but it then dives into the more entertaining features including painting, blurring, and more.
In contrast to the previous articles, this one caters to graphic designers while still touching upon basic functions. This one is perfect for graphic designers beginning in Photoshop and needing to learn slowly. The content here is centered around image manipulation by cropping and adjusting colors.
Going deep into the details of the Photoshop Toolbar, this article describes each part of it through a visual of the whole toolbar itself. Following an explanation of the toolbar, it then goes into detail of each tool and its primary function.
Rather than being an article describing every Photoshop tool, this one gives a list of the most useful tools that can assist you in your design goals. The best part of this article is that not only does it describe the best tools, but it goes into details on how to use each one with visuals to explain.
How to Capture and Edit Screenshots
Here is a basic explanation of how to capture and edit screenshots in Photoshop. It also briefly touches upon different file types when saving photos to your computer.
Plug-in: On1 Photoshop for Advanced Filters and More
Going into the best plugins, the perfect start is the “ON1 Effects” thanks to its enhancements including advanced filters, textures, and presets.
Plug-in: Fontself for Custom Font Creation
Perfectly created for graphic designers, “Fontself” provides the best tools to create custom fonts and utilize them for different advertising and marketing campaigns as well as personal design work. On the official website, there is a more detailed description of the benefits of its use as well as an overlook on how to use it.
Plug-in: Nik Collect for Enhanced Photo Editing
What separates Nik Collect from other photo effects plugins is its use of “U-Point” technology, allowing for you to have precise control on what you want to edit in your photos. This offers a more direct approach to achieving your precise goals for your project and design.
Plug-in: Luminar for Photo Editing with AI Technology
Differentiating from the other two plugins, Luminar boasts an AI (artificial intelligence) that can help you create and add features to your photos that wouldn’t have existed in the physical context. For example, through this tool, you’re able to manipulate the sky, sun, and anything else in nature to make your photos look more natural while touching upon the environmental aspect.
Adobe Spark for Marketing Your Brand
This article moves on from Photoshop and its plug-ins to another Adobe software program, Adobe Spark. It goes into detail on how Adobe Spark can be used to perfect your brand for marketing purposes. Additionally, the article gives a brief overview of Adobe Spark and its purposeful functions for the marketing field.
Unleashing Your Inner Designer With Adobe Spark
In a more lighthearted tone, the content in this article describes the aspects of Adobe Spark that cater to graphic design and designers. It goes into detail about the different functions of the platform as well as comparing it to other products, highlighting what makes it a leader in the industry.
Creating Social Media Graphics With Adobe Spark
This article slightly touches upon branding with Adobe Spark but is catered towards creating social media posts with the platform. There is a heavier explanation on different templates, color palettes, and other useful tools.
How to Use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
Moving on from Adobe Spark, the next article talks about Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, another Adobe editing program. This is the perfect explanation of a more simplistic program created by Adobe that focuses more strictly on photo editing.
The focus of this article is a brief description of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and an in-depth look into how it’s used and what it can do for you. The best part of the content here is that it explains how to organize your work properly for peace of mind when using it.
Looking into other Adobe programs, here is where you can learn about Photoshop Element and how it compares to another application, Photoshop Creative Cloud. There is more of a focus in this article on Photoshop Element with a brief comparison towards the end. Additionally, the article provides more details on how Photoshop Element can be used for professional photographers and other creative individuals.
What Adobe Illustrator is Used For
Adobe Illustrator is a drawing and illustration tool used by graphic designers to create precise visuals and logos. In the article, it goes into the detail of its purposes and how you can utilize it for graphic design.
Seven Ways Illustrator is Used Today
Although Illustrator is mostly used for professional purposes, it can also be used for entertaining designs that extend beyond logos and graphics. In this article, you’ll learn about seven different ways you can use Illustrator including creating emojis, developing video games, and more.
Illustrator Essentials to Know
Rather than describing Adobe Illustrator, the content here gives more of a tutorial and brief description of the different essentials to know in order to use Illustrator to its fullest capacity. This is the perfect article for beginners and professionals looking to brush up on their skills and better themselves for better work in the program.
Adobe InDesign is another Adobe program that is perfect for graphic design, advertising and marketing campaigns, and general creativity. Reading this article will give you a better look into the program as well as tips on how to use it in combination with other Adobe programs.
Step-by-Step Guide to InDesign for Beginners
Furthering an explanation of InDesign, this piece gives a step by step introduction on how to use it properly. Although it is a guide for beginners, the description goes into more advanced details while making it easy for beginners to learn as well.
Getting Started With Adobe Creative Cloud
This article gets more technical when talking about Adobe Creative Cloud. Rather than get into the details of the program, it touches upon the basics of installing the program and migrating your content to the cloud from other programs.
Adobe Sketch is the perfect program for graphic designers who prefer using their ipads to create their best work. On the article, you’ll find visuals on how the app works as well as useful YouTube videos. Also, it touches upon complimentary apps that add to the user experience.
Turning a Photo Into a Sketch on Adobe Sketch
This article provides a step-by-step tutorial on utilizing Adobe Sketch to create a sketch piece out of a live photo. The tutorial contains great details on different sketch styles available and how to use each one.