Fun With Photoshop

Before Your First Day of Fun with Photoshop

Welcome to Fun with Photoshop!

We are going to have a great year learning how to edit photos, create fun designs, combine images, add special effects, and explore all the creative things we can do with Adobe Photoshop!

To make sure you are ready to create on the very first day, please complete the following steps before class.

1. Bring a Laptop

Students will need a laptop for class each week.

Before the first day, please make sure:

✓ Your laptop is working properly
✓ You know the password to log into your computer
✓ Your laptop is fully charged
✓ You have enough storage space for Photoshop and your projects
✓ You bring your laptop charger to every class

2. Sign Up for Adobe Creative Cloud Pro

Students will need access to Adobe Creative Cloud Pro so they can use Photoshop throughout the school year.

Creative Cloud Pro

Regular Price: $69.99/month

STUDENT Promotional Price: $19.99/month for the first year with an annual plan billed monthly.

The Creative Cloud Pro plan includes Photoshop along with 20+ other Adobe Creative Cloud applications.

3. Install Adobe Creative Cloud

After signing up for Creative Cloud Pro:

  1. Download the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop App.
  2. Install it on the laptop the student will bring to class.
  3. Sign in using the Adobe account connected to the subscription.

Please make sure the student knows the email address and password for their Adobe account.

4. Install Adobe Photoshop

Open the Creative Cloud Desktop App.

Find Adobe Photoshop and select Install.

Photoshop is a large program and may take some time to download, so please do not wait until the first day of class to install it.

Once Photoshop is installed:

✓ Open Photoshop
✓ Make sure it loads correctly
✓ Make sure you are signed into your Adobe account

Photoshop should be completely installed and working BEFORE our first class.

5. Bring a Computer Mouse

A computer mouse is strongly recommended for Fun with Photoshop.

Students will be selecting objects, moving images, drawing, resizing, erasing, and working with many small details.

These activities are much easier with a mouse than with a laptop trackpad.

If you have a mouse, please bring it to class each week.

6. Create Your Photoshop Class Folder

On your laptop, create a folder called:

Fun with Photoshop

This is where you will save your class projects, photos, and completed designs throughout the year.

First-Day Checklist

Before coming to class, make sure you have:

✓ Laptop
✓ Laptop charger
✓ Computer mouse, strongly recommended
✓ Adobe Creative Cloud Pro subscription
✓ Creative Cloud Desktop App installed
✓ Adobe Photoshop installed
✓ Photoshop opened and tested
✓ Adobe login email and password
✓ Fun with Photoshop folder created

You Don't Need Photoshop Experience!

Don't worry if you have never used Photoshop before.

That's what this class is for!

We will learn Photoshop together, step by step. Come ready to experiment, be creative, make mistakes, learn new skills, and have fun!

The most important thing is to arrive on the first day with Photoshop already installed and ready to use.

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Photoshop Help!

How to Save Your Work (VERY Important)
  • Always save your file as you work
  • Use File → Save As the first time
  • Name your file clearly: YourName_ProjectName
  • Example: Kaelah_Design
File Types to Know:
  • .PSD (Photoshop file) → keeps layers (editable)
  • .AI (Illustrator file) → keeps vector work (editable)
  • .JPG → small file size, good for sharing
  • .PNG → high quality, supports transparent background

Tip: Always keep your original file (.PSD or .AI) before exporting!

How to Export Your Design
  • Go to File → Export → Export As
  • Choose PNG or JPG
  • Use PNG if you want better quality or transparency
Save Often
  • Press Ctrl + S (Windows) or Command + S (Mac)
  • Get in the habit of saving every few minutes
Keep Your Files Organized
  • Create a folder for this class called photoshop class

This will save you time and stress later

Layers Are Your Best Friend
  • Always check your Layers Panel
  • Name your layers (ex: “text”, “background”, “image”)
  • This helps you stay organized and edit easily
Undo Is Your Safety Net
  • Press Ctrl + Z (Windows) or Command + Z (Mac)
  • Made a mistake? No problem. Just undo it
Zoom In and Out
  • Zoom in to fix details
  • Zoom out to see the whole design

Shortcuts:

  • Ctrl + + (zoom in)
  • Ctrl + - (zoom out)