Photoshop, Beyond the Basics: Intro to Layers

In this fast-paced class, we will introduce and explore one of the most fundamental yet powerful features in Photoshop -- Layers, which allow you to edit your images in a nondestructive way, isolate areas of your images for specific adjustments, repair damage, correct & enhance colors, fix problems in composition, and more, all while retaining as much flexibility and editability as possible. We will examine the Photoshop Layers palette, adjustment layers, layer masks, and tricks for organizing complex files. This class assumes a working knowledge of Photoshop basics.

Questions? Email wic1@pobox.upenn.edu or stop by the Vitale Digital Media Lab.

In this workshop you will learn:

• What layers are and why they are useful
• How to use the Layers palette
• How to create, move, reorder, and align/distribute layers
• About layer opacity
• About different types of layers, such as the background, normal layers, and adjustment layers.
• About layer masks
• How to add layer styles

• Download a free 30-day trial (Mac or Win) at http://www.adobe.com/downloads
• Use it for free in the Vitale Digital Media Lab or in the Weigle Information Commons
• Purchase it at a discounted price at the Computer Connection (located in the Penn Bookstore)
• Purchase the much less expensive Adobe Photoshop Elements, at the Computer Connection

The Weigle Information Commons and Vitale Digital Media Lab make several Lynda.com accounts available to our users. Lynda.com provides over 50,000 professional training videos across 750 online courses on varied topics. To use our accounts, you must watch the videos in the WIC or the Digital Media Lab.

Please stop by the Vitale Digital Media Lab or the WIC Desk if you'd like to spend time viewing the videos, and just ask the staff person on duty to log you in. View the list of Photoshop training videos.