Photoshop: Launchpad A Ignition sequence started.... Get going in Photoshop by learning the basics from a PS expert.. who's also a real teacher! You won't hear "This is easy" from us! While we love Photoshop, we know that it can be a daunting program, especially when you're just getting started.

We know that you're not paying us to tell you that what you're struggling with is easy. Rather, we take you and your learning seriously, while showing you fun and exciting ways to take off and use the program to do your own projects. Here are some of the topics for this class:

• Installing Photoshop
• Using Workspaces
• Creating and saving a file
• Using some Selection tools
• Using Layers
• Cropping an image
• Creating a colorful graphic with selections, filling, and stroking
• Getting images into your computer
• Making Tonal and Color Corrections
• Painting and erasing using several painting tools of PS
• Fixing Red Eye
• Filtering all or part of a photo for artistic effects
• Making a company letterhead or business card
• Using Type
• Lining up items
• Creating 3D effects
• Adding a Border
• Organizing files with Bridge or File Browser
• Use Grids, Rulers, and Guidelines
• Create a Photo Collage

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with your computer and its operating system
• Have a registered copy of Photoshop in version CS, or CS2.
  Note: You cannot use PS Elements for this class.

Testimonials

xjohn: The step-by-step instructions and the Tips boxes were a must; Photoshop is a HUGE program to play with, and it's easy to get intimidated (or just lost). The instructions were measured so that each layer of intimidation is peeled away at a comfortable rate.

It's brilliant; you show just enough about some of the different features to allow a novice to actually use Photoshop in practical ways, but it's clear there is a ton more to learn. As the entry-level class, you've got it spot on!

Pam: I would like to thank you for the most enjoyable 6 weeks in ages, I will be looking forward to joining you for the next lot of lessons in the spring.

Ina: I found this course both intellectually and creatively stimulating. I was always intimidated by Photoshop, but as I learned what things meant and how to do them, it became less so. It allowed me to sit and think creatively about what I wanted to do for my projects.

Queyh: I found the combination of theory questions and practical exercises to be both intellectually and creatively stimulating. I found that the process of actually doing what was being taught to be of the most benefit. Also being able to view what the other participants were doing added to the learning. I was very happy with how the course is run and how much I have learnt!

Maxine: I thoroughly enjoyed this class.  You put a lot of work and effort into it and it sure paid off for me. I'm looking forward to more.

Janee, John, and Joanne, thank you for all your tips feedback, and encouragement. I always looked forward to reading them.

Jan: Thank you all so much for all your help and advice during this class! I came in not knowing a lot about the computer but now have a greater knowledge of it and Photoshop and its uses.

Jenny: I enjoyed the guidance of the lessons with the flexibility to design. Projects selected were challenging, enjoyable, and produced a gratifying, tangible, end result. I learned something new each lesson.

Celine: Again, thanks for all your and Janee's assistance, guidance and encouragement in these lessons.  I look forward to learning more and continuing to fine tune what I have already experienced so far...

Folke: I got some "expert" books about Photoshop, which give a lot of tips how to do things as the professionals do it, but this course is giving me the Photoshop feeling. I really feel happy about this.

Photoshop will no longer be just software to edit photos, it more and more becomes a part of me, that is doing things that my hands have never been able to create with paper and pencils.

This is just COOOOOOOOOL :)

Tani: I am like a lot of people who don't consider themselves to be artistic, yet I found that I could make something that resembles art! Each lesson had a focus to it, and that helped to reinforce the learning of the tool or tools.

I really enjoyed seeing everyone's homework. Most everyone did a fantastic job on their assignments. I think the atmosphere is very supportive here, and with something like art, that is really important.

This course is a beginner level intro, and I think I learned a lot here. I am so excited to move on to Launchpad B.

Maria: I had a basic grasp of Photoshop, but your class took it many steps further for a more in-depth look at various aspects of the program. I learned so much more...and each time I go back over it, I learn a bit more again.

The teaching was easy-going and laid back. I could finish the assignments on my own time and didn't feel pressure of any kind to get them done quickly.

Thank you Janee! I thought I was going to be intimidated by this class, but you covered everything so well that I was able to follow along very easily. I know I will find all the printouts of the lessons invaluable as I can go back to them for reference. You are a great instructor!

PeterM: I was worried that the course was going to be too easy. I had used Photoshop to manipulate photographs but (amazingly) had not considered it to produce graphics. I can truly say I learned far more than I thought I would from each lesson. 

I very nearly didn’t sign up for Launchpad A as I thought it was going to be too basic.  I’m glad I did because I learned more in these six weeks than I’ve done in a very long time.

CarolV: You have a very clear way of explaining things.   You write very well.   You state objectives and outcomes as a teacher should.

The break at Thanksgiving was helpful.  The worksheets are so clearly written.  The critiques were the best.   Very thorough.   I like that.  Not just “oh, beautiful.” though that is nice.   But both teachers added useful comments.   I want to learn so these are helpful.   Online learning is my only method!

Susanne: Once I got into the messages and read and saw others’ work and the teachers’ comments, I learned a lot from that.  It was good to see what the teachers liked.  Maybe we should hear more about what wasn’t good.(if we can take it).  It would be good in the next session to find out if I have any talent for this : )

Also, I love your sense of humor, Janee.

Photoshop: Launchpad B Ok, you're off and running with Photoshop! You have gained a good foundation with most of the tools and menus. You have a good grip on the concept of "resolution," and you know some ways to correct and improve your photos. You've done some fetching graphics using selections, type, buttons, and borders. And you have caught the bug! You want to learn more about Photoshop!

Photoshop Launchpad B will take you into many new avenues with using Photoshop. And as you’re learning things, you’re going to experience a very high fun factor as we get into some interesting projects!

In this class, you’ll be creating graphics and working with photos. You will play at painting, make a greeting card, create a logo, and work with Brush and Shape Libraries. You'll work with patterns, shapes, and type.

You'll also learn non-destructive methods to correct and selectively correct tones and colors in your photos. You'll learn how to perform "head switches," crop effectively, resize, and sharpen.

Along the way, you’ll create brushes, work with vector graphics, learn how to use Libraries to manage your Photoshop assets, work with patterns, use gradients, and become more facile with many of Photoshop’s shortcuts. This will bring you confidence in working within the Photoshop environment and improve your efficiency!

Here are a few of the topics we'll cover in this class:

• Painting and Erasing
• Making a Greeting Card
• Creating a Custom Brush with Options
• Creating a Pattern
• Using Custom Shapes
• Correcting a photo non-destructively
• Scalable Vector Graphics
• Creating artistic effects with a photo
• Sharpening a photo

Prerequisites:

• Familiarity with your computer's operating system
• Photoshop Launchpad A , a 6-week introduction to PS class, or equivalent experience with Photoshop
• Willingness and ability to work online with other students

Testimonials

nlamia: I love how organized the class is, and that there are instructions available on how to do each part. At the beginning, it would have been overwheming had I not had access to the little tutorials on how to post, upload pictures, etc.

I love how you explain things. You've clearly had experience in making difficult concepts clear. I also think it's brilliant that you ask for points of confusion and for errors found in each lesson.

Jackie: I would like to say thank you for the course which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The course was just right in terms of content and the information was brilliant. I enjoyed the comments made by you, Joanne and John, and saved to disk all the advice that was given to improve my work. ... I really enjoyed every moment of it.... Looking forward to the next course.

Lynell: Photoshop is fun, once a person gets over being scared of it. Thank you, Janee. I've owned it for a while but have become frustrated more times than I can count. YAY for us, I say.

Thank you for presenting this well-thought-out and nicely assembled way to learn Photoshop. I have hope!

What a spiffy certificate!  Thank you.  I've printed it on some cardstock called Stardust, with little flecks of color in it.  It's impressive! 

Photoshop: Launchpad C This class is going to take you even farther into the wonderful world of image-editing with Photoshop!

Photoshop Launchpad C will lead you to a new level of confidence with using Photoshop. Along the way, you're going to be having some serious fun with these projects!

In this class, you’ll correct and retouch some photos, replace backgrounds, and do some special retouching. You'll create an advertising banner, make a mini-movie, and create a piece of real artwork from a photo.

Along the way, you’ll use non-destructive photo-editing techniques, you’ll create brushes, work with more with vector graphics, learn masking, remove unwanted elements from a photo, and learn and use more creative uses of filters. You’ll work more with Libraries to manage your Photoshop assets, use gradients, and become more facile with many of Photoshop’s shortcuts. You're going to leave this class a full-fledged "Intermediate User" -- ready to take on more challenging Photoshop projects with confidence!

Here are a few of the topics we'll cover in this class:

• Retouching a photo with the Healing Tool collection
• Retouching by cloning
• Making Tonal and Saturation Touchups
• Replacing a distracting background
• Replacing a sky
• Using Filters to create unique artistic effects from a photo
• Using Gradients
• Using Type and Vectors to create an ad banner

Prerequisites:

• Familiarity with your computer's operating system
• Photoshop Launchpad A and B OR a 6-week introduction to PS class OR equivalent experience with Photoshop
• Willingness and ability to work online with other students

Testimonials

Blood Orange: Although I've monkeyed around for years with Photoshop, what I was doing was just that, and after a long hard look at myself, I signed up for the lowest level beginner class which covered mostly stuff that I already knew although there were quite a few things that were new to me.

The value of Janee's classes is in the homework, and what she gets you to do by working intensely on only one little thing with each assignment.

Photoshop tricks are clever recipes for doing something. They're not algorithms, but implementations of algorithms. You can collect tricks and have a bagful ready for when you need one. The trouble with tricks is that they contain only the how, but they are missing the why. I'm not saying that careful study of a trick won't reveal its why, but it won't be easy to figure it out.

Janee's classes are not about tricks. They're all about why things work and what they do. She tells you, but you learn when you try things out.

Lynell: Your style of teaching STAYS WITH people, unlike the "click here, command shift click -- watch how smart I am," style!

Gdiebold: I get more out of doing one of your lessons for an hour & interacting on the board than reading a Photoshop book for a week. Reading or watching leaves the majority of stuff out of long term memory. I like the doing because it makes you think, each in their own way that makes sense to them, and makes it “stick”. I have added some of your future classes to my budget….

Tani: I like the format, the pace, the teachers...what more could I ask for?

Elzie: It is with sadness I upload my lesson 6 files. I have so enjoyed this course. As a Photoshop user (by trial and error) for 3 or 4 years now, I cannot believe how many little tricks I've learned that could have saved me so much time. I think my favourite lightbulb moments were discovering Layer Sets and Masks. Oh, and Layer Adjustments! I had been duplicating layers a million times just in case I decided I no longer needed an adjustment or filter I had applied. Then trying to keep the layers organized was often a nightmare.

Anyway... as usual, I had a blast doing my projects this week.
...
I am really happy with the course (which is why I have signed up for another one :) ) I’m sure all my friends and co-workers are sick and tired of hearing me rave on about “this great little online course I found” and the subsequent show-and-tell of all the images and photos I have created.  Many thanks Janee and Joanne!