Getting Started in Photoshop: Introduction to Layers

Photoshop is a very powerful program.  It is not as easy as most other programs you're used to working in.  For example, if you click around enough in PowerPoint or Pixie, you can usually figure out how to do what you want to do.  Photoshop, on the other hand, is WAY more complicated.  It's not so easy to jump in and start playing, even for you young whippersnappers.

Having gone through this with one group of students in Quarter 1, I'm going to do it a little differently this time and see if we have an easier start.  Last time I started with teaching students some of the basic tools first.  We quickly came across problems, however, because they didn't know anything about layers.  I realized that in order to do pretty much ANYthing in Photoshop, you have to know about layers.  So guess what we're going to do first this time around?  LAYERS!


The web site Photoshopessentials.com has a terrific tutorial on getting started with Photoshop layers.  I am going to lead you through the steps of the tutorial, but you should have the link up too so you can follow along.

Photoshopessentials.com tutorial on Photoshop layers

I made this yesterday while during the tutorial.  Pretty cool, huh?