Adobe Photoshop Magic: Intro to Compositing Level 1

Created as an introduction to Photoshop Compositing from a professional artist, this is a Live Video Instructor class for students to begin learning how Photoshop allows you to composite photographic images together to create new images.  Instructor will demonstrate Photoshop  techniques through Screen Sharing (live Demo inside of  Adobe Photoshop) and afterwards, students can apply the techniques for projects and later to their own photographs, and also get help through the share screen feature or post their own work after they apply the visual effects. Teacher usually demonstrates the technique and project the first part of class and the second half of the class students are able to work along and teacher is available to assist (similar to a traditional digital media classroom, where the teacher helps each student via screen sharing. 

Students will get an introduction to using Photoshop as an Artist Medium. This introduction to using Photoshop will demonstrate how to apply cool and exciting visual effects to photographs and how to combine multiple images together. Emphasis will be on Photoshop techniques used for Image Compositing. Students will be able to apply these effects to various projects or download (example photographs from the instructor to use).

Instructor demonstrates a technique for a project, and then students work on the project together, as the live-video instructor is available to assist them and answer questions.


Course Content: 
Level 1 - Class 1: Students will learn where the tools are located inside of Photoshop. Students will get an intro-tour of the Photoshop Interface, (Menus, floating palettes, tool bar etc). and how to open / save their files. Students learn how to set their workspace. Students will get a basic intro to the Move / Transform / Rotate and Resizing Tools. Students work on solving Photoshop 2D puzzles as a learning project to become familiar with the tools.

Level 1 - Class 2:  Continue with covering the basics of the Photoshop tool set, Students will get an intro tour of Photoshop and learn about using the Layers palette inside of Photoshop. Students learn how to move and control the stacking order of images as they move photographs around, and all things Layers related.  Students will work on solving a stacking puzzle as a learning project to become familiar with the tools. Students can turn in their project to the class web page forum if they would like to show their work to others. 

Level 1 - Class 3: Students will learn about basic selections such as box / circle marquis. Students learn how to copy/paste images from another photograph into their composition. Students work on a project where they create a "box project" image composition using either the instructor's supplied photographs via google drive) or using their own photographic images. Students can turn in their project to the class web page forum if they would like to show their work to others. 

Level 1 - Class 4: Students will learn how apply Adjustment Layers for Visual Effects. They will learn how to control and fine tune  Adjustment Layers inside of Photoshop, to modify exposure, curves, colors & more inside of Photoshop. Students will then learn how to controlling the selection appearance of their Adjustment layers and utilize the Adjustment Layer Masking palette. They will learn how to control the Adjustment Layer with a Paintbrush controls and paint on masking techniques. Students work on a project where they apply Adjustment layers to photographs (either their own or supplied by the instructor)  Students will be encouraged to Export their images as JPEGs and share in the Outschool Online Classroom.

Level 1 - Class 5: Students will learn about non-destructive editing with beginning basic selection masking techniques, such as pen, quick selection tool. Students will learn how to create a mask on their photographic images using basic marquis. Students will learn about other selection tools, such as the pen, magnetic lasso, magic wand. Students will learn how to apply a mask to an existing selection from the layers palette.  Students work on a project where they apply basic masks using the selection marquis to photographs.  Students will be encouraged to Export their images as JPEGs and share in the Outschool Online Classroom.

Level 1 - Class 6: Students build on non-destructive editing technique with masking techniques and begin to use the pen-tools and the quick selection tools. Students learn how to further edit details on the masks of their images. Students work on a project where they apply more advanced selections & masks to photographs on different layers in order to create a new composition.  Students will be encouraged to Export their images as JPEGs and share in the Outschool Online Classroom.

Level 2 classes available 

**Please note: based on the pace of the class and instructor troubleshooting as needed, the above outline is a loose guide and instructor reserves the right to adjust as needed during the learning sequence to accommodate for different leaning speeds.

Instructor supplies all demonstrated project files & images through a linked Google Drive Folder. Students may also incorporate their own photographs into projects as desired. Photography Subject Matter which is encouraged includes: Landscapes, Vacation, Scenery, Food, Portraits, Sports, Flowers, Animals, Pets, Architecture, Candids etc. 

 **Parents be certain to check and explain to your students, that their chosen set of images are acceptable as content and are consistent with  regular school standards and do not display (nudity, violence etc anything that would normally not be allowed during traditional "school") ** Students displaying photographs that violate community standards may be placed in the waiting room until issues are resolved. 


***Please note: Adobe Photoshop  subscription is needed for this class, must be purchased separately through Adobe.com - Students may be eligible for the Educational Version of Adobe Photoshop - Call Adobe for details ***